isabeau levito makes Olympic debut: short program score, background and village life
Isabeau Levito, the 18-year-old U. S. figure skater, took to the ice for her Winter Olympics debut on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, skating a short program that earned a 70. 84 and placed her eighth among 29 competitors. The score was enough to move Levito into the top 20 and advance her to the free skate on Thursday for a shot at an individual medal.
Short program: music, marks and where she stands
Levito opened her Olympic campaign with a program set to two songs, blending "Almost in Your Arms" with the upbeat "Zou Bisou Bisou. " Executing her planned elements, she posted a 70. 84 that put her solidly inside the cut line for the free skate. She performed in the fifth and final group of six skaters for the women's short program, which began at 12: 45 p. m. ET on Tuesday.
Her placement — eighth of 29 — reflects a clean enough outing to stay in medal contention, though the field remains deep. The top 20 advanced to Thursday's free skate, where technical content and artistic expression will combine for the final standings. Levito said she was pleased with her performance and buoyed by crowd support as she represented the United States in her mother's hometown.
Background, style and expectations
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Mount Holly, New Jersey, Levito arrived in Milan as one of the U. S. team's brightest young prospects. A 2024 world silver medalist and the 2023 national champion, she is known for smooth transitions, strong technical content and nuanced musical interpretation. Those qualities have drawn comparisons to some of the sport's most celebrated skaters.
Levito is one-third of a celebrated U. S. trio nicknamed the "Blade Angels, " alongside two teammates who also skated in the women's short program. The group shoulders the weight of long Olympic expectations: the United States has not stood on the Olympic podium in an individual women's event since 2006, and the last American Olympic gold in women's singles came in 2002. Levito and her teammates are among those aiming to end that drought.
Olympic Village life and the road ahead
Off the ice, Levito has embraced the Olympic Village experience, joking that "you can't evict me" as she spent most nights there leading up to competition. She described the atmosphere as a highlight of the Games and said she felt exactly where she wanted to be ahead of her Olympic debut.
With the short program complete, Levito shifts focus to polishing elements and conserving energy for Thursday's free skate, when the full technical and artistic programs will determine medal positions. For an 18-year-old competing on the sport's biggest stage, the combination of experience, poise and supportive teammates gives her a clear path to contend — provided she delivers under pressure.
Expect attention on her jump content and component scores in the free skate. If Levito can marry her signature transitions and musical sensitivity with clean, high-value jumps, she will remain a legitimate medal threat as the event moves forward.
