Alysa Liu Ends America's 24-Year Figure Skating Gold Drought

A Golden Return to the Ice

The Milano Ice Skating Arena erupted on Thursday night as Alysa Liu landed her final jump and the scoreboard confirmed what the crowd already sensed: a 226.79 total score, good enough for Olympic gold. At 20, the Oakland-born skater had just become the first American woman to win Olympic singles gold in figure skating since Sarah Hughes stood atop the podium in Salt Lake City in 2002 — ending a 24-year drought that had begun to feel permanent.

Liu surged from third place after the short program (76.59) to deliver a career-best free skate score of 150.20, skating to Donna Summer's MacArthur Park Suite in a performance that drew gasps and standing ovations at every jump landing. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto took silver and compatriot Ami Nakai claimed bronze, but the night belonged entirely to Liu.

From Prodigy to Dropout to Champion

Liu's journey to Olympic gold is as improbable as any in recent sports memory. At 13, she became the youngest U.S. women's national champion in history in 2019, and was the first woman ever to land a quadruple jump in competition. She won the title again in 2020, establishing herself as the sport's next great talent.

But the pressure and constraints of elite skating took their toll. At just 16, following a sixth-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Liu walked away from the sport entirely — by choice. She later revealed she had felt little creative ownership over her programs, with others dictating her music, costumes, and choreography.

Then, in March 2024, she returned. On her own terms. This time, Liu took control of her artistic identity, selecting her own music and collaborating directly on her routines. The results were immediate and dramatic.

World Title, Then Olympic Gold

In April 2025, less than a year after her comeback, Liu won the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston — dethroning three-time defending champion Kaori Sakamoto and becoming the first American woman to claim the world title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. The skating world took notice.

At Milan Cortina 2026, Liu arrived as world champion and favourite, though the pressure of expectations in figure skating has buried many a title-holder before. She had already won gold in the team event during the opening week of the Games. Thursday's individual title gives her two gold medals from a single Olympics — a feat that underlines not just her athleticism but the depth of her resurgence.

After her free skate, an emotionally overwhelmed Liu dropped an expletive rink-side before composing herself — a raw, unfiltered moment that captured the magnitude of what she had just achieved.

The Significance of the Moment

American women's figure skating had produced champions for decades — Dorothy Hamill, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Tara Lipinski, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes — before the sport's balance shifted toward Russian and Japanese dominance in the 2000s and 2010s. Liu's gold represents more than a personal triumph; it signals a genuine shift in the competitive landscape.

The victory also caps a broader American dominance at the 2026 Games. On the same day, the U.S. women's hockey team defeated Canada in overtime to win gold, making February 19 one of the most golden days in the history of American winter sport.

What Comes Next

At 20, Liu has time on her side. If her comeback has proved anything, it is that she competes on her own schedule and by her own rules. Whether she defends her titles at future world championships or sets her sights on the 2030 Games remains an open question — but after Milan Cortina, no outcome seems beyond her reach.