U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu said she didn't care if she medaled. She won gold

NPR | By Rachel Treisman

Published February 19, 2026 at 3:34 PM MST

Team USA's Alysa Liu celebrates after winning gold in the women's event on Thursday.

MILAN — Alysa Liu has won Olympic figure skating gold, the first U.S. woman to do so in over two decades.

It's an ironic outcome for the 20-year-old, who said earlier this week that she wasn't motivated by a medal.

"I'm OK if I do a fail program. I'm totally OK if I do a great program. No matter what the outcome is, it's still my story," Liu said after finishing Tuesday night's short program in third place.

Liu, 20, soared to new heights in Thursday's free skate, dazzling the crowd with an absolutely joyful skate to Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park Suite" in a shimmering gold dress.

Alysa Liu (C) celebrates next to silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto (L) and bronze medalist Ami Nakai (R), both of Japan.

She and her signature raccoon-striped ponytail soared, exuding a carefree confidence and getting the crowd onto its feet. Her easygoing demeanor and look of genuine enjoyment have been her hallmarks since she returned to the sport in 2024 — two years after retiring at age 16 immediately following the Beijing Olympics, where she came in sixth.

Liu's performance on Thursday shot her straight to the top of the leaderboard with two skaters behind her, guaranteeing her spot on the podium.

She stayed there through the end of the night. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, the penultimate skater, ended up with a silver medal, while the last skater of the night, her compatriot Ami Nakai, claimed bronze.

It was a literal passing of the torch: Sakamoto, who won bronze in Beijing, is retiring after these Olympics; Nakai is just 17 and in her debut senior season.

USA's Amber Glenn competes on Thursday. She finished fifth overall.

The Milano Ice Skating Arena erupted in cheers as reality sunk in. An exuberant Liu exchanged long hugs with her coaches and teammate Amber Glenn, who had a triumphant night of her own despite finishing off the podium in fifth place.

It was a redemptive skate for Glenn, who came into the night in 13th place after one costly mistake at the end of her first routine Tuesday. The free skate, her second chance, went much more smoothly — she nailed another triple axel and landed all of her jumps, despite putting a hand down to steady herself at one point. Glenn, who later told NBC she had been thinking of her six-year-old self, moved into first place and stayed there until the final group of the night.

The other member of the "Blade Angels," Isabeau Levito, finished the night in 12th place.

This is a developing story and will be updated.