Gabrielle Daleman Returns to the Grand Prix Circuit After Three-Year Injury Battle

Gabrielle Daleman is officially returning to the highest echelon of international figure skating. The two-time Olympian and 2018 team gold medalist has been assigned to the ISU Grand Prix de France this October, marking her first appearance on the elite Grand Prix circuit since a devastating string of injuries forced her off the ice three years ago.[1][6]

The 28-year-old Canadian's career was abruptly derailed in the summer of 2022 by a severe car accident, which triggered a cascade of physical setbacks. Over the subsequent three years, Daleman endured a severe back injury, two torn ligaments, and three separate ankle fractures that required multiple invasive surgeries.[3][5]

The physical toll was immense, leaving her sidelined during the prime years of her athletic career. Following her final major surgery in early 2025, she spent two months on crutches. "In March I was just learning how to walk again," Daleman recalled, noting that she faced considerable external pressure to retire and preserve her long-term health.[2][3]

Instead of hanging up her skates, Daleman relocated to Colorado Springs to overhaul her training regimen. Working alongside U.S. national champion Amber Glenn, Daleman slowly rebuilt her jumping passes on a harness, determined to end her career on her own terms rather than letting an injury dictate her exit.[2][5]

Adopting an underdog mentality, Daleman returned to international competition in November 2025 at the IceChallenge in Graz, Austria. Defying expectations, she captured the gold medal in the women's singles event, proving that her technical arsenal was still intact. She followed that victory with another gold at the Skate Canada Challenge in Calgary.[2][5]

Her momentum carried into the highly anticipated 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships in January. Daleman went head-to-head with reigning champion Madeline Schizas for Canada's lone women's singles spot at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, ultimately capturing the silver medal and securing the first alternate position for the Games.[3][4]

"I'm like a witch, you can't really kill me," Daleman remarked during the national championships, reflecting on her resilience. "I always come back, and I always come back better."[4]

Daleman's successful return stands out in a sport currently facing a crisis of early retirements. With an increasing number of elite skaters stepping away due to stress fractures and chronic joint issues, her ability to regain her triple jumps and competitive stamina in her late twenties offers a hopeful counter-narrative to the sport's grueling physical toll.[2][4]

Following a seventh-place finish at the 2026 Four Continents Championships, Daleman's world standing points were high enough to earn her a coveted Grand Prix assignment for the 2026–2027 season. She will head to Angers, France, this fall to compete against a stacked international field.[1][3]

Now fully cleared and competing without pain, Daleman is focused on fine-tuning her choreography and jump consistency. While she narrowly missed her goal of competing in a third Olympic Games this past February, her Grand Prix return solidifies her status as one of the most resilient athletes in Canadian figure skating history.[3][5]