MILAN — There are roughly 2,900 athletes in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, all trying to win medals — except for one.
Already a gold medalist in the figure skating team event, Alysa Liu has a chance to add to the haul by taking home another piece of hardware in the all-important women’s singles. After the short program, she’s in position to do so, standing in third place behind the Japanese pair of Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto.
Yet that’s not the top prize on Liu’s mind.
‘I just really want to be invited to the Olympic Gala, so I’m just putting it out there,” she said. ‘I have a really cool gala program that I’m working on, and it’s basically done. I have a dress for it and everything. I just got it today. So I’m thinking about it.’
OK, what about a medal?
“A medal?” Liu chuckles. “I don’t need a medal. I just need to be here, and I just need to be present. And I need people to see what I do next.”
While that’s all fine and dandy for Liu, not everyone else in U.S. figure skating is feeling the same way. They desperately need her to be on the podium.
During a night billed as the grand reveal of the ‘Blade Angels,’ Liu is the only one still flying. Tapping into the emotions of her ‘Promise’ program, she shined on the stage, capturing the audience’s hearts.
She knew she did great when she was done, and almost couldn’t believe it. Her coaches Phillip Digugliemo and Massimo Scali were off the rink hugging, high-fiving and jumping for joy. The score reflected the outing, with Liu earning a season-best 76.59.
The 20-year-old was the first U.S. skater to go, but the fellow Americans couldn’t replicate. Isabeau Levito was solid, but got pushed to eighth place after the Japanese skaters powered their way up the leaderboards. Amber Glenn had an impeccable start with the triple Axel and looked like she would be joining Liu up on the leaderboard.
Then the dreaded triple loop that wasn’t. Judges ruled it an invalid element, a devastating blow to the potential score Glenn could’ve received. She knew what happened, and understood the agony of ending up in 13th place.
All three American women were considered possible medal contenders. Glenn is likely too far behind to get close to the podium, and while Levito is closer, the gap is still significant.
Heading into the free skate, Liu is really the only hope left for the U.S.
Coming into the Winter Olympics, there was a belief the U.S. could end up winning gold in three of the four disciplines. After it opened the team event with a win, the possibility of four golds seemed in reach. There was also talk of an American sweep of women’s medals.
Now nearly two weeks later, it may end up being the only gold U.S. figure skating gets. Madison Chock and Evan Bates controversially settled for silver in ice dance and Ilia Malinin’s tough free skate resulted in no medal in men’s singles. The pairs did well but nowhere near medal contention.
The U.S. needs to salvage this trip and end with a women’s medal. Gold is preferred, but Liu has a tough challenge going against Nakai and Sakamoto. You also can’t forget the other Japanese skater Mone Chiba, who is in fourth place. If Liu holds her own, she can hang.
The doomsday scenario is if Liu doesn’t medal – and that could mean a Japan sweep. That could also mean Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, in fifth, getting on the podium as an Individual Neutral Athlete — what would be the final nail in the coffin for the U.S. hopes.
Not only that, but no medal continues a drought of no U.S. women’s singles medalist the past 20 years, already its longest in Olympic history.
No pressure, right? Well, Liu isn’t feeling it.
‘I do have a new dress for the free skate, so I’m really excited for that,” she said.
Some might find the nonchalant attitude concerning, but remember this is who Liu is, and honestly, what makes her great. She skates because she loves it and has fun doing it. Her world-class talent is just a bonus.
Maybe it will help, because Team USA needs her to save the Olympics.