U.S. Olympic figure skating hopes rest on Alysa Liu after Amber Glenn's stumble

Liu sits in third place heading into the free skate, while Glenn dropped to 13th after an invalid element in her short program performance.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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The chances of the U.S. women ending its 20-year medal drought in figure skating will come down to Alysa Liu. Amber Glenn, the highest-ranking American in the world, had a disappointing short program performance that dropped her to 13th place. Liu, the only American with Olympic experience, sits in third place heading into the free skate, just 2.12 points behind the leader, Japan's Ami Nakai.

Why it matters

The U.S. has not won a medal in women's figure skating at the Olympics since 2006, and the country entered this year's competition with three top contenders, including Glenn and Liu. Liu's strong performance in the short program has kept American hopes alive, but Glenn's stumble has put the team in a difficult position heading into the free skate.

The details

In the women's short program, Amber Glenn, the highest-ranking American, had an invalid element that tanked her score and dropped her to 13th place. Isabeau Levito, the third American to qualify, sits in eighth place. Alysa Liu, the only American with Olympic experience, scored a season-best 76.59 to sit in third place, just 2.12 points behind leader Ami Nakai of Japan. The last American medal in women's figure skating came in 2006 when Sasha Cohen won silver.

  • The women's short program took place on Tuesday.
  • The free skate is scheduled for Thursday night.

The players

Alysa Liu

The only American figure skater with Olympic experience, currently in third place heading into the free skate.

Amber Glenn

The highest-ranking American figure skater in the world, who had a disappointing short program performance that dropped her to 13th place.

Isabeau Levito

The third American figure skater to qualify for the Olympics, currently in eighth place.

Ami Nakai

The Japanese figure skater who is currently in first place after the short program.

Kaori Sakamoto

The Japanese figure skater who won bronze at the 2022 Olympics and is currently in second place.

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What they’re saying

“The chances of the U.S. women ending its 20-year medal drought in women's figure skating, will come down to Alysa Liu. Or a miracle.”

— Marcus Thompson II, Author (nytimes.com)

What’s next

Liu and the other American figure skaters will need to deliver flawless performances in the free skate on Thursday night to have a chance at ending the U.S. medal drought in women's figure skating.

The takeaway

The U.S. women's figure skating team entered these Olympics with high hopes, but Amber Glenn's stumble in the short program has put a lot of pressure on Alysa Liu to deliver a medal-winning performance in the free skate. Liu's strong showing has kept American hopes alive, but the team will need some help from the top Japanese skaters if they want to end the country's 20-year drought in the event.