Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old American, disco-danced her way to a historic gold medal at the Assago Arena in Milan on Thursday night, becoming the first US women’s Olympic figure skating champion in over two decades. Her stunning performance, set to a Donna Summer medley, marked a remarkable comeback for the skater who had previously stepped away from the sport.
Liu, who took a two-year hiatus after finishing seventh at the Beijing Games as a 16-year-old, captivated the audience in a golden sequinned dress. She shattered her season’s best free skate score by almost four points, propelling her above Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who secured silver, and 17-year-old Ami Nakai, who had held a two-point lead after Tuesday’s short program.
Meanwhile, Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, whose participation had been scrutinized due to her association with controversial coach Eteri Tutberidze, saw her medal hopes dashed early.
An opening attempt at a quad toe-loop resulted in a fall, relegating her to sixth place. This stumble effectively sidelined the ongoing debate surrounding her connection to Tutberidze, who faced criticism from then International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach following Kamila Valieva’s scandal four years prior.
It was the first individual gold medal for an American woman since 2002, when Sarah Hughes stood atop the podium in Salt Lake City, and it was the second gold for Liu at the Milan Cortina Games. She helped the Americans win team gold.
Liu’s triumph brings an end to 12 years of Russian dominance in the event, marking the first American victory since Sarah Hughes claimed gold in Salt Lake City. Cheered on by fellow American skater Ilia Malinin, Liu executed seven flawless triple jumps, accumulating a total score of 226.79 to secure her place at the top of the standings.
Sakamoto, a three-time world champion and Beijing bronze medallist, finished just under two points behind Liu, falling short of her season best in what she had declared would be her final Games. Nakai, skating last to ‘Wonderful World’, struggled with a triple lutz but appeared delighted to claim bronze on her Olympic debut. There was also a measure of redemption for Liu’s American teammate Amber Glenn, who climbed from 13th to fifth place after delivering the third-best free skate score of the night.
