Alysa Liu won a gold medal in women’s individual figure skating on Thursday, making her the first U.S. woman to take the Olympic podium in the event since 2006. Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto took silver and Ami Nakai, also of Japan, took the bronze.
The last American woman to earn a medal in individual figure skating was Sasha Cohen, who took home silver in 2006. Sarah Hughes was the last American woman to take home a gold medal, in 2002 — four years before Liu was even born. Michelle Kwan also won a bronze medal at those Olympics. This is Liu’s second gold medal.
“I just like, can’t process this. There’s no way,” Liu could be heard telling her coaches as she walked down the hallway after winning.
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Liu, 20, started the free skate in third place, behind Japan’s Nakai and Sakamoto, following the short program on Tuesday. Isabeau Levito, 18, was in eighth place, while Amber Glenn, 26, was in 13th place after an error in her short program.
Glenn was the first U.S. skater to take the ice for her free skate. After failing to complete a triple loop on Tuesday, her score going into the free skate was 67.39. During Thursday’s skate, she nailed a triple axel, though she had to catch herself with her hand after nearly falling during her final loop. She scored 147.52, for a total score of 214.91.
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Photos captured Glenn embracing her coach after her skate. Glenn looked visibly thrilled, smiling and jumping for joy. Despite entering the free skate in 13th place, she was at the top of the leaderboard for much of the event, finally being unseated by Japanese skater Mone Chiba. Glenn ended the competition in fifth place, and Chiba took fourth place.
Liu praised Glenn’s pop-scored comeback in a brief interview with an NBC Olympics correspondent.
“She did so good. I watched it on the bus on the way here, and aw, she killed it, and I’m really happy for her,” Liu said.
Levito was the next American woman to skate. She took the ice with a score of 70.84 from her short program. She fell on the landing of her opening triple flip, losing nine points, but recovered to skate through the rest of her routine.
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Levito looked disappointed after leaving the ice, even as Glenn cheered for her. She also appeared emotional as her score of 131.96 was read out. Levito racked up a total score of 202.80 and came in 12th overall.
Liu was the final U.S. competitor and the third-to-last skater to take the ice. She looked at ease during her warmup, waving to spectators as she rehearsed. She entered the rink with a score of 76.59 after her carefree short program. Liu looked casual and energetic during her free skate, sailing through a triple lutz and triple salchow. She had a broad smile on her face throughout the event, and the crowd roared every time she landed a jump.
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Liu looked particularly at ease during her choreographic step sequences, and ended the routine triumphantly as her family rose for a standing ovation.
Liu’s score was 150.20, for a total score of 226.79.
“That’s what the f*** I’m talking about!” she shouted to the camera after finishing her skate. She bounced off the ice to hug her coaches and could be heard saying, “That was so great!” as they handed her her skate guards. Glenn and Liu were also seen hugging.
“I was so calm when I started,” Liu said following the competition. “I have this breathing technique that I use throughout this program, and I was just making sure to lock in on that, be as smooth as I can and look out into the crowd during all my transitions.”
“I did that, and I felt everyone’s energy. I felt my energy,” she said, adding that she felt she “put it all out there.”
On whether she is glad to have returned to the sport in 2024, after having retired at 16 following the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, Liu said: “It was just right.”
Sakamoto earned silver for her skate to a medley of Edith Piaf songs. She missed a triple jump, but otherwise skated cleanly, and embraced Liu after she came off the ice.
Jamie Squire / Getty Images 
Nakai struggled with some of her jumps, but the high difficulty score of her routine meant she still took home the bronze medal. Liu and Nakai also hugged after Nakai’s score was read out.
The United States also took gold in the team skating event earlier in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games.
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