Olympian Madeline Schizas goes viral after requesting assignment extension

Canadian figure skater shared email to professor explaining missed assignment while competing at Milano Cortina 2026

Canadian figure skater Madeline Schizas has attracted widespread attention online after sharing a message she sent to a university professor while competing at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Schizas posted an image to her Instagram Story showing an email she wrote to her sociology professor requesting a short extension on a reflection assignment.

In the message, she explained that she had been competing at the Olympic Games and had misunderstood the original deadline.

“I was competing in the Olympic Games yesterday and thought the reflection was due on Sunday, not Friday,” she wrote.

The email also included a link to an official Team Canada press release to verify her participation at the Games. Schizas later added a caption to the post saying, “LOLLLL I love being a student athlete,” drawing attention to the challenge of balancing academic commitments alongside elite sport.

The 22-year-old is representing Canada in two events at the 2026 Winter Olympics, including the Team Event and the women’s singles competition.

She skated in the women’s short program for the Team Event on Friday, February 6, recording a score of 64.97 to place sixth.

That result contributed to Canada finishing the opening day of competition in fifth place, which secured qualification for the final segments of the Team Event. Canada is scheduled to return to the ice for the women’s free skate on Sunday, February 8.

Schizas is also set to compete as Canada’s only entrant in the women’s individual figure skating event later in the Games. The women’s short program is scheduled for February 17, followed by the free skate on February 19.

Milano Cortina marks Schizas’ second Olympic appearance, following her debut at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.