Isabeau Levito Keeps Cool as U.S. Women Chase Olympic Gold in Milan
MILAN — With the Olympics in full swing and tension rippling through the rink, Isabeau Levito has kept her attention on the small, oddly specific problems at hand — like a houseplant gone moldy in her hotel room — while preparing to skate for Team USA. The 2024 world silver medalist is part of a deep U. S. women’s squad that enters the women’s short program Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 6: 45 p. m. ET determined to end a two-decade podium drought in individual women’s singles.
Calm in the eye of the storm
Even as chaos has punctuated the Milano Ice Skating Arena, Levito has kept a measured approach. After an on-ice session and another media obligation, she paused to troubleshoot a practical problem: dealing with mold in a room plant. "That’s our task of the day, " she said on Monday, a comment that underscored how she channels focus into manageable tasks rather than letting bigger pressures spiral.
That temperament has served Levito well through a season of high expectations. She skates with a balletic line and technical polish that earned her a world silver medal last year, and teammates and coaches lean on her steadiness when the competition environment becomes unpredictable. The team atmosphere has been intentionally supportive, with skaters embracing their differences rather than conforming to a single stereotype of how a champion should look or skate.
Team depth and U. S. medal hopes
The American women arrive in Milan carrying a mix of youth and championship pedigree. Multiple world champions are on the roster, and the trio of leading contenders has generated intense discussion about who will break the long run without an individual Olympic medal in women’s singles for the U. S. The squad has already celebrated success in the team event, but the singles podium remains the more elusive prize.
Levito’s teammates bring contrasting styles — power, artistry and technical bravado — and that diversity is being framed as a collective strength. "I really like that we’re all so different, " Levito said, pointing to how each skater’s personality and look contribute to a richer competitive field. That unity has been a deliberate shift away from a past era when athletes felt pressure to fit a single mold; now the group finds confidence in its varied approaches to the sport.
Pressure has been amplified by a series of shocks at the arena: a highly favored skater faltered in a major short program, and an elite dance team left the ice with silver after performance and judging controversies. Through it all, Levito and her teammates — who have joked among themselves and even created a shared nickname for the group — are staying focused on routines, recovery and the mental strategies that keep them consistent under stress.
Style, personality and staying grounded
Levito’s skating is often described as classically balletic: long lines, musical sensitivity and clean technique, with a youthful charm that belies a competitive seriousness. Off the ice she blends humor and practicality, whether that means handling a moldy plant or offering encouragement in the locker room. That mix of poise and playfulness has made her a stabilizing presence for a U. S. team widely regarded as one of the strongest in decades.
With the women’s short program scheduled for the evening of Feb. 17 at 6: 45 p. m. ET, attention will turn from practice anecdotes to performance outcomes. For Levito and the rest of the U. S. contingent, the task is simple in formulation but difficult in execution: turn preparedness and composure into clean, medal-worthy programs when it matters most.
Whether the Americans ultimately break the long medal drought in women’s singles will depend on execution under pressure. For now, Levito’s quiet focus — and a knack for keeping perspective even amid Olympic drama — is exactly the kind of steadying influence a team needs on the world stage.
