MILAN, Italy – Alysa Liu of the United States has won the gold medal in women’s figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics, ending a 24-year drought for American women in the event. Liu’s victory on Thursday evening at the Milano Ice Skating Arena culminated a remarkable comeback story, following a period of retirement from the sport.
Liu, 20, delivered a stunning free skate performance, scoring a season-best 150.20 points and achieving a personal best total score of 226.79. This secured her the gold medal ahead of Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who finished with 224.90 points. Ami Nakai of Japan took the bronze with a total score of 219.16.
The competition was exceptionally close, with NBC figure skating analyst Tara Lipinski predicting before Nakai’s final skate that a clean performance would likely win her the gold. While Nakai skated a strong program, it was Liu’s performance that ultimately proved decisive.
Liu’s journey to Olympic gold is particularly noteworthy. She became the youngest-ever U.S. Champion at age 13, then unexpectedly retired from the sport at 16. She later returned to competition, winning the world championships at 19, setting the stage for her Olympic triumph.
The atmosphere following the announcement of the results was one of both celebration, and sportsmanship. Liu immediately embraced Nakai, offering a hug and words of encouragement after the Japanese skater received her bronze medal. This display of camaraderie was also extended to Team USA teammate Amber Glenn, who finished fifth.
Glenn, who was considered a medal hopeful, faced a setback in the short program with a score that made a podium finish challenging. However, she delivered a strong free skate, scoring 147.52 – the third-best score in that round – and finishing with a total of 214.91. Glenn expressed pride in Liu’s victory, stating that it would send a positive message to young athletes about prioritizing mental health.
The victory marks the first gold medal for an American woman in Olympic figure skating since Sarah Hughes won in 2002. “I just can’t process this,” Liu said immediately after her win. “There’s no way.”
Elsewhere at the Games, Japan’s Miho Takagi is poised to compete for a record-breaking medal count in speed skating on Friday. With 10 Olympic medals, she trails only Ireen Wüst of the Netherlands for the most medals in the sport’s history. Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida will also compete, having already secured gold medals in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters, achieving national hero status.
In freestyle skiing, Alex Ferreira of Team USA and Finley Melville Ives of New Zealand are favored to win the men’s halfpipe competition, following the retirement of defending Olympic champion Nico Porteous. Great Britain’s Gus Kenworthy, returning for his fourth Winter Olympics, is also competing. The women’s short track 1,500 meters will be the final Olympic race for Italian skater Arianna Fontana, who has already become Italy’s most decorated Olympian with 14 medals.
