APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Figure Skating

Alysa Liu won Olympic gold for the U.S. in women’s figure skating, ending a 24-year drought. Liu delivered a near-flawless free skate at the Milan Cortina Games to beat out Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai of Japan on Thursday night. Liu had returned to the sport after stepping away following the Beijing Games. She posted a career-best 226.79 points, while Sakamoto took silver after a mistake. Nakai earned bronze after a slip as well. American teammate Amber Glenn celebrated in the kiss-and-cry area with Liu after Nakai’s score was read. Glenn rebounded from Tuesday’s short program and finished fifth.

Alysa Liu won Olympic gold in women’s figure skating by skating loose, smiling and doing it her own way. On Thursday night, the 20-year-old from California delivered a free skate that looked like a fun practice session, rather than a pressure test. She waved to friends and family and grinned through her program. She finished with the top score and beat Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai. The win gave the U.S. its first women’s Olympic gold since 2002. It was the culmination for Liu of a two-year comeback after an abrupt retirement following the Beijing Games, when she was too burned out to continue.