Alisa Liu Wins Gold in Women’s Figure Skating at 2026 Winter Olympics

For the first time since the 2002 Winter Olympics, an American woman is at the pinnacle of the figure skating world. Alisa Liu achieved a stunning victory, securing gold on a night filled with drama, surpassing Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai.

Returning after almost three years, Liu made her mark on figure skating’s grandest stage. In the free skate segment, Nakai grabbed first place, with teammate Sakamoto not far behind in second, and Momone Chiba finishing fourth. Liu, however, had started the short program in fourth place, with her teammates Isabeau Levit and Amber Glenn in eighth and thirteenth, respectively. Attention shifted to Russia’s Adeliya Petrosyan, who, competing under the AIN banner, had potential to shine in the free skate, having landed several planned quads in the short program.

Glenn was the first notable contender to take the ice, closing out the second group on Thursday evening. After struggling with a failed triple toe loop in the short program, which left her in thirteenth, she led this time with a confident triple axel and also executed the challenging jump successfully in the free skate. Kicking off the performance, she started strong with a triple flip and triple toe loop combination.

Continuing with a triple Lutz/double toe loop, a triple Salchow, and more, it became clear that Glenn was in it to win. On her final jump, a triple toe loop, she briefly touched the ice but delivered a solid performance that she—and her coach Alina—had hoped for. Scoring 147.52 points in that segment brought her overall total to 214.91, placing her first out of the 12 remaining skaters.

When the final group of skaters, including Petrosyan, Liu, and the Japanese trio, took the ice, Glenn remained in the lead. Petrosyan was the initial skater, attempting a demanding free skate that included two quads but stumbled on her first attempt.

In the end, Petrosyan’s technical score came in at 71.69, falling short of Glenn’s 78.87 earlier in the evening. She completed her free skate with a total score of 141.64, landing her in second place overall with 214.53 points, leaving Glenn still at the top.

Momone Chiba skated next, becoming the first of the Japanese skaters on the ice that night. She managed to successfully land her combo of jumps and performed well, earning a technical score nearing Glenn’s. Once the judges had their say, Chiba’s free skate garnered 143.88 points, totaling 217.88, thus placing her ahead of Glenn.

Then it was Liu’s turn to go for her Hollywood moment. She executed a flawless opening with a triple flip, followed by a solid triple Lutz and toe loop combo. She concluded her routine with an impressive triple toe loop after a powerful step sequence.

“We’re just two jumps away from the Olympic podium,” Johnny Weir commented during the broadcast. Liu’s final score was 75.60, surpassing Chiba’s earlier provisional score. The expression of relief on her face showed how much this meant. After nearly three years away from the world championships, Liu had earned an Olympic medal, with her free skate scoring 150.20 for a total of 226.79. With two competitors left, she was guaranteed at least a bronze medal.

This marks Team USA’s first individual medal in women’s figure skating since Sasha Cohen secured silver in 2006 at the Turin Olympics.

After her, veteran skater Sakamoto skated for the last time in an individual Olympic event, delivering a solid performance but must have felt the pressure of her earlier mistakes weighing on her mind. After finishing her routine with a triple loop and a stunning spin sequence, her free skate scored 147.67 for a total of 224.90 points, which placed her in second overall.

Finally, the last skater to take the ice was Nakai, the 17-year-old from Japan. With a technically demanding program ahead, she opened with a successful triple axel, igniting the competition for gold. Following up with impressive jumps, including a triple loop and a double toe loop, she stumbled on a second combination jump but managed to recover.

With her routine complete, Nakai’s free skate scored 140.45 points, bringing her total to 219.16. In the end, Alisa Liu emerged victorious, taking home the gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This was a significant achievement, being the first American to win gold in women’s figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002. Sakamoto earned the silver medal while Nakai claimed bronze.