It was United States figure skater Alysa Liu’s star that shone the brightest in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. This is after the 20-year-old won the gold medal in the free skate, marking the first female American figure skater to win individual gold in the Winter Games since 2002.

Japan's total of 24 medals was six higher than the previous record set at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.

Three Japanese skaters are in position to earn medals heading into the final

Japan's Ami Nakai topped the figure skating women's singles competition at the Milan/Cortina Winter Olympics after the short program on Tuesday. Nakai had a score of 78.

Only USA's Alysa Liu broke up Japan's trio of Ami Nakai, Kaori Sakamoto and Mone Chiba, who finished first, second and fourth after the short program.

There’s a familiar script that seems to play out almost every four years at the Winter Olympics. The host nation rides a wave of national pride, packed home venues, and federation funding into a medal surge that feels almost