Twenty-year-old Alysa Liu, the 2025 world figure skating champion, has won her first Olympic gold medal at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Liu is the first American woman in 24 years to win an individual figure skating title since Sarah Hughes, who won the title back in 2002.
She has quickly become an American favorite and an inspiration for many athletes thanks to her personality, her comeback story and the talent she brings onto the ice.
On the first day of women’s individuals, Liu skated her short program to the song “Promise” by Laufey. Her first jump in the program was a triple flip, scoring 6.89 points.
Liu’s next move was a double axel, receiving 4.34 points, following it up with a combination spin, earning 4.70 points.
Liu’s next element was a flawless triple lutz-triple loop combination, earning 11.71 points. Following it was a beautiful transition into a flying camel spin, adding 4.43 points.
She ended with a final score of 76.59 points, placing her in third place, only 2.12 points away from Ami Nakai, the 17-year-old from Japan who finished first.
On the second day of women’s individuals, Liu delivered a near-flawless free skating program to “MacArthur Park Suite” by Donna Summer.
Liu scored 6.21 on her opening triple flip, followed by a triple lutz-triple toe, adding 11.53 points to her score.
She then landed a triple salchow for 5.59 points along with a triple loop that earned 6.37 points.
Later in the program, Liu executed a flying camel spin, Level 3, for 3.6 points and a triple lutz-double axel-double toe combination that scored 12.98 points.
Liu followed up with a triple flip-double toe loop which gained 7.87 points and her last jump, a double axel, added 4.53 points. Her choreography sequence near the end added 4.86 points. To close it off, she did a Level 4 spin worth 4.05 points.
Liu ended her program with a total of 150.2 points, putting her on top of the podium and securing her Olympic gold medal.
Liu will be heading back home with two Olympic gold medals: one from the USA team event and one from the individual event from the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
