Alysa Liu wins Olympic gold on the 2026 Milan Cortina Video games

A narrative it actually was. Liu took lower than a two-point lead over Japan’s veteran three-time world champion, Kaori Sakamoto. Sakamoto gave a gorgeous efficiency, along with her signature class evident from begin to end in her Edith Piaf free skate. But only a few small errors on her jumps made the distinction between gold and silver on the evening.

Sakamoto was seen in tears after the occasion concluded, but it surely was unclear if the emotion was from the lack of the gold, or just the enormity of the second — Sakamoto has introduced that this season, and maybe this efficiency, might be her final.

In third, 17-year-old Ami Nakai, additionally from Japan, gave a pleasant exhibiting in her Olympic debut. The youngest competitor of the occasion, Nakai slipped from 1st after the quick program to ninth in her “What a Wonderful World” free skate however had sufficient of a result in maintain on for the bronze.

FULL RESULTS

Her teammate, Mone Chiba, held on to 4th place skating to “Romeo and Juliet,” giving a wonderful efficiency, however a number of jumps had been known as with beneath rotations, and the deductions could have made the 1.28-point distinction that saved her from bronze.

Amber Glenn had an unbelievable rally from thirteenth to third place within the free skate and fifth general. It was the redemption she was searching for, and he or she delivered a stunning rendition of her “I Will Find You” free skate. Masterful and straightforward, it was Glenn at her finest. Only one error — a hand down on her remaining bounce, a triple loop — and in any other case she was practically excellent. “So close,” she was seen to say on the finish, doubtless referencing that one mistake.

The crowd roared alongside along with her, and you might see the reduction and happiness unfold throughout her face as she knew she was having the skate she so wished. She earned a season’s better of 147.52 factors for the free skate, giving her a complete of 214.91 factors.

“I’m so proud of the resilience I showed,” she mentioned after the occasion. “It has not been easy. I have had so many things standing in my way that I have to just work through. And so, I’m just really happy I was able to go out there and do what I love and enjoy it.”

Figure skaters compete the free skate in reverse of the quick program outcomes — the lead skater performing final to spherical out the occasion. After the frustration of the quick program, which got here all the way down to a doubled loop bounce that ought to have been a triple, Glenn skated within the second warm-up group, close to the center of the occasion beginning order.

She handily went into 1st place after she completed, and as skater after skater carried out within the teams that adopted, Glenn stayed sitting within the chief’s chair beside the Kiss and Cry. You might see the stress on her face as she cheered for her rivals whereas they skated, additionally conscious that the higher they did, the earlier she can be toppled from the lead.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ because I didn’t want anyone to make a mistake,” Glenn mentioned. “But also, you’re like, ‘Oh, but I don’t want to [lose the lead].’ So, it’s very conflicting. But I was just glad I was able to see such a fantastic event up close.”