The Viral ‘Minions’ Skater Finally Made It to the 2026 Olympics, and He Put On a Show

A figure skater clad in blue overalls and a bright yellow shirt stole the show in Tuesday’s men’s short program at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games—we suspect he may have wanted to steal the moon instead, but he had to settle for the hearts of Olympic fans everywhere.

Spanish skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté nearly didn’t get to perform his Minions-inspired short-form routine at this year’s Winter Games due to a music copyright issue, but thankfully, the musical track ended up getting the green light before his event. The six-time Spanish national champion had previously used the track during the international skating season and purposefully chose the music to “bring joy and a playful style to the ice.”

And that he did.

In his highly anticipated program on Tuesday afternoon, Sabaté tripped up on his first jump but recovered quickly, going on to deliver an all-time memorable performance that even the cantankerous Gru would be proud of.

The viral figure skating sensation incorporated plenty of twirls, spins and jumps that matched the upbeat tunes of his Minions-inspired track. Halfway through his program, Sabaté paused on the ice and started clapping his hands in rhythm to the music, perhaps trying to show the world that figure skating doesn’t always have to be serious and dramatic. It can, in fact, be incredibly fun and engaging.

Sabaté’s dance moves, for lack of a more accurate skating term, ever so slightly differed from the technical prowess of his rivals. At one point, he pumped his fist in the air while kicking his skates on the ice, a move that’s more commonly seen at a disco ball-lit club or rave and definitely not at the Winter Games.

MINIONS ON OLYMPIC ICE!!! 🍌

Tomas, please never change. We need goofballs like you that push this sport to strange, unique, and hilarious places.

Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté 🇪🇸
Men's SP ⛸️ | #MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/uVV5RoIK62
— Josiah Wampfler (@josiah_wampfler) February 10, 2026

Longtime figure skating analyst Johnny Weir couldn’t help but call Sabaté’s program “gimmicky” but did laud the Spaniard for his unwavering commitment to the bit, and for his strength and conditioning that made his bubbly, energetic performance possible.

Sabaté finished with a score of 69.80 points, which likely isn’t going to be enough to make the top 24 to qualify for the men’s free skate event on Thursday. Even so, what an all-around entertaining and out-of-the-box performance.

Fans rightfully loved it:

minion duck walk highlight of the entire olympics actually pic.twitter.com/o7rplOit7w
— mathilda (@thildakm) February 10, 2026

Figure skating is so incredible because one man will skate in honor of his dead parents and it’s very emotional and then two sets later there’s a man dressed as a minion doing a phenomenal fun routine, what a sport man
— ✨rachie✨ (@RachiesArt) February 10, 2026

minion skate cleared everyone sorry pack it up
— leillanov | #seeingbts⁷ (@leitaluv) February 10, 2026

next olympics I want to see a shrek program
— cloud ミ☆ 🪼 (@yuzu4lesbos) February 10, 2026

ya know what respect because i’m getting super tired of watching all the bedazzled skaters skate to same old same old classical music—when he took the ice to minion music dressed as a minion i locked in https://t.co/eyFhXJn68k
— annoe 💗 (@staffor_a) February 10, 2026

Whimsy, light-hearted, goofy and altogether unserious—these are not typically qualities of an impressive figure skating routine, but for a short while at the Milan Cortina Olympics, Sabaté lived out his dream. Anyone watching at home should be inspired to do the same, too, especially if there’s any degree of silliness evolved. A big bravo to Sabaté.