Liu vs Sakamoto: Olympic Showdown

Kaori Sakamoto © Pinterest

The spotlight turns to the Milano Ice Skating Arena this Tuesday as the Women’s Singles Short Program officially begins at 18:45 local time. While the narrative centers on two of the sport’s most iconic figures—reigning World Champion Alysa Liu and Japan’s legendary Kaori Sakamoto—the field is arguably the deepest in Olympic history. With technical powerhouses and veteran stars all within striking distance, the race for the podium is wide open.

The Return of the Queen and the Farewell of a Legend

Alysa Liu (USA) arrives in Milan as the “miracle” story of the season. After retiring at just 16 following the Beijing Games, she returned to the ice last year with a newfound joy that propelled her to the 2025 World title. Now 20, Liu has already helped lead Team USA to a gold medal in the Team Event earlier this week. She enters the individual event looking to complete one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

Across the ice stands Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), the three-time World Champion competing in her third and final Olympic Games. Sakamoto has dominated the four-year cycle with her trademark power and speed. Having already secured an Olympic bronze in 2022 and a Team silver earlier this week, she has made it clear that her “mission completion” involves standing on the top step of the podium before she transitions into coaching.

The Challengers: Triple Axels and Comeback Kids

The favorites cannot afford a single mistake, as several contenders are armed with high-scoring technical weapons:

• Ami Nakai (JPN): The 17-year-old sensation is the wildcard of the event. Armed with a formidable triple Axel, Nakai has the highest technical ceiling and has already beaten Sakamoto in the short program earlier this season.
• Amber Glenn (USA): The reigning U.S. Champion possesses a triple Axel that could catapult her into the lead if landed cleanly.
• Niina Petrokina (EST): The newly crowned European Champion is a serious medal threat. Despite undergoing Achilles surgery just months ago, Petrokina set a personal best in January to retain her European title.
• Loena Hendrickx (BEL): After missing last season due to injury, the two-time World medalist is back. Known for her sophisticated choreography, Hendrickx is one of the few who can rival Sakamoto in Program Components.

Figure Skating Glossary: Women’s Event Essentials

• Triple Axel (3A): The only jump that takes off forward. It is considered the most difficult “triple” jump and is a high-reward element in the women’s field.
• Short Program (SP): The first of two segments in a competition. It lasts roughly 2 minutes and 40 seconds and contains seven required elements.
• Season’s Best (SB): The highest score an athlete has achieved during the current competitive season (July to June).
• Program Components: Often called the “artistic score,” this marks a skater’s skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation of the music.
• GOE (Grade of Execution): A scale from -5 to +5 that judges use to grade the quality of each individual element (jumps, spins, and footwork).

Ultimately, while Liu and Sakamoto are the names on everyone’s lips, the depth of this field means the Short Program will be a battle of nerves where the slightest slip could change the face of the podium.

Source: article on isu-skating.com, published February 16, 2026.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer