The Milano Cortina Olympics delivered a night to remember as American figure skater Alysa Liu soared to gold in the women’s singles competition, ending a 24-year drought for U.S. women at the Winter Games. Her near-flawless free skate on February 19, 2026, at the packed Milano Ice Skating Arena not only electrified the crowd but also secured her place in history alongside legendary names like Sarah Hughes, the last American woman to claim Olympic gold in 2002.
Liu, just 20 years old and hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area, scored a stunning 226.79 points, outpacing a formidable trio of Japanese skaters. Kaori Sakamoto, the three-time world champion, delivered a strong performance in what she announced would be her final Olympic appearance, taking silver with 224.90 points. Ami Nakai claimed bronze, while Mone Chiba finished just off the podium in fourth place. Alysa Liu’s teammate, Amber Glenn, rebounded from an earlier setback to finish fifth with a season-best free skate, her score of 214.91 nearly matching her career best.
The night was filled with emotion, resilience, and redemption. For Liu, the gold medal was more than just a piece of hardware. It symbolized her journey through burnout, retirement, and ultimately, self-discovery. After finishing sixth at the 2022 Beijing Games, Liu stepped away from the sport, feeling drained by the relentless grind. She spent her time away from the rink climbing to Mount Everest base camp and enrolling at UCLA to study psychology. It was only after a skiing trip reignited her competitive spark that she decided to return—this time, on her own terms.
“I think my story is more important than anything to me,” Liu said, her frenulum piercing glinting as she smiled in the press area. “And that’s what I will hold dear, and this journey has been incredible, and my life has just been — I have no complaints.”
Liu’s performance radiated confidence and joy from the start. Even during warmups, she waved to friends and family in the stands, the same people who had been keeping her out late for “super fun” dinners. As her routine set to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” reached its climax, Liu landed her jumps with precision and grace, culminating in a casual flip of her ponytail as the crowd erupted. Her coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, celebrated with exuberant hugs and fist pumps, knowing they had witnessed a truly special skate.
When the final scores were read and it became clear Liu had clinched gold, the moment was pure jubilation. Amber Glenn, who had already performed her free skate earlier in the evening, leaped into the kiss-and-cry area to raise Liu’s hand in triumph. Liu then turned to congratulate Nakai, who rushed over for a heartfelt embrace. It was a scene that captured the camaraderie and sportsmanship at the heart of Olympic competition.
Glenn’s own Olympic journey was a testament to perseverance. The three-time reigning U.S. champion had entered Milan as a favorite, only to suffer a costly mistake on a triple loop in the short program two days earlier. That error dropped her to 13th place and left her fighting an uphill battle. The days that followed were tough, with Glenn facing a barrage of criticism online. “There’s been a bombardment of attacks and hate on me, using my lackluster performance as fuel for hate, and that was disheartening,” Glenn admitted after her free skate.
But Glenn refused to let negativity define her Olympic experience. On Thursday night, she delivered a redemptive free skate that put her in the leader’s chair for a remarkable 90 minutes as the final groups took the ice. “I’m ecstatic. I’m happy that I did my job,” Glenn said, visibly emotional as her coach Damon Allen embraced her. “Of course there’s so much that I wish I could have done better, and there’s going to be so many ‘what ifs?’ after this. But to tell myself that I did what I could, that’s enough.”
Glenn’s 214.91 points were nearly a personal best and kept her in medal contention until the very end. She watched the competition unfold from the new leader’s chair, draped in a blanket as the ice was resurfaced. She encouraged other skaters, including Sofia Samodelkina of Kazakhstan and U.S. teammate Isabeau Levito, showing grace and support even as her own hopes for a podium finish faded. Ultimately, it was Mone Chiba who bumped Glenn from her perch, and then Liu’s golden skate sealed the final standings.
“Her story of taking a step back, mental health, I think it really attests to you never know what the journey to success is going to be,” Glenn said of Liu’s comeback. “I really hope that can reach the skating community, that it’s OK to take time.”
The Japanese contingent also made headlines, with Kaori Sakamoto’s silver marking the end of a brilliant competitive career. Sakamoto, who earned a bronze in Beijing and three world titles, was candid about her disappointment. “I’m really regretful,” Sakamoto said. “I feel like I’m so disappointed, to be honest.” Still, her legacy as one of the sport’s most consistent and admired athletes remains secure.
Elsewhere in the competition, Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, competing as a neutral athlete, attempted the only quadruple jump of the night—a quad toe loop—but fell, finishing just behind Glenn. “I feel a little ashamed,” Petrosian said. “For myself, for the federation, for my coaches and for the spectators that it went this way. I understand that it’s my own fault.”
Liu’s victory was not her only gold at these Games. She and Glenn also contributed to the U.S. team’s gold medal performance earlier in the week, underscoring the depth and talent of American women’s figure skating at this Olympic cycle.
As the lights dimmed on the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Alysa Liu’s golden performance stood as a testament to resilience, self-belief, and the enduring power of sport to inspire. For Glenn, Sakamoto, and all the competitors, the night was a reminder that sometimes the journey is just as meaningful as the result. And for U.S. figure skating fans, the long wait for Olympic gold is finally over—with a new champion whose story is only just beginning.