On Thursday, Alysa Liu from the United States claimed the gold medal in the Olympic figure skating event, finishing ahead of three Japanese competitors. Liu, who was in third place after the short program, delivered an outstanding performance in the free skate, scoring the highest marks of the day and totaling 226.79 points for her overall performance. The achievement is especially significant as it marks the first time since 2002 that an American woman has won Olympic gold in figure skating, a title last held by Sarah Hughes in Salt Lake City.

In a competitive field, the silver medal was awarded to Kaori Sakamoto, a bronze medalist from the Beijing Games, who placed second in both the short and free skate programs, accumulating a score of 224.90 points. The competition saw 17-year-old Ami Nakai leading after the short program but fell to third place overall after a disappointing showing in the free skate, finishing with 219.16 points. Mone Chiba, also from Japan, finished fourth in both segments, just missing out on a place on the podium by 1.28 points.

Liu’s victory is a remarkable achievement, especially following her world championship title obtained last year and her previous Olympic gold in team events held in Milan. This win not only highlights Liu's exceptional talent but also signals a resurgence for American figure skating in the Olympic arena, where it has struggled to maintain dominance in recent years compared to its Japanese counterparts.