Japan’s Ami Nakai steals the show; alysa liu keeps U.S. medal hopes alive
Japan dominated the opening of the Olympic women's figure skating short program on Tuesday (ET), with 17-year-old Ami Nakai posting a surprise lead and three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto close behind. alysa liu produced a near-flawless skate to secure third place and preserve the United States’ faint hopes of ending a two-decade Olympic medal drought in the event.
Nakai’s breakout short program sets the early standard
Nakai, the youngest competitor in the 29-skater field, laid down a confident, technically demanding routine that included a soaring triple axel and a triple lutz–triple toe combination en route to a personal-best 78. 71. Skating to La Strada, she opened with the three-and-a-half-revolution jump and added a triple loop, an effort that held up as the highest mark of the night through the final group.
"I feel like I'm dreaming, " Nakai said after her skate. "I just tried to stay in my skate, and have a good time for the rest of the skate. " Her performance left the home contingent optimistic that an unprecedented clean podium sweep at the Olympics remains within reach, with Kaori Sakamoto and Mone Chiba also in medal positions after the short.
Alysa Liu and the U. S. response amid Japanese dominance
alyssa liu’s season-best 76. 59 placed her between Sakamoto (77. 23) and fourth-placed Mone Chiba (74. 00), keeping the 20-year-old world champion very much in the medal conversation. Liu’s program, set to Promise by Laufey and Dan Wilson, was composed and technically strong, reflecting her comeback from a two-year retirement prompted by burnout.
"Whether I beat them or not is not my goal, " Liu said. "My goal is just to do my programs and share my story and I don't need to be over or under anyone to do that. " If Liu can convert that momentum into a clean free skate on Thursday (ET), she would become the first American woman on the Olympic podium in this event since 2006.
Other members of the U. S. squad had mixed results. Eighteen-year-old Isabeau Levito was penalized a level on her step sequence and finished eighth with 70. 84 points, while Amber Glenn produced one of the only other triple axels of the night but failed to maintain consistency enough to challenge the leaders. Overall, the Americans missed several opportunities to capitalize on their difficult jump content.
What comes next: free skate on Thursday (ET)
With the free skate scheduled for Thursday (ET), the podium remains wide open. Nakai, Sakamoto and Chiba will be encouraged by Japan’s collective strength and the prospect of making history, but the technical depth of the field — highlighted by Liu’s resilience and jump repertoire — promises an unpredictable final.
Judges and fans will be watching both the jumping content and the program components closely; small errors in rotation, under-rotations or levels can swing placements substantially over the 24-minute free skate. For the Americans, the task is straightforward in theory: deliver clean long programs and rely on Liu’s high base value to bridge the gap to the Japanese leaders.
Whether the event ends with a breakthrough for Japan or a hard-fought American return to the podium, the short program has set the stage for a compelling finish. Skaters and teams head into the next phase with clear targets and the knowledge that Thursday’s free skate (ET) will decide who stands on the Olympic podium.
