The lights inside the rink at theMilan Cortina Gamesdidn’t just illuminate the ice…they shined a light on history.
Not since Sarah Hughes stunned the world in Salt Lake City had an American woman stood atop the Olympic podium, and the last woman to medal in figure skating was Sasha Cohen who took silver in 2006.
Now, 20-year-oldAlysa Liuhas joined them.
Liu was born in Clovis, California and skates out of Oakland’s St. Moritz Skating club. She entered competition on Thursday in the women’s free skate with a chance to rewrite history.
Liu ultimately finished in first place Thursday night in the women’s free skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, scoring 150.20 — a season-best — for a 226.79 total.
Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto led the field after Tuesday’s short program.
Liu entered the night trailing Nakai by just over two points and sitting less than a point behind Sakamoto after delivering a pristine 76.59 in Tuesday’s short program — a career-best under Olympic pressure. It was technical. It was clean. It was hers.
Earlier in these Games, Liu helped secure Olympic gold for Team USA in the team event, finishing second in the short program behind Sakamoto and anchoring a collective triumph.
“I really loved doing the team event,” she said earlier this month. “The Olympic team felt a little different and really special.”
Liu became the youngest U.S. champion in history when she won at the age of 13. By the time she qualified for the Beijing Olympics at the age of 16 — when she finished in sixth place — she was labeled the next in line of American figure skating royalty behind Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinksi.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
