Alysa Liu delivered a dazzling performance to win Olympic gold at the Milano Cortina Games, ending a 20-year medal drought for American women in figure skating. Japan's Kaori Sakamoto took silver, with teammate Ami Nakai earning bronze.
Skating with joyful confidence, Liu executed a flawless free skate to a disco theme, earning a season's best score. This victory marks a remarkable comeback after she retired at 16, only to return with a renewed perspective and win a world title last year.
Liu's win is the first individual Olympic gold for a U.S. woman since Sarah Hughes in 2002. Sakamoto, a pre-competition favorite, finished second after a costly jump error. Nakai, who led after the short program, secured bronze despite a mistimed combination.
The event concluded the figure skating program, with notable attendees including musician Megan Thee Stallion and tennis legend Maria Sharapova.