Alysa Liu had completed her comeback to take gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics. For the first time since Sarah Hughes in 2002 and the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, an American had won gold in women’s figure skating. Sakamoto took silver, with Nakai taking bronze:

Here's a look back at the history of the Winter Olympics, including when the first games were held and where they've been hosted.

Winter Olympics was a huge day for the United States. Alysa Liu became the first American to win gold in women's singles ice skating since Sarah Hughes in 2002 after an electric free skate vaulted her into the lead.

When the 2026 Winter OIympics in Italy begin, the United States will look to beat its best single Games mark of 10 gold medals, which was set in 2002.

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are nearing their end. Figure skating fans will now get one final show. The traditional Exhibition Gala will take place on Saturday night. It brings together medalists and top performers from every discipline.

Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut this year, the first winter sport to do so since 2002. Skeleton, luge, ski jumping and moguls are also getting new events.

Liu, 20, earned the first individual Olympic medal for an American woman since Sasha Cohen’s silver in 2006. And she did so with a smile, marking a triumph and a return to glory for American women’s skating.

By Aadi Nair CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Yannick Schwaller was just six years old when his father Christof and his uncle Andreas guided Switzerland to a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.