Alysa Liu Ends 20-Year Wait, Headlines Free Skate Olympics Final
The Free Skate Olympics final delivered a headline moment as Alysa Liu won the gold medal, ending a 20-year drought for American women. The medal decision played out across a tightly scheduled start list that placed the U. S. trio known as the "Blade Angels" — Isabeau Levito, Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn — in separate groups, and photographers captured defining moments of the competition.
Free Skate Olympics start list and schedule
The start list set the order for the final medal event and established clear windows for each group. The women's free skate was scheduled to begin at 1: 00 p. m. ET, with Group 1 to start at approximately 1: 08 p. m., Group 2 at 2: 03 p. m., Group 3 at 3: 13 p. m. and Group 4 at 4: 08 p. m. The program was slated to conclude by 5: 10 p. m.
Within that framework the U. S. competitors were spread across the draw: Amber Glenn was placed to skate in Group 2 and was scheduled to take the ice at about 2: 42 p. m. ET, Isabeau Levito was slotted in Group 3 with a scheduled time around 3: 44 p. m. ET, and Alysa Liu was set to skate in Group 4 at about 4: 32 p. m. ET. At the time of the short program standings, Liu was in third place, Levito was in eighth and Glenn was in 13th.
The order for the final medal event framed the afternoon: the grouping and start times determined when medal contenders would take their laps, and the schedule allowed for re-airings of the women's free skate later in the evening and in the early hours the next day.
Photos and podium: Liu's gold and moments frozen in time
Photographers captured key scenes from the women's free skate as the field competed for medals. The best images highlighted several competitors on Feb. 19, 2026, including shots of Alysa Liu in competition and teammates Amber Glenn taking their runs. A shot of Livia Kaiser from Switzerland was also among the standout images cataloging the free skate final.
Liu's victory was the central development: the gold medal marked an end to a two-decade medal drought for American women in the event, and the imagery from the arena reflected both the pressure of the moment and the jubilation that followed the final placements. The visual record of the final showcased athletic highlights and emotional reactions across the roster.
What mattered in the medal fight
The split-group start list and precise timings shaped competitive strategy and viewing patterns across the afternoon. With Liu skating late in Group 4 and Levito and Glenn assigned earlier groups, the Americans' medal chances unfolded across separate sessions that ultimately culminated in Liu securing the gold.
The combination of the start-order announcement for the final medal event, the scheduled group times across the afternoon, and the photographic coverage that captured Liu, Glenn and other contenders provided the key developments of the day. Together they told the story of a final that resolved a long-standing national drought and produced enduring images from the ice.
