Ting Cui

{{short description|American figure skater (born 2002)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox figure skater | name = Ting Cui | image = Ting Cui at the Junior World Championships 2019 - Awarding ceremony.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Cui at the 2019 World Junior Championships | fullname = | altname = | country = {{USA}} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|9|6}} | birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | hometown = | height = {{cvt|1.70|m|order=flip}} | coach = Tom Zakrajsek | skating club = Baltimore Figure Skating Club | beganskating = 2009 | retired = | discipline = Women's singles | medalrecord = {{Figure skating infobox medals |JWC={{FS medal|b|JWC|2019|Zagreb|w}} }} }}

'''Ting Cui''' ({{IPAc-en|t|s|w|eɪ}};<ref name=Baltimore190114/> born September 6, 2002) is an American figure skater. She is the 2018 CS Tallinn Trophy silver medalist. At the junior level, she is the 2019 World Junior bronze medalist and the 2018 U.S. junior national bronze medalist.

== Personal life == Ting Cui was born on September 6, 2002, in Baltimore, Maryland,<ref name=ISU-1819/> the eldest child of Lily and Larry Cui.<ref name=Baltimore190114/> She graduated from Towson High School in 2020.<ref name=Baltimore190114/> She enrolled at Middlebury College in 2022, where she currently in the process of obtaining a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ting Cui |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/tingtcui/ |website=LinkedIn |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Early years === Cui began learning to skate in 2009.<ref name=ISU-1819/> She received a pewter medal after finishing fourth in the intermediate category at the 2015 U.S. Championships. Two years later, she won silver in the novice ranks at the 2017 U.S. Championships.

=== 2017–18 season === Cui made her ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) debut in August, placing sixth in Brisbane, Australia. In January, she won the junior bronze medal at the 2018 U.S. Championships, having finished third behind Alysa Liu and Pooja Kalyan after placing eleventh in the short and second in the free. She placed seventh at the 2018 World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. She was coached by Vincent Restencourt in Aston, Pennsylvania, until the end of the season.<ref name=ISU-1718/> In June, she joined Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs, Colorado.<ref name=Baltimore190114/>

=== 2018–19 season: World Junior bronze === Cui began her season on the JGP series, placing fifth in Linz, Austria, and then seventh in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Making her senior international debut, she won silver at the 2018 CS Tallinn Trophy in November.

At the 2019 U.S. Championships, Cui debuted on the senior level domestically. She placed twelfth in the short program after falling twice and failing to execute a combination. She rallied in the free skate, where she placed third, rising to fifth place overall. Cui said afterward that it "felt amazing, and the audience was so different from juniors. I could feel the energy from the crowd, and I was just so happy, and people were on their feet too, which was really amazing." Cui was then assigned to the 2019 World Junior Championships alongside pewter medalist Hanna Harrell. Because both Harrell and gold medalist Alysa Liu were ineligible for senior international competition, Cui was also assigned to the 2019 Four Continents Championship.<ref name=GS190126/>

Competing at Four Continents, Cui placed seventh in the short program. Despite an edge call on her flip, she said it was "so much fun skating for the crowd, especially during my footwork, that was great. It’s my first Championship event, and I really want to enjoy every moment of it."<ref name=GS190207/> In the free program, she fell three times and finished in eleventh place overall.<ref name=GS190209/>

She won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Junior Championships after placing third in both segments, becoming the first American lady to medal at Junior Worlds since Gracie Gold in 2012.<ref name=USFSFZ190309/>

=== 2019–20 season === Cui suffered from a serious ankle injury over the summer but returned to compete at the 2019 U.S. Classic, where she finished fourth.<ref name=TC190925/> On October 9, 2019, Cui announced that she had reinjured her ankle in training and would consequently withdraw from her Grand Prix assignments for the year, the Internationaux de France and NHK Trophy.<ref name=FSO191009/>

In January, Cui qualified for the 2020 U.S. Championships but withdrew in December 2019 to focus on recovering from her ankle injury.<ref name=nats20>{{cite instagram|user=ting_a_ding|postid=B6ZPbU3pq05|title=Hi everyone, I have decided to withdraw from Nationals this year to focus on my recovery and rehabilitation from my second right ankle injury this year.|first=Ting|last=Cui|date=December 22, 2019}}</ref>

=== 2020–21 season === Cui switched coaches from Tom Zakrajsek to Natalia Linichuk in Newark, Delaware during the offseason.<ref name=linichuk/> She did not compete at either 2020 Skate America or the 2021 U.S. Championships. Cui struggled with continuing ankle issues and developed an eating disorder that hampered her recovery, though a skating friend helped her to begin improving her mental health.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Hutton |first=Patrice |date=2025-01-17 |title=Ting Cui is a different skater as she makes her 3rd trip to nationals |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/ting-cui-us-figure-skating-national-championships-V6QMJUL5M5BHBMDWMD4L2B6ROU/ |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=The Baltimore Banner |language=en}}</ref>

While appearing on Polina Edmunds's podcast, on an episode that was released in February 2021, Cui said she was training in Lake Placid, New York, with Paul Wylie and was still recovering from her injury. She said she was working on getting her triples consistent and looking to return and compete for the next season. Cui also said her coaching situation for the upcoming season would be dependent upon several factors, including where she decided to attend college.<ref name=cui-edmunds>{{cite web | url = http://wavve.link/polinapodcast/episodes | title = Bleav in Figure Skating: Ting Cui | date = February 9, 2021}}</ref> Roland Burghart would eventually become her new coach.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cui |first1=Ting |title=so grateful to still be skating in college and I can't even describe how it feels to have qualified for nationals for the first time in a long time after a long journey💙 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck62LJwrvRj/?hl=en&img_index=1 |website=Instagram |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref>

During the following season, Cui would only appear at small domestic events.<ref name=SS-TC/> She considered ending her competitive career after she entered college, but she continued to skate for fun and eventually decided to return to competitive training.<ref name=":0" />

=== 2022–23 season === Competing at the 2023 Eastern Sectional Championships in early November, Cui would win the silver medal, which allowed her to qualify for the U.S. Championships.<ref name=SS-TC/>

Although assigned to compete at the 2023 Winter World University Games, she would withdraw following a nineteenth-place short program due to illness.<ref name=SS-TC/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Cui |first1=Ting |title=This has been one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make… after a very long conversation with my doctor and my coach I decided to withdraw from the long program because of issues with my heart. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CndXlUErlOl/?hl=en |website=Instagram |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref> Shortly following the event, Cui competed at the 2023 U.S. Championships, where she finished in twelfth place.<ref name=SS-TC/>

=== 2023–24 season === Competing at the 2024 Eastern Sectional Championships, Cui won the bronze medal.<ref name=SS-TC/>

=== 2024–25 season === During the summer, Tatiana Malinina and Roman Skorniakov became her head coaches; due to the distance between their rink and Cui's college, they coached her virtually when she was at school.<ref name=":0" />

Cui began the season by competing at the 2025 Eastern Sectional Championships, where she won the gold medal, thus qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Championships. She ultimately placed seventeenth at the latter event.<ref name="SS-TC" />

In May 2025, she underwent surgery to treat a longtime ankle injury.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cui |first1=Ting |title=1 month post-op! |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DLaVJjjRLm9/?hl=en&img_index=1 |website=Instagram |publisher=Instagram |access-date=28 June 2025}}</ref>

== Programs == {|class=wikitable style=text-align:center ! Season ! Short program ! Free skating ! Exhibition |- ! 2016–2017 <ref name=USFS-TC/> | * Defend the Yellow River {{small| by Lang Lang }} | * The Wizard of Oz {{small| by Harold Arlen }} | |- ! 2017–2018 <ref name=ISU-1718/> | * Libertango {{small| by Astor Piazzolla choreo. by Derrick Delmore }} | * Chopin Medley * Selection {{small| by Edvin Marton choreo. by Derrick Delmore }} | * Skinny Love {{small| by Justin Vernon performed by Birdy }} |- ! 2018–2019 <ref name=ISU-1819/> | rowspan=2 | * Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini {{small| by Sergei Rachmaninoff choreo. by Derrick Delmore }} | * Giselle {{small| by Adolphe Adam choreo. by Derrick Delmore }} | * All I Ask {{small| by Adele}} |- ! 2019–2020 <ref name=ISU-1920/> | rowspan=3 | * Wayward Sisters * Table for Two {{small| (from ''Nocturnal Animals'') by Abel Korzeniowski}} * La belle histoire d'amour {{small| performed by Patricia Kaas choreo. by Katherine Hill }} | |- ! 2020–2021 | rowspan=2 | * This Bitter Earth {{small| by Dinah Washington, Max Richter choreo. by Colin McManus}} | |- ! 2021–2022 <ref name=IG200722/> | |- ! 2022–2023 | rowspan=2 | * Orchestra Suite Part 1 {{small|(from ''Mission: Impossible 2'') by Hans Zimmer}} | | |- ! 2023–2024 <ref>{{cite web |title="Can't Help Falling in Love". 🖤♠️ Ting Cui @ting_a_ding performs Tommee Profitt's dark cover of Elvis Presley at Patriot FSC's 2nd annual Ice Show earlier this month. Thank you @PatriotFSC for having me back this year. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs3SpvBgezP/?hl=en |website=Instagram |publisher=On Ice Perspectives |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref> | | * Can't Help Falling in Love {{small| by Elvis Presley performed by Tommee Profitt }} |- ! 2024–2025 <ref>{{cite web |title=Ting Cui - Senior Women Short Program - 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles Final |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noqWQztNux8 |website=YouTube | date=16 November 2024 |publisher=U.S. Figure Skating |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ting Cui - Senior Women Free Skate - 2025 Eastern Sectional Singles |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLnbKyBDONA |website=YouTube | date=17 November 2024 |publisher=U.S. Figure Skating |access-date=18 November 2024}}</ref> | * Black Magic Woman {{small|by Fleetwood Mac performed by Santana }} | * ''Star Wars'' ** The Force Theme {{small| by Samuel Kim }} ** Jyn Erso & Hope Suite {{small| by Michael Giacchino }} ** Duel of the Fates (Epic Version) {{small| by Samuel Kim }} | |}

== Competitive highlights == {{smalldiv| *JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series *CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series *WD – Withdrew from competition }} {{Figure skating competitive highlights |level=senior|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |season1=2018–19|season2=2019–20|season3=2022–23|season4=2023–24|season5=2024–25 |{{FS placements|5|Four Continents Championships|p1=11th}} |{{FS placements|5|U.S. Championships|p1=5th|p3=12th|p5=17th}} |{{FS placements|5|{{small|CS}} Tallinn Trophy|p1=2nd}} |{{FS placements|5|{{small|CS}} U.S. Classic|p2=4th}} |{{FS placements|5|Kings Cup|p4=WD}} |{{FS placements|5|Winter University Games|p3=WD}} }} {{Figure skating competitive highlights |level=junior|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |season1=2017–18|season2=2018–19 |{{FS placements|2|{{nowrap|World Junior Championships}}|p1=7th|p2=3rd}} |{{FS placements|2|U.S. Championships|p1=3rd}} |{{FS placements|2|{{small|JGP}} Australia|p1=6th}} |{{FS placements|2|{{small|JGP}} Austria|p2=5th}} |{{FS placements|2|{{small|JGP}} Czech Republic|p2=7th}} |{{FS placements|2|Philadelphia Summer|p1=1st}} }}

== Detailed results == {{Figure skating personal bests|float=yes|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |199.79|2018 CS Tallinn Trophy |70.20|2018 JGP Czech Republic |40.43|2018 JGP Czech Republic |30.96|2018 CS Tallinn Trophy |132.23|2018 CS Tallinn Trophy |72.11|2018 CS Tallinn Trophy |61.84|{{nowrap|2019 CS U.S. International Classic}} }} {{Figure skating personal bests|historical=yes|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |180.39|{{nowrap|2018 World Junior Championships}} |62.22|2018 World Junior Championships |36.33|2018 World Junior Championships |25.89|2018 World Junior Championships |118.17|2018 World Junior Championships |65.16|2018 World Junior Championships |54.01|2018 World Junior Championships }} {{clear}}

{{smalldiv| *Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships. }}

=== Senior level === {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2018–19|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Nov 26 – Dec 2, 2018|{{flagicon|EST}} 2018 CS Tallinn Trophy|2|67.56|2|132.23|2|199.79 |Jan 19–27, 2019|{{flagicon|USA}} 2019 U.S. Championships|12|54.64|3|139.66|5|194.30 |Feb 7–10, 2019|{{flagicon|USA}} 2019 Four Continents Championships|7|66.73|14|98.11|11|164.84 }} {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2019–20|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Sep 17–22, 2019|{{flagicon|USA}} 2019 CS U.S. International Classic|3|63.10|4|114.37|4|177.47 }} {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2022–23|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Jan 13–15, 2022|{{flagicon|USA}} 2023 Winter World University Games|19|47.33|{{NA}}|{{NA}}|–|WD |Jan 23–29, 2023|{{flagicon|USA}} 2023 U.S. Championships|10|57.11|12|104.16|12|161.27 }} {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2023–24|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Oct 5–7, 2023|{{flagicon|USA}} 2023 Kings Cup International|3|55.72|{{NA}}|{{NA}}|–|WD }} {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2024–25|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Jan 20–26, 2025|{{flagicon|USA}} 2025 U.S. Championships|18|43.94|17|82.69|17|126.63 }}

=== Junior level === [[File:Ting Cui - 2019 World Junior Championships.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Cui at the 2019 World Junior Championships]] {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2017–18|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Aug 3–6, 2017|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|USA}} 2017 Philadelphia Summer International}}|1|54.01|1|97.78|1|151.79 |Aug 23–26, 2017|{{flagicon|AUS}} 2017 JGP Australia|5|55.34|7|95.61|6|150.95 |{{nowrap|Dec 29, 2017 –}} Jan 8, 2018|{{flagicon|USA}} 2018 U.S. Championships (Junior)|11|45.55|2|119.96|3|165.51 |Mar 5–11, 2018|{{flagicon|BUL}} 2018 World Junior Championships|7|62.22|7|118.17|7|180.39 }} {{Figure skating detailed results |season=2018–19|ref={{r|SS-TC}} |Aug 29 – Sep 1, 2018|{{flagicon|AUT}} 2018 JGP Austria|6|53.25|5|102.79|5|156.04 |Sep 26–29, 2018|{{flagicon|CZE}} 2018 JGP Czech Republic|2|70.20|7|102.54|7|172.74 |Mar 4–10, 2019|{{flagicon|CRO}} 2019 World Junior Championships|3|67.69|3|126.72|3|194.41|small3=yes }}

== References == {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=SS-TC>{{cite web |title=USA–Ting Cui |url=https://skatingscores.com/usa/women/ting_cui |website=SkatingScores}}</ref>

<ref name=ISU-1718>{{cite web |url= http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |title= Ting Cui: 2017/2018 |publisher= International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180529110610/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |archive-date= May 29, 2018 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

<ref name=ISU-1819>{{cite web |url= http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |title= Ting Cui: 2018/2019 |publisher= International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190331151411/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |archive-date= March 31, 2019 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

<ref name=ISU-1920>{{cite web |url= http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |title= Ting Cui: 2019/2020 |publisher= International Skating Union |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200628195812/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00103186.htm |archive-date= June 28, 2020 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

<ref name=USFS-TC>{{cite web |url= https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=63 |title= Ting Cui |publisher= U.S. Figure Skating |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180929013426/https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=63 |archive-date= September 29, 2018 |url-status= live }} {{cite web |url= http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/profile/ting_cui |title= Earlier versions |website= IceNetwork.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180701174903/http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/profile/ting_cui |archive-date= July 1, 2018 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

<ref name=Baltimore190114>{{cite news |url= https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/olympics/bs-sp-figure-skating-ting-cui-us-figure-skating-championships-20190111-story.html |title= Pikesville resident Ting Cui, 16, ready to compete among top U.S. skaters |first= Edward |last= Lee |work= Baltimore Sun |date= January 14, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=GS190126>{{cite news |url= https://goldenskate.com/2019/01/us-nats-ladies-fs/ |title= Alysa Liu swoops in for Ladies' U.S. title; makes history |first= Scott |last= Mammoser |work= Golden Skate |date= January 26, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=GS190207>{{cite news |url= https://goldenskate.com/2019/02/bradie-tennell-takes-slight-lead-in-anaheim/ |title= Bradie Tennell takes slight lead in Anaheim |first= Paula |last= Slater |work= Golden Skate |date= February 7, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=GS190209>{{cite news |url= https://goldenskate.com/2019/02/kihira-captures-gold-in-anaheim-in-debut-at-four-continents/ |title= Kihira captures gold in Anaheim in debut at Four Continents |first= Paula |last= Slater |work= Golden Skate |date= February 9, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=USFSFZ190309>{{cite news |url= https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/news/2019/3/9/figure-skating-ting-cui-takes-home-bronze-medal-at-world-junior-championshhips.aspx |title= Ting Cui Takes Home Bronze Medal at World Junior Championships |work= U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone |date= March 9, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=TC190925>{{cite instagram |user= ting_a_ding |postid= B21pVydnGfr |title= #USIntlClassic this past weekend💙 Happy to have been back on the ice competing after a bad ankle injury during off season. Onwards and upwards from here. |first= Ting |last= Cui |date= September 25, 2019 }}</ref>

<ref name=FSO191009>{{cite tweet |user=fsonline |author=FigureSkatersOnline |number=1181964712776523776 |date=9 October 2019 |title=Team USA's Ting Cui posted on Instagram that she has to withdraw from both her #GPFigure assignments (#IFP19 and #NHKTrophy) due to re-injuring her right ankle while doing off-ice jumps.}}</ref>

<ref name=IG200722>{{cite instagram|user=ting_a_ding|postid=CC9iU2EJijr|title=a little peek of my new SP🖤|first=Ting|last=Cui|date=July 22, 2020}}</ref>

<ref name=linichuk>{{cite web|title=2020–21 Figure Skating Roster: Ting Cui|url=https://usfigureskatingfanzone.com/sports/figure-skating/roster/ting-cui/363|access-date=October 16, 2020|website=U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone|publisher=U.S. Figure Skating}}</ref> }}

== External links == * {{ISU figure skater|00103186}} * {{SkatingScores|usa/women/ting_cui}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cui, Ting}} Category:2002 births Category:American female single skaters Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Baltimore Category:World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists Category:Competitors at the 2023 Winter World University Games Category:21st-century American sportswomen