American figure skating sensation Alysa Liu produced a performance for the ages to secure Olympic gold in the women’s event, adding the pinnacle of sporting achievement to her world title.
Entering the free skate in third place following errors in the short program, Liu, aged 20, delivered a flawless routine to Donna Summer while wearing a sparkling gold dress.
She earned a remarkable 150.20 for her free skate, bringing her overall score to 226.79 and narrowly surpassing Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, whom she had also defeated at the World Championships last year.
Sakamoto, skating in her final competitive performance, claimed silver, while 17-year-old compatriot Ami Nakai secured bronze.
Japan’s Mone Chiba finished fourth, and American Amber Glenn staged an impressive comeback from 13th to fifth. Russian champion Adeliia Petrosian placed sixth after an early fall disrupted her medal aspirations.
Liu becomes the first American woman to win Olympic figure skating gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002, and the first U.S. medallist in the discipline since Sasha Cohen in 2006. Her victory also represented a crucial boost for Team USA after Ilia Malinin’s disappointment in the men’s event.
Liu’s performance combined technical brilliance with artistic flair, earning thunderous applause from the crowd, including a standing ovation from Malinin himself.
This triumph marks a remarkable comeback for Liu, who had briefly stepped away from the sport at age 16 after missing the podium at Beijing 2022.
Sakamoto, retiring at 25, leaves behind a glittering career as a three-time world champion and Olympic bronze medallist from Beijing 2022.
Skating to “Non, je ne regrette rien” by Edith Piaf, she executed all elements with positive grades of execution, though Liu’s technically more demanding routine ultimately secured the edge.
Nakai, the youngest competitor, impressed throughout her debut Olympic campaign, opening her free skate with a triple axel. However, a stumble on the triple lutz ultimately cost her a higher finish.
Glenn’s journey was defined by resilience. After a disappointing short program, she returned with a compelling free skate featuring a triple axel and complex sequences. Though she narrowly missed a medal, her performance reflected determination and pride.
Petrosian, coached by Eteri Tutberidze, aimed for a medal as an Individual Neutral Athlete but fell on her quad toe loop, finishing sixth and leaving the rink visibly disappointed.
In a dramatic and emotional finale, Alysa Liu emerged as the standout star, cementing her place in Olympic history and heralding a new golden era for American women’s figure skating.
