Alysa Liu Wins Gold in Women's Figure Skating at Milan Cortina Olympics

Liu ends 24-year US drought in women's figure skating

Alysa Liu wins Olympic gold in women's figure skating, ending a 24-year US drought. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto takes silver, Ami Nakai claims bronze.

“The points I lost on those mistakes were exactly the margin that cost me the gold medal...”

Alysa Liu made a stunning comeback to claim the Olympic women's singles figure skating gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Games, surging from third place to top the leaderboard with a career-best score of 226.79 points. Liu's impressive free skate performance earned her a lifetime best score, securing her second gold medal in Milan after contributing to the US team's title win.

Liu's gold medal marks a historic moment for the US, ending a 24-year drought in women's figure skating. She outperformed Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who took silver, and 17-year-old Ami Nakai, who claimed bronze. Liu's teammate, Amber Glenn, finished fifth after a remarkable recovery from 13th place in the short program.

Alysa Liu Brings Home Olympic Gold

Alysa Liu, just 20 years old, made history by winning the Olympic women's figure skating gold, ending a 24-year drought for the US. She outperformed Japan's Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai, securing the top spot with a total score of 226.79. This victory marks the first time an American woman has won individual gold in figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002.

A Proud Moment for US Figure Skating

Liu's win was witnessed by 1956 women's champion Tenley Albright, making it an unforgettable moment for US figure skating. With this victory, Liu became the eighth US woman to claim the title, breaking a long-standing medal drought that began in Turin 2006.

Kaori Sakamoto was visibly upset as she left the ice, knowing she'd fallen short of gold in her final competition. Her score of 224.90 earned her silver, just shy of Alysa Liu's winning total.

Ami Nakai's bubbly performance secured her a bronze medal with a score of 219.16, a remarkable achievement for the 17-year-old. She'd even led Sakamoto and Liu after the short program, making her medal all the more sweet.

Ami Nakai's energetic performance earned her a bronze medal with a score of 219.16, having surprisingly led Sakamoto and Liu after the short program.

Alysa Liu, rocking a bold “halo” hairstyle and mouth piercing, stole the show with her vibrant routine to Donna Summer's “MacArthur Park.” Her sparkling golden costume dazzled the crowd, who erupted into cheers as she nailed her pulsating performance.

Alysa Liu, daughter of a Chinese immigrant who fled to the US after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, made a remarkable comeback to win Olympic gold. She previously competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics at just 16, finishing sixth, and retired after taking bronze at the 2022 world championships. However, Liu returned to skating in 2024, taking creative control of her music, choreography, and costumes, and rediscovering her passion.

Liu's resurgence was marked by a world title win in 2025, breaking a long US drought, and upsetting Kaori Sakamoto to take the ISU Grand Prix final title in December. Her gold medal win at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics ended a 24-year wait for the US in women's figure skating.

Alysa Liu credited her comeback to rediscovering her love for skating, saying, “Oh my god. It was just right,” about her decision to return. Her gold medal win marked a triumphant return to the sport, ending a 24-year wait for the US in women's figure skating.

Kaori Sakamoto's elegant performance to Patricia Kaas' “Non, je ne regrette rien” wasn't enough to secure gold, as she lost points for missing her planned triple-triple combination. The 25-year-old still walked away with silver, her fourth Olympic medal, adding to her singles bronze from Beijing and two team silvers with Japan.

A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES. 🥇🇺🇸

Alysa Liu wins Olympic gold, becoming the first U.S. women’s figure skating champion since 2002.#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/K2YF9LWyj6

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 19, 2026

“The points I lost on those mistakes were exactly the margin that cost me the gold medal. That’s the most frustrating part - I know I left something out there,” Sakamoto said.

“Still, I achieved my goal of winning medals in both the team (silver) and individual events, so I want to recognise that.”

Amber Glenn, the three-time reigning US champion, put on a spirited show with an opening triple Axel jump, only blemished by a slight touch on the final triple jump of her eight-jump routine. Her performance earned her a season's best score of 147.52 points for the free skate, totaling 214.91 overall.

Gold dress. Golden Performance. Gold Medal. Alysa Liu.. Golden girl! 👏🥇✨#FigureSkating #MilanoCortina2026 pic.twitter.com/BOuQOssYhW

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) February 20, 2026

At 26, Glenn became the oldest US woman to compete in the Olympics in nearly a century, showcasing her experience and skill on the ice. Her remarkable comeback from 13th place after the short program to finish fifth overall is a testament to her resilience and determination.

Ami Nakai, the youngest competitor, delivered a strong performance to “What a Wonderful World,” landing an impressive opening three-and-a-half rotation triple axel. However, her overall free skate score only ranked ninth.

Mone Chiba, another Japanese skater, secured fourth place, while American Amber Glenn made a remarkable comeback from 13th place after the short program to finish fifth.

"It wasn't easy,” said Glenn. “There's been a bombardment of attacks and hate on me, using my lacklustre performance as fuel for hate, and that was disheartening.

“I just thought, I'm going do what I do best, which is enjoy skating, and that's what I did today.'”

Adeliia Petrosian, competing under a neutral flag for Russia, finished sixth after struggling with her opening quadruple jump attempt, falling short of her target. The 18-year-old's performance didn't quite match her potential, but she's still a rising star to watch.