Alysa Liu Leads Team USA Medal Charge at Milan Olympics

Four years after stepping away from competitive skating, Alysa Liu proved her comeback was worth the wait with a dazzling short program that put her in medal contention at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The 20-year-old reigning world champion scored 76.59 points Tuesday night, landing just behind Japan's Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto on the leaderboard. Her triple lutz-triple loop combination was the hardest jump any woman attempted during the competition.

But the score only tells part of Liu's story. After competing during the isolating COVID era, she's skating with a joy that radiates beyond the technical elements.

"I can't even describe how different it is," Liu said after her performance. She mentioned having her family and friends in the stands, skating to programs she loves, and feeling confident in everything from her jumps to her dresses.

The rest of Team USA's "Blade Angels" faced setbacks during the short program. Eighteen-year-old Isabeau Levito finished eighth after getting dinged for an under-rotated triple loop.

Amber Glenn, the three-time reigning U.S. champion, was competing strong until her final jump. After nailing a huge opening triple axel, she had to bail out of her triple loop, turning it into a double that earned zero points.

The 26-year-old Glenn is making history as the oldest U.S. women's singles skater to compete in an Olympics in 98 years and the first openly LGBTQ woman to skate at the Games. She already has gold from the team event, as does Liu.

Why This Inspires

Liu's journey back to Olympic ice after retiring at just 16 shows that sometimes the best comebacks happen when you're skating for yourself, not just the scoreboard. Her transformation from a young skater under pressure to a confident athlete who loves every part of her performance reminds us that taking time to find joy in what we do can lead to our greatest achievements.

Madonna even sent Glenn an encouraging video message before the competition, telling her to "Go get that gold." That's the kind of support that makes these athletes push through tough moments.

Now Liu carries America's individual medal hopes into Thursday's free skate at 1 p.m. ET. The U.S. hasn't had a women's figure skating medalist since Sasha Cohen took silver in 2006, but Liu's skating with the kind of freedom that makes anything possible.