Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier are two of America's best pairs skaters, but they've only worked as a team since April 2020. After withdrawing from January's U.S. Figure Skating Championships due to Frazier's bout with COVID, they have something to prove on the world's biggest sporting stage -- and NBC and Peacock will be there to capture every pair spin, lift, and partner-assisted jump at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
SEE MORE: Meet the Athletes: Alexa Knierim
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Alexa Knierim
Born Alexa Scimeca in 1991, Knierim was raised in Addison, Illinois. She started skating at age 7 and had to modify her schooling to incorporate her training schedule.
After over a decade practicing singles, Scimeca jumped to pair skating in 2011. The following year, she moved to Colorado Springs to train under coach Dalilah Sappenfield. That's when she met her first real pairs partner, Chris Knierim, whom she married in 2016.
By 2013, Scimeca/Knierim kicked off an almost decade-long streak in which either Alexa, Chris, or both landed on the U.S. Championships podium. Together, they won the pairs national title in 2015, 2018, and 2020, and served as runners-up in 2013 and 2016. For years, they were plagued by numerous illnesses and injuries.
On the international level, the duo cracked the top 10 at the World Championships four times. Alexa and Chris placed third at the 2014 Four Continents and second at the tournament's 2016 edition. They also earned three Grand Prix medals. The Knierims made a single Olympics appearance at PyeongChang 2018, where they finished 15th.
Their professional partnership ended in February 2020, when Chris stepped away from the sport due to injury.
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SEE MORE: How to watch Figure Skating at the 2022 Winter Olympics on NBC and Peacock
Brandon Frazier
Frazier was born in Phoenix. His path towards the ice was somewhat unconventional: At age 6, Frazier began training, and then competing, in roller skating tournaments. When he was 10, Frazier teamed up with Haven Denney -- on blades, not skates.
In 2005, the pair hit the ice. Denney/Frazier then competed in pairs from 2005 through 2008 and 2011 to 2020. Before their senior Grand Prix debut in 2014, the duo won their division at the 2013 World Junior Championships. No American pair had won since 2007.
On the senior level, Denney/Frazier won the 2017 U.S. Nationals title and racked up four Grand Prix medals on the international circuit before calling it quits in 2020.
The pair never made it to the Olympics.
SEE MORE: Figure Skating 101: Since PyeongChang
Pairs duo Knierim/Frazier
In April 2020, Knierim and Frazier officially became a pairs duo. That year, they won their first Grand Prix event at Skate America.
Soon after, Knierim/Frazier won the 2021 U.S. Nationals and finished seventh at their World Championships debut in 2021.
Just ahead of the 2022 U.S. Championships, Frazier announced via social media that he had contracted a serious case of COVID-19. Despite their absence at the most recent nationals, Knierim/Frazier won an Olympic berth based on their results from the past year and will compete at the 2022 Winter Games.
Sign up to stream every event at the 2022 Winter Olympics LIVE on Peacock. Users can also authenticate via TV Everywhere to stream events in the NBC Sports app or on NBCOlympics.com. See below for full broadcast and streaming details for every figure skating event. You can also see a full figure skating streaming schedule on NBCOlympics.com.
SEE MORE: Figure Skating 101: Glossary
Date/Time (ET) | Event | TV/Streaming |
---|---|---|
Thurs | Feb 3 | 8.55 p.m. | Team Event - Men's SP, Rhythm Dance, Pairs' SP | NBC | Peacock , NBCOlympics.com |
Sun | Feb 6 | 8:15 p.m. | 🏅 Team Event - Pairs' FS, Free Dance, Women's FS | NBC | Peacock , NBCOlympics.com |
Fri | Feb 18 | 5:30 a.m. | Pairs' Short Program | NBC | Peacock , NBCOlympics.com |
Sat | Feb 19 | 6:00 a.m. | 🏅 Pairs' Free Skate | NBC | Peacock , NBCOlympics.com |
Sat | Feb 19 | 11:00 p.m. | Exhibition Gala | NBC | Peacock , NBCOlympics.com |
* TV networks reflect live events, times may differ for replays; check full schedule for detailed information.