2026 winter olympics women's single skating free skating: Ami Nakai stuns in short program, sets up dramatic free skate

Seventeen-year-old Ami Nakai tore through expectations on Tuesday night, producing a lively, high-quality short program that vaulted her to the top of the standings and turned the women's figure skating competition into a must-see collision for the free skate on Thursday (ET). Her performance has reshaped medal math and put a spotlight on Japan's dominant run at these Games.

Nakai's surge from the middle of the pack

Nakai entered the Olympic arena as the youngest skater in the field and a relative newcomer on the senior international circuit. Rule changes that raised the minimum age to 17 this season had many assuming the era of teenage Olympic standouts was over, but Nakai — making her Olympic debut — has pushed back hard on that expectation.

Because she is new to the world tour, Nakai carried a lower international ranking and drew an earlier starting slot, going 18th of 29 competitors. That middle-of-the-pack draw might have been expected to work against her profile, but it proved irrelevant when she delivered a near-flawless routine packed with energy and clear presentation. Smiling broadly as she finished, Nakai earned a season-best mark coming into the Games and converted it into a short-program lead, punching the air as the crowd reacted.

The technical content and performance quality she displayed mean she cannot be dismissed. Her short-program score gives her a strong foundation ahead of the free skate, where the gold, silver and bronze will be decided. For a skater who has not yet built the public profile of some rivals, her climb to the top is one of the competition’s most compelling storylines.

Sakamoto's farewell and Japan's medal chances

Waiting in the wings for Nakai is Kaori Sakamoto, a veteran and the most decorated Japanese woman in the current era. At 25, Sakamoto has dominated the sport in recent seasons, compiling a trio of world titles since 2022. This season is slated to be her last; she plans to step away from competitive skating after Thursday, making the free skate potentially the final performance of an illustrious career.

Sakamoto’s short program used poignant music and drew strong crowd response, underscoring both her experience and the emotional weight of this event for her. She sits close enough to Nakai that the free skate will be decisive, and her championship pedigree makes her the skater everyone expects to deliver under pressure.

Japan’s overall showing in figure skating at these Games has been exceptional. Medal performances in men’s singles, pairs and ice dance have already signaled a deep pool of talent, and a women's podium featuring Nakai and Sakamoto would underline a rare national sweep across events. With other Japanese skaters also in medal contention in different disciplines, the federation’s depth is clear — and the women's free skate is the moment it could become the crowning achievement.

What to watch in the free skate (Thursday ET)

The free skate is where margins tighten and personalities show. Expect the contest to hinge on technical ambition—clean triple-triple combinations, solid rotations, and jump execution—as much as on the softer elements: step sequences, spins and overall performance connection. Nakai’s youthful exuberance will be tested against Sakamoto’s experience and consistency; if Nakai can sustain the quality she produced in the short program under freeranging choreography, she has a real shot at gold.

Other contenders will try to climb the leaderboard as well, so any error or fall could reshuffle medal positions. For viewers, the mix of a rising teenage star, a departing champion and the prospect of a national sweep makes Thursday’s free skate one of the most intriguing sessions of these Games. Expect emotion, high stakes and potentially defining moments for careers and nations alike.