Amber Glenn Leads as Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito Still to Skate in 2026 winter olympics women single skating free skating Finale
In the opening moments of the women's free skate at the Milan figure skating finale on Feb. 17, 2026 (ET), Amber Glenn delivered a performance that vaulted her into first place provisionally. With fellow Americans Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito still to skate later in the session, the podium picture remains unsettled as the competition heads into its decisive moments.
Glenn's free skate puts her in provisional lead
Glenn's free program combined solid jump content with clean transitions and mature basics, leaving the judges' panel with a score that currently places her atop the leaderboard. The skater produced the most consistent long program of the early group, avoiding major errors and earning positive grade-of-execution marks on several elements. Her performance set a clear target for the remaining contenders and injected fresh drama into the closing hours of the women's event.
The atmosphere in the arena has been electric, with the crowd responding to both technical feats and expressive choreography. Glenn's result is notable not only for the placement but for the timing — clinching a provisional lead in the finale of a home-studded Olympic program can shift momentum and raise expectations for medal contention.
‘Blade Angels’ identity and the remaining American contenders
The U. S. trio — Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito — have been framed as a distinctive unit this week, often referred to collectively as a tight-knit group taking to the Olympic ice together. All three skated in the short program earlier in the competition, setting up a scenario in which the free skate will determine how that early positioning translates into final results.
Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito remain scheduled to skate later in the free skate session. Both will be chasing Glenn's benchmark, and each brings a different competitive profile: Liu with her trademark jump repertoire and quicksilver speed, Levito with powerful, contemporary presentation and technical ambition. Their performances will decide whether the Americans strengthen a possible podium sweep or whether international rivals will climb past them in the final rankings.
Beyond the women’s event, athletes across the figure skating program have been candid about Olympic pressures, and that tension has been visible on and off the ice. Several competitors reflected on the unique intensity of the Games; one prominent men's skater noted the challenge of meeting expectations after a disappointing placement earlier in the competition, underscoring the fine margins that separate medalists from those who fall short.
What to watch next — schedule and stakes
The free skate finale continues with the top contenders slated later in the session; viewers should expect the climactic performances to unfold this evening in Milan, with the medal positions likely to be decided in the final group. Key storylines to follow: whether Glenn can hold the lead under pressure, how Liu and Levito manage their technical layouts in clean ice conditions, and whether any comeback from earlier-ranked skaters can disrupt the American push.
With Olympic medals on the line and national hopes concentrated on a trio of U. S. skaters, the free skate finale promises high drama through the last warm-up draw. Expect judges to weigh both technical content and program components heavily, making every jump, spin and transition critical as the competition moves toward its final protocol and the award ceremony later in the evening.
