Alysa Liu Secures Historic Olympic Gold for United States in Women's Figure Skating
In a breathtaking display of athleticism and artistry, American figure skater Alysa Liu claimed the United States' first women's Olympic gold medal in the sport in twenty-four years. The historic victory unfolded Thursday night at the Milan Cortina Winter Games, where Liu's near-flawless free skate performance in a dazzling golden dress propelled her past formidable Japanese competitors Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai.
A Remarkable Comeback Culminates in Career-Best Performance
The twenty-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area, who had stepped away from competitive skating after the Beijing Games four years ago, staged an extraordinary comeback to achieve a career-high score of 226.79 points. Her triumphant return to the ice was marked by precision and grace, setting a standard that proved insurmountable for her rivals.
Japanese skaters Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai, performing immediately after Liu, each encountered difficulties during combination sequences that ultimately determined the medal standings. Sakamoto, who earned a bronze medal in Beijing, secured silver with 224.90 points, while Nakai captured bronze with 219.16 points.
Emotional Celebrations and Team Support
When Nakai's final score was announced, American teammate Amber Glenn immediately rushed to the kiss-and-cry area, raising Liu's hand in a gesture of shared triumph. Liu responded with characteristic humility, turning to applaud seventeen-year-old Nakai, who then embraced her in a heartfelt moment of sportsmanship.
This gold medal represents the first for an American woman since Sarah Hughes stood atop the podium at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, ending a generation-long drought for US women's figure skating.
Dramatic Competition Unfolds Throughout the Evening
Amber Glenn herself delivered a remarkable performance, finishing fifth behind Japan's Mone Chiba with a season-best free skate score of 214.91 points. This represented a stunning recovery from a disappointing short program earlier in the week, nearly earning her a podium position.
Glenn's emotional reaction included pumping her fist and fighting back tears when her score was announced, after which she took a seat in the newly introduced "leader's chair." She remained in that position through an ice resurfacing and eight subsequent performances, including that of American teammate Isabeau Levito.
Levito's otherwise elegant performance was marred by a fall on her opening triple flip, preventing her from challenging for the top position. Meanwhile, eighteen-year-old Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, competing as a neutral athlete, attempted the women's competition's only quadruple jump but fell on her quad toe loop attempt.
Despite skating cleanly for the remainder of her program, the points lost on that fall left Petrosian less than half a point behind the leader. It was Mone Chiba, the ninth skater to follow Glenn, who briefly claimed first place before Liu took the ice and secured her historic victory with a performance that will be remembered for years to come.
