Alysa Liu Wins Olympic Gold
Alysa Liu clinched gold in women's singles figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, ending a 20-year American medal drought in the event. The victory represents a major breakthrough for Team USA and has been widely celebrated across the sporting world.
- The victory was a comeback performance, as Liu was in third place after the short program, behind Japan's Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto. Liu's near-flawless free skate earned a score of 150.20, leading to a total score of 226.79, which propelled her to the top of the podium. - Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time world champion, took the silver medal with a total score of 224.90, while her teammate Ami Nakai secured the bronze with 219.16. - This was actually Liu's second gold medal of the 2026 Milano Cortina Games; she was also a key member of the U.S. team that won gold in the figure skating team event earlier in the Olympics. - The win broke a 24-year gold medal drought for American women in the event, with the last victor being Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. The last American woman to win any medal in the event was Sasha Cohen, who earned a silver in 2006. - This Olympic triumph caps a remarkable comeback for the 20-year-old, who had retired from the sport at age 16 following the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She returned to competitive skating two years later, stating she was competing on her own terms. - Since her return to the sport, Liu has been on a dominant streak, also winning the 2025 World Championships, which was the first world title for a U.S. woman since 2006. - Teammate Amber Glenn also had a strong showing, surging from 13th place after the short program to finish fifth overall, while the third American, Isabeau Levito, finished 12th.
