Alysa Liu ended the 24 year old gold metal drought for American women figure skating on Thursday, Feb 19, 2026. Liu started the final day in third place but after performing a nearly perfect routine she beat her competitors, Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai, from Japan.
The 20 year old’s short program received a score of 76.59 putting her in 3rd place. She performed to “Promise” by Laufey. It was loved for its emotional maturity and effortless style, contrasting from her high-energy disco performance two days later. Her costume was a white and lavender minimalist dress with a wrap around bodice and flowing asymmetrical skirt.
In Liu’s free skate to “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summers she earned her a career best segment score of 150.20. The Choreography was designed to be high-octane focusing on speed and audience engagement. It featured footwork that matched the driving disco beat of the song. Her costume was a shimmering gold sequin dress that was inspired by Y2K style to match the song.
Her total score of 226.79 allowed her to pass Japanese rivals Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai for the top spot on the podium. Liu is the first American woman to win the olympic gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
Liu had originally retired from figure skating at 16 years old following the 2022 Beijing Olympics. She attended UCLA and traveled around. In 2024 she announced her comeback and insisted on competing on her own terms with choosing her own music and costumes. After winning Gold in the 2026 Milan Olympics, Liu has indicated that she has no plans to retire again. She intends to share her “art and creative process” with the world.
Liu celebrated her double gold Olympic performance on Saturday Feb 2, 2026. She skated to the “Stateside” remix by PinkPantheress featuring Zara Larson. Free from the pressure of competing; she showcased her own personal style. Her costume was a dark blue bedazzled dress with a matching choker. The buttons on her costume were colored to match the five Olympic rings. Her performance had a massive impact on the song’s popularity, jumping 13 spots to No.10 on the U.S Spotify chart.
“Winning isn’t all that, and neither is losing. What matters is the input and the journey.” Liu told reporters following her winning the gold metal.