Team USA's Blade Angels made history on Thursday, as the halo-haired Alysa Liu became the first US women's figure skater to win singles gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002 — three years before Liu was even born.
After finishing third in Tuesday's short program, Liu posted a competition-high score of 150.20 on Thursday, leapfrogging Japan's silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto and bronze medalist Ami Nakai with her clean, high-energy free skate.
The medal punctuates Liu's emphatic comeback, with the US star returning to the ice in 2024 after retiring at the age of 16 following her Olympic debut in Beijing.
"I think my story is more important than anything to me, and that's what I hold dear," the 20-year-old said. "And this journey has been incredible."
Alysa Liu ultimately ended a 20-year Olympic medal drought for the US, as the last USA women's figure skater to being home hardware was 2006 Turin Games silver medalist Sasha Cohen.
Team USA saw additional triumphs off the podium, as reigning three-time US champion Amber Glenn claimed redemption following her disappointing 13th-place short program, performing a stunning free skate — complete with a flawless triple axel — to prove her resilience and secure fifth place.
"I told myself, no matter how the program was going to go, I was going to look up and tell myself, 'You're at the Olympics,' and I did that," she said. "I'm just really proud of that moment."
