isabeau levito and U.S. skating: Alysa Liu emerges as last American hope for individual gold in Milan Cortina
After the women’s short program at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), Alysa Liu stood out as the United States’ final strong contender for an individual figure skating gold medal. Several American favorites stumbled in their bids, leaving Liu, the reigning world champion, to carry the nation’s hopes into the free skate later this week.
Liu’s difficult combination and composed performance set stage
Liu delivered one of the night’s most technically demanding elements, landing a triple Lutz-triple loop — the hardest combination attempted by any woman in the field. That element helped her finish the short program just two points behind leader Ami Nakai, and immediately behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto on the scoreboard. Her placement kept her very much within reach of the podium heading into the free skate.
“I am really happy about how I skated, ” Liu said after her performance. “My siblings, my best friends and a ton of my family is out there. I saw them on the warmup. I also 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. ”
Those composure notes are significant. In a competition that has seen unexpected results across multiple events, Liu’s balance of technical ambition and emotional control positions her as a serious challenger when the free skate begins.
Setbacks for other Americans heighten pressure
Several U. S. skaters who had been expected to contend for individual medals did not deliver their best. One competitor narrowly missed advancement, and was visibly emotional off the ice after the short program. Isabeau Levito, a promising American with the ability to gain valuable points on her step sequence, was downgraded for an under-rotated triple loop and also was leveled down on her step sequence. Those deductions left her in eighth place and created a steep climb if she hopes to reach the podium in the free skate.
Other American entries also fell short of expectations. The team that had collected gold earlier in the competition saw individual results marked by disappointment: the top American ice dancers were relegated to silver amid a contentious judges’ call that favored the host nation, and a heavy favorite in the men’s event endured multiple falls and finished well outside medal contention.
With those developments, the burden of securing an individual figure skating gold for the United States has shifted squarely onto Liu’s shoulders. The free skate will determine whether she can convert her short program momentum into a historic victory.
What’s next for Liu and Team USA
The free skate is scheduled for Thursday night, where Liu will have the opportunity to showcase greater technical content and longer programs that reward both difficulty and artistic performance. The narrow margin separating the top skaters means clean execution and strong component scores are essential. Liu’s triple Lutz-triple loop gives her a technical edge, but she will need to maintain the same connection and composure she displayed in the short program to climb past her rivals.
For Levito and the other Americans who underperformed, the free skate offers a chance to salvage individual outcomes and gain valuable experience on the sport’s biggest stage. For Liu, it represents a clear path: skate clean, maximize technical value, and deliver the performance she described as feeling "super grounded. " If she can do that, the U. S. will still have a realistic shot at an individual gold medal in Milan.
