Alysa Liu leads U.S. chase for womens figure skating medals after short program in Milan
After the short program in Milan, Alysa Liu gave the United States its best opening bid for womens figure skating medals, placing third behind two Japanese competitors. Isabeau Levito held eighth place with a clean, crowd-pleasing routine while Amber Glenn faltered on a planned triple and sits 13th going into the free skate on Thursday (ET).
U. S. performances: calm confidence, heartbreaking mistake
Liu produced what looked like the competition's most assured short program, landing a demanding triple lutz–triple loop combination en route to a score of 76. 59. Her control and extension drew praise from the arena and put her within striking distance of the leaders. "I'm really confident in myself, " Liu said after the performance, adding that she feels fine with any outcome so long as she's on the ice.
Levito, making her Olympic debut, delivered a solid outing highlighted by supple spins and strong lines that delighted the local crowd; she now occupies eighth place and will hope to climb the standings in the longer free skate. Her performance was steady and showed the polish expected of a skater with growing international experience.
Amber Glenn experienced a painful turn of events. She successfully completed a triple axel but later landed a double loop where a triple loop was required. That element was ruled invalid and received zero points, a blow that dropped her to 13th place. An emotional Glenn hugged her coach and let the disappointment show in the moments after leaving the ice.
Medal picture: Japan leads, Americans in contention
The only skaters ahead of Liu after the short were Ami Nakai (78. 71) and Kaori Sakamoto (77. 23) of Japan, giving that country a strong hold on the top two spots. The leaderboard is tight enough that the free skate will be decisive for the podium; technical content and the stamina to deliver under pressure will be paramount.
For the United States, Liu appears to be the clearest path to a podium finish and perhaps a first singles gold in more than two decades. The free skate on Thursday (ET) will determine who earns the womens figure skating medals, with skaters expected to bring more high-value jumps and combinations to make up ground or protect leads. Expect strategic decisions on whether to push for maximum technical difficulty or skate a cleaner program for component points.
Session highlights beyond the ice dance
The wider program at these Games included several headline results: a surprise in the speedskating team pursuit final where the host nation took gold while the Americans settled for silver; a podium sweep in the two-man bobsled that underscored a country's continued dominance; and a dramatic freeski big air final in which Norway edged out the U. S. for gold after a late, highest-scoring run.
Back in the figure rink, the short program has set the scene for a tense free skate night. Skaters will return on Thursday (ET) knowing that technical ambition must be balanced with clean execution if they hope to leave Milan with womens figure skating medals around their necks.
