Ami Nakai leads charge in 2026 winter olympics women's single skating free skating showdown
Japan’s Ami Nakai exploded into the spotlight after the short program on Tuesday night (ET), positioning herself as the skater to watch ahead of the free skate on Thursday (ET). The 17-year-old’s bright, technically demanding routine has transformed the contest into a genuine title fight, with established stars and rising talents now all within striking distance of the podium.
Young challenger upends expectations
Nakai, the youngest competitor in the field, produced a confident short program that included a soaring triple axel and a clean triple lutz–triple toe loop combination. Her personal-best short program score of 78. 71 put her narrowly ahead of Kaori Sakamoto and Alysa Liu and sent a clear message that the new age limit has not ended the era of teenage Olympic contenders.
Because she is a debutant on the senior international circuit this season, Nakai entered the event with a lower world ranking and skated much earlier than some of the pre-event favourites, starting 18th of 29. Coming from the middle of the order, she nonetheless delivered a performance full of energy and composure, smiling broadly and punching the air as the music faded — an emblematic moment that shifted momentum in her favour.
Medal picture wide open with veterans and challengers
Kaori Sakamoto sits directly behind Nakai in the overall standings after a polished short that underlined why she has been the dominant woman in recent years. At 25, Sakamoto is skating in what she has declared will be her final season; the free skate on Thursday (ET) doubles as a farewell and one last shot at Olympic gold. Her track record — including three straight world titles — gives her the experience and scoring base to recover from minor errors and still challenge for the top prize.
Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old who returned to competition after a two-year break, is also in medal contention. Liu produced a near-perfect short program and posted a season-best that keeps her firmly in the hunt. A podium finish for Liu would be historically significant for her country, ending a long drought in the Olympic women’s event.
Mone Chiba, another Japanese contender, round out the group of skaters most likely to disrupt the final standings. With technical depth across the field — multiple skaters capable of executing triple axels and high-scoring jump combinations — the free skate will be decisive, and small execution differences could determine medal colours.
What to watch in the free skate
The free skate on Thursday (ET) will decide medals, and it presents a strategic crossroads: will skaters chase maximum technical difficulty, risking deductions on under-rotations and falls, or will they prioritize clean, well-executed programs to court the component scores that reward performance quality? For Nakai, maintaining the confidence and clean jumping she showed in the short program is vital. For Sakamoto, blending her trademark artistry with the technical content she needs will be the key to staying atop the podium fight.
Team dynamics add an extra layer of intrigue. Japan arrives with momentum from earlier events, having already secured multiple medals across figure skating disciplines at these Games. A podium sweep in the women’s event remains a theoretical possibility and would cap a dominant run for the nation’s skating contingent.
Thursday’s free skate (ET) promises high drama: a retiring champion seeking one last crown, a teenager staking a bold claim, and a returning world champion aiming to end a long national medal drought. The balance between risk and polish will determine who walks away with Olympic hardware in one of the most compelling events of the Games.
