American star Alysa Liu claimed Olympic gold in women’s figure skating, adding another milestone to her growing legacy. The 20 year old skater delivered a stunning free skate that lifted her from third place to the top of the podium.
Liu entered the final after small mistakes in the short program. She trailed Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and 17 year old Ami Nakai. But in the free skate, she gave the performance of her career.
Wearing a sparkling gold dress and skating to music by Donna Summer, Liu scored 150.20 in the free program. Her total score reached 226.79, which secured the gold medal. She narrowly edged out Sakamoto, whom she also defeated for the world title last year.
Strong Competition from Japan
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto earned silver in what marked the final performance of her career. The 25 year old ends her journey with three world titles and an Olympic bronze from Beijing 2022. She performed to Non, je ne regrette rien by Edith Piaf and executed all 12 elements with positive grades. Still, her technical score fell five points short of Liu’s more difficult routine.
Ami Nakai impressed in her Olympic debut and took bronze. The youngest skater in the event opened her free skate with a triple axel, one of the toughest jumps in figure skating. However, she stumbled on her triple lutz, which cost her valuable points.
Mone Chiba finished fourth, while American skater Amber Glenn climbed from 13th place to fifth after a strong free skate. Russian champion Adeliia Petrosian placed sixth following a fall in her routine.
Historic Win for Team USA
Liu’s victory marks a major moment for Team USA. She becomes the first American woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002. She is also the first American woman to medal in the event since Sasha Cohen in 2006.
Her win brought relief to the American camp, especially after Ilia Malinin struggled in the men’s competition. Malinin joined the crowd in giving Liu a standing ovation as she celebrated her triumph.
“My family and friends were in the audience,” Liu said. “I wanted to put on a show for them. When I see people smiling, I smile too. I can’t hide my emotions.”
A Remarkable Comeback Story
Liu’s journey makes the victory even more powerful. She stepped away from the sport at 16 after missing a medal at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. Many wondered if she would return.
Instead, she came back stronger. She rebuilt her technique, refined her artistry, and proved herself on the world stage once again. Now, she stands as Olympic champion.
Sakamoto admitted she felt frustrated after missing out on gold but later embraced the silver medal. Meanwhile, Nakai celebrated a breakthrough moment in her young career.
Liu’s performance will be remembered for years. With confidence, technical strength, and fearless energy, she wrote her name into Olympic history.
