Alysa Liu just rewrote American figure-skating history in a way few believed was still possible.

On February 19, 2026, Liu captured Olympic gold in women’s singles at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, becoming the first American woman to win the event since Sarah Hughes in 2002—a drought that had stretched for 24 years and hardened into a national scar.

The moment didn’t feel like a routine. It felt like an exorcism.

Skating a disco-charged program, Liu delivered a season-best 150.20 in the free skate and 226.79 overall, holding off Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto (224.90) for silver and teen teammate Ami Nakai (219.16) for bronze. One wobble from a rival, one clean landing from Liu, and the entire podium flipped into American hands.

What makes the victory thunder louder is the context: Liu retired at 16 after the 2022 Olympics, stepping away amid burnout—then returned on her own terms, demanding greater creative control and a healthier relationship with the sport. Her comeback wasn’t a PR tour; it was a reset.

Insiders point to a key shift: a training approach built around autonomy, artistry, and consistency under pressure, rather than grinding for perfection until it breaks you. Interviews leading into the Games emphasized that she came back because she wanted to—an edge that can’t be coached, only chosen.

By the medal ceremony, Liu wasn’t just crying. She was living proof that the “drought” era is over—because the skater who ended it wasn’t supposed to be here at all.