Figure skating emerged as one of the most watched events of the 2026 Winter Olympics, drawing massive global audiences on both television and social media. While the sport has always had a strong following, this year sparked a rise in popularity, with 59% of all Olympic fans tuning in for the event.
Team U.S.A. delivered strong performances across multiple figure skating events, staying competitive with skating powerhouses like Japan and South Korea. Their success helped bring new attention to American figure skating.
After a two year retirement, two-time U.S. national champion Alysa Liu returned to the ice. Known for her technical skill, energetic skating and ability to stay calm Liu combined athletic jumps with expressive performances, representing a new generation of American figure skating. Her short program to “Promise” by Laufey scored a 76.59, and her free skate to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” earned a 150.20, giving her a total score of 226.79. With this score, Liu secured the 2026 Olympic gold medal over Japanese skaters Ami Nakai and favorite Kaori Sakamoto, marking the first U.S. women’s singles gold medal in twenty-four years.
“I liked when Alysa Liu was performing ‘Promise’ because it was just so satisfying to watch and she danced so effortlessly on the ice,” sophomore Hazel Wall said.
Amber Glenn, the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. in the Olympics, made an impact with her performances. Her short program to “Like a Prayer” by Madonna scored 67.39, and her free skate, a melody of “I Will Find You” by Automachine and “The Return” by CLANN, earned 147.52, for a total score of 214.91. The 2024-2025 Grand Prix Final champion and 2026 Olympic team gold medalist redeemed a rocky short program with a strong free skate, landing two triple Axels in her performances and finishing 5th overall. Her success highlights the growing diversity and athleticism in figure skating.
“Amber Glenn’s performance was really enjoyable. I was really impressed by her triple Axels,” junior Aileen Philip said.
“My favorite part of the Olympics was watching Amber Glenn support every skater that was there. She is like the mom of every skater, always watching out for them or getting them out of uncomfortable situations. For example, Amber made the camera man shut off the camera as he was in Sakamoto’s face after she had learned that she had lost the gold,” former junior Team U.S.A. skater and junior Katie Krafchick said.
Ilia Malinin, the “Quad God,” made history at 21. A two-time World Champion and 2026 Olympic team gold medalist, Malinin scored 108.16 in his short program to “Dies Irae” by Náttúra featuring Vila and “The Lost Crown” by 2WEI, Josnez and Kataem, landing two Quads and a triple Axel. Malinin scored 156.33 in his free skate to the song “The Ball” by Asaf Avidan, for a total score of 264.49. His free skate was unexpected as he ended up in 15th place directly after and finished in eighth place overall. Coming into the 2026 Winter Games, Malinin was the favorite for the gold medal and was undefeated for 14 consecutive full competitions spanning from (2023-2025). After this disappointing finish, Malinin still decided to perform in the gala, where he did a backflip, one of the skills he is most known for. His gala performance was a symbolic personal statement of the overwhelming pressures of being in the Olympic spotlight and the importance of prioritizing mental health.
“I really liked Ilia Malinin’s ice skating performance this year, the one where he did the backflip,” eighth grader Hayden Sang said.
Viral moments, record-breaking scores and historic performances by Liu, Glenn and Malinin have fueled a surge in figure skating’s popularity, drawing in a new generation of fans worldwide.
“What stood out most to me about these performers was how close their bond was. It really makes it beautiful to see athletes and artists just enjoying being out there and supporting each other,” chemistry teacher Ms. Eisenberg said.
