Olympic Figure Skating Update: isabeau levito Ding Leaves Alysa Liu as U.S. Last Hope for Individual Gold

In a dramatic day at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, isabeau levito was knocked back by technical calls while Alysa Liu delivered a powerhouse short program that left her as Team USA's final realistic bid for an individual figure skating gold. The event has produced controversy, heartbreak and renewed pressure on the Americans as the free skate approaches.

Alysa Liu rises with high-difficulty content and poise

On Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), Alysa Liu produced one of the most technically ambitious short programs of the competition, landing a triple Lutz-triple loop combination — the hardest combo any woman attempted that night. The reigning world champion sat just two points behind leader Ami Nakai and directly behind teammate Kaori Sakamoto on the leaderboard, putting herself in strong position heading into the free skate on Feb. 19, 2026 (ET).

Liu reflected on her performance with clear satisfaction: "I am really happy about how I skated. " She described an emotional lift from family and friends in the arena: "And my siblings, my best friends and a ton of my family is out there.... I saw them during my program, so, I don’t know. It was a really cool moment, because they never come to watch like this. I’m really glad I did super well. I felt super grounded and I connected with my program on another level. "

Her focus was simple and inward-facing: "I don’t think about stuff like that, " referring to the pressure of rivalries. "Whether I beat them or not is not my goal. My goal is just to do my programs and share my story... " With Liu executing the highest-difficulty elements and posting clean lines, she becomes the central figure for U. S. hopes of salvaging an individual Olympic gold after a roller-coaster fortnight.

isabeau levito and others falter amid judging debate and mistakes

isabeau levito, who often gains ground with strong step sequences, was hit with an under-rotation call on her triple loop and had her step sequence downgraded in the scoring panel. Those deductions left her in eighth place after the short program and relegated her to a long shot for a podium climb in the free skate.

Amber Glenn narrowly missed advancing, finishing 13th and visibly emotional as she left the ice. The Americans’ individual outings have been mixed following the team competition earlier in the Games; while the U. S. claimed team gold, several marquee skaters have stumbled in individual events.

Complicating matters, the ice dance final drew scrutiny when a French judge was accused of inflating a score for the home team, a decision that played a part in denying the American duo the top spot and leaving them with silver. The complaint has heightened tensions around judging transparency at these Olympics.

Meanwhile, the men's competition produced its own shock: two falls by a top American contender in the free skate left him well short of expectations and finishing down the leaderboard, underscoring how quickly fortunes can shift in a single session.

Outlook and pressure ahead of Thursday night's free skate

With the free skate set for Feb. 19, 2026 (ET), all eyes will be on Liu to convert her short-program momentum into a medal-contending long program. The field is tight at the top, and small errors or judging swings could reshuffle the podium. For the U. S. team, the priority is clear: a clean, confident skate from Liu could prevent the country from leaving Milan Cortina without an individual figure skating gold.

Whether the scoring debates will factor into final placements remains to be seen, but the narrative is set. After the mix of controversy and costly mistakes, the Americans’ last best chance for individual gold rests on a young skater who has shown she can blend high difficulty with emotional connection on the ice.