Alysa Liu wins women's figure skating gold at Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

In Brief

Alysa Liu secures gold in women's figure skating, ending a 20-year U.S. medal drought.

Key Facts

• Alysa Liu won the gold medal in the women's individual figure skating event at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
• Liu is the first American woman to win an individual Olympic figure skating gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002
• Three American skaters competed in the women's individual free skate event at the Games
• The U.S. women's hockey team also won gold at the Winter Olympics, defeating Canada in overtime
• Liu added the Olympic gold to her existing world title in figure skating

What Happened

At the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu competed in the women's individual figure skating event and won the gold medal. This victory ended a 20-year gold medal drought for the U.S. in this discipline. Additionally, the U.S. women's hockey team secured gold by defeating Canada in overtime.

Why It Matters

Liu's gold medal marks a significant achievement for U.S. figure skating, being the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the event since 2002. This success highlights the strength of American athletes in winter sports and may inspire future competitors. The concurrent hockey gold further demonstrates the U.S.'s competitive presence at the Winter Games.