One of the most beloved things about the women’s free skate final at the 2026 Winter Olympics is the simple reminder that exercise can be fun.
Alysa Liu embodies this in her seemingly effortless grace, while Japan’s silver and bronze medalists represent two generations of skaters in the Land of the Rising Sun. Silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto and bronze medalist Ami Nakai joined Liu Xiang on the podium.
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Must read: Alyssa Liu is the happiest figure skater on earth and an Olympic champion
However, the moment leaving the podium was a sweet moment that showed just how much this moment meant to the gold and bronze medals. In one video, Nakai jumps with excitement as Liu hugs her, lifts her off the ground, and then lets the moment take over as they jump with joy.
Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
Watch the highlights of the women’s figure skating free skate as Alysa Liu wins gold, ending a 20-year gold medal drought for American women. American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
Watch the highlights of the women’s figure skating free skate as Alysa Liu wins gold, ending a 20-year gold medal drought for American women. American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
Alysa Liu of Team USA competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
American Alysa Liu competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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Watch Alysa Liu’s incredible gold medal free skate performance
Alysa Liu of Team USA competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Japan’s Ami Nakai competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Amber Glenn of the United States competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Amber Glenn of the United States competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Amber Glenn of the United States competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Amber Glenn of Team USA competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Team USA’s Amber Glenn reacts after competing in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Amber Glenn of the United States reacts after her performance during the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Isabeau Levito of Team USA competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
American Isabeau Levito competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
American Isabeau Levito competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
American Isabeau Levito competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
American Isabeau Levito competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Isabeau Levito of the United States competes in the women’s single free skate final of the figure skating at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics at the Milan Skating Rink on February 19, 2026 in Milan. (Photo by Wang Zhao/AFP Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776395610 ORIG File ID: 2261955262
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
On February 19, 2026, neutral individual team athlete Adeliia Petrosian competed in the women’s figure skating free skate.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
South Korea’s Lee Hae-in competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Estonia’s Niina Petrokina competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Belgium’s Nina Pinzarrone competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Kazakhstan’s Sofia Samoldkina competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
South Korea’s Jashen participated in the women’s figure skating free skate competition on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Finland’s Iida Karhunen competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Romania’s Julia Sauter competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Austria’s Olga Mikutina competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Zhang Ruiyang, a player from the People’s Republic of China, participated in the women’s figure skating free skate competition on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Poland’s Ekaterina Kurakova competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
On February 19, 2026, Zhang Ruiyang of the People’s Republic of China team participated in the women’s figure skating free skate competition.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Switzerland’s Kimmy Repond will compete in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Israel’s Maria Seniuk competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Livia Kaiser of Team Switzerland competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Switzerland’s Livia Kaiser performs during the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
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The best photos of the U.S. team in women’s free skate at the Olympics figure skating
Lorine Schild of France competes in the women’s figure skating free skate on February 19, 2026.
“When I see other people smiling, and I see them in the audience, I have to smile too,” Liu said after winning the gold medal. “I don’t have a poker face.”
Although this was Sakamoto’s last Winter Olympics, the future lies in the hands of 17-year-old Nakai, who was noticeable from start to finish in Milan. “I felt very nervous at first, but I was able to treat it with my normal self, my normal mentality. This part really feels good,” Nakai said, according to The Japan Times.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ami Nakai, 17, hugs Alysa Liu after both skaters win medals at Olympics
