Alysa Liu: American superstar wins 2026 Winter Olympics women's figure skating gold
BBC World
February 19, 2026
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American figure skater Alysa Liu made history by winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in women's figure skating, capping a remarkable comeback after finishing third following the short program. Dressed in a dazzling gold dress and performing to Donna Summer’s "I Feel Love," Liu delivered a flawless free skate, scoring an impressive 150.20 points. This pushed her overall score to 226.79, narrowly edging out Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who secured silver, and Ami Nakai, who claimed bronze.
Liu’s victory marked the first time an American woman had won Olympic gold in figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002. Her performance was a standout moment for the U.S., particularly after Ilia Malinin's disappointing exit in the men's event. Liu’s technical brilliance and emotional resilience shone through, as she overcame initial mistakes in the short program and delivered a showstopping routine that earned deafening cheers from the crowd.
Sakamoto, a three-time world champion, retired without an Olympic gold medal at age 25. Her final performance, set to Edith Piaf’s "Non, je ne regrette rien," was technically flawless but fell short of Liu’s score. Meanwhile, Nakai, just 17 and the youngest competitor, made a strong debut, leading the leaderboard after the short program but faltered slightly during her free skate.
Liu’s triumph also highlighted the growing depth of American figure skating talent. Her journey to victory was particularly inspiring, given her previous struggles, including quitting the sport at age 16 following a disappointing showing at Beijing 2022. This win not only cements her legacy but also reignites U.S. dominance in the sport after years of relative quiet success.
The competition saw other notable performances, including that of Amber Glenn, who rose from 13th place to fifth with an exceptional free skate despite initial tears and a shaky short program
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/19/2026