Young Women Compete on Their Own Terms at Winter Olympics

Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Chloe Kim show a new way to compete with joy and authenticity.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, a group of young women athletes like figure skater Alysa Liu and snowboarder Chloe Kim competed on their own terms, prioritizing mental health, self-expression, and supporting each other over rigid expectations. They rewrote the script of bitter rivalries and showed that the world stage is big enough for all of them to shine.

Why it matters

These athletes' actions at the Olympics highlighted the importance of mental health, authenticity, and mutual support in sports, challenging the traditional narratives of cutthroat competition. Their example provides an inspiring model for the next generation of young competitors.

The details

Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old Bay Area figure skater, won Olympic gold while embracing her own style and refusing to let coaches dictate her appearance. Amber Glenn, the first openly queer American woman to compete in Olympic singles figure skating, used her platform to speak out for LGBTQ+ rights despite online harassment. Snowboarder Chloe Kim encouraged her younger competitor Gaon Choi after Choi's falls, showing sportsmanship over rivalry.

  • Alysa Liu retired from figure skating at age 16 in 2022, then returned two years later to compete on her own terms at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
  • Amber Glenn competed at the 2026 Winter Olympics, becoming the first openly queer American woman to do so in singles figure skating.

The players

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old figure skater from the Bay Area who won Olympic gold at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Italy.

Amber Glenn

A 26-year-old figure skater who was the first openly queer American woman to compete in Olympic singles figure skating at the 2026 Winter Games.

Chloe Kim

A two-time defending champion in the snowboard halfpipe event who encouraged her younger competitor Gaon Choi after Choi's falls at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Gaon Choi

A 17-year-old South Korean snowboarder who crashed hard in her first two runs at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but was encouraged by Chloe Kim to keep going and delivered a near-perfect final run.

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What they’re saying

“No one tells me what I'm gonna wear. No one tells me how my hair is gonna be. No one's gonna change me.”

— Alysa Liu (Cosmopolitan)

“I will be limiting my time on social media for my own well-being — but I will never stop using my voice for what I believe in.”

— Amber Glenn (Instagram)

“She is my baby. I've known her since she was so little. … I want to do what my mentors did for me and show up for her.”

— Chloe Kim

The takeaway

These young women athletes showed that prioritizing mental health, self-expression, and mutual support can coexist with elite-level competition. Their example challenges traditional narratives around sports and provides an inspiring model for the next generation of competitors.