isabeau levito shines in Olympic debut and says she can’t be evicted from the Village
Isabeau Levito has made the most of her first Winter Games, reveling in life at the Olympic Village while delivering a composed short program in her Olympic debut. The 18-year-old scored 70. 84 on Tuesday, Feb. 17, putting her eighth out of 29 skaters and securing a spot in the free skate on Thursday, Feb. 19 ET.
Living the Village life — and loving it
Levito embraced the Games beyond the rink, noting that she has spent every night at the Olympic Village and is soaking up the experience. Her playful declaration that “you can’t evict me” captured the mood of an athlete relishing both competition and camaraderie. The Village atmosphere has clearly been an energy boost: Levito said she’s “having a blast” and feels exactly where she wants to be, grateful that things aligned for her to compete on this stage.
At 18, Levito arrived with significant expectations after a rapid rise through international ranks. She carries the confidence of recent results into Milano, but her remarks about the Village underscore a level-headed approach—balancing pressure with enjoyment, which can be crucial in an Olympic environment where off-ice routine and rest matter as much as practice sessions.
Debut performance: clean, musical and enough to advance
Levito opened her Olympic competition with a short program that blended musicality and technical elements. Skating inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena on Tuesday, she posted a 70. 84, landing her in eighth place among 29 competitors and within the top 20 threshold needed to move on to Thursday’s free skate.
The program featured two pieces of music and highlighted Levito’s strengths: smooth transitions, precise edges and expressive musical interpretation. Judges rewarded a performance that she said she was happy with, while the crowd response in the arena — including support tied to family connections in the region — added to the moment.
Moving into the free skate, Levito will aim to build on this foundation. Advancing from the short program keeps medal hopes alive and gives her the chance to stretch into a longer, more technically demanding free skate that will decide final standings.
Background and expectations
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Mount Holly, New Jersey, Levito arrived at these Games with a noteworthy résumé: she is a recent world silver medalist and a former national champion. Observers have praised her blend of technical skill and musical nuance, with some drawing stylistic comparisons to celebrated skaters of past generations because of her composure and interpretive abilities.
Levito also skated alongside fellow American competitors who bring depth to the team lineup. Their presence in the field adds to the intensity of the competition and frames Levito’s performance within a broader national push for podium finishes in women’s figure skating this week.
With the short program behind her and the free skate set for Thursday, Feb. 19 ET, Levito will have a brief window to fine-tune elements, rest and prepare mentally for the decisive segment. For now, she remains both a comfortable part of the Olympic scene and a contender to watch as the event progresses.
