US Olympic figure skating: Liu gets team competition assignment

Reigning world champion Alysa Liu of Richmond has a chance to win her first Olympic medal after being named to the figure skating team competition that begins early Friday morning ahead of the opening ceremony for the Milano-Cortina Winter Games.

Coaches picked Liu for the women’s short program that lasts 2 minutes, 40 seconds. Three-time defending U.S. champion Amber Glenn is expected to replace Liu in the free skate on Sunday.

The Americans, including Isabeau Levito, are scheduled to perform in the women’s singles on Feb. 17 and Feb. 19.

Liu, 20, joins one of the strongest American rosters since team figure skating began in 2014. The team boasts defending world champions in three of the four disciplines.

The United States has earned a medal in every team competition held. The Americans are considered gold medal favorites with Japan among the 10 countries who qualified for the event in Italy.

Olympic team event gold medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates will open the competition at Milano Ice Skating Arena at 1 a.m. Pacific in ice dancing.

Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea will make their Olympic debut in the pairs short program.

Then comes Liu, who was sixth in Beijing in 2022 before taking a two-year break from the sport.

The reigning Grand Prix Final champion will skate to “Promise,” by Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey Lin Bing Jonsdottir.

She scored a personal best of 81.11 points last month at the U.S. championships with the routine.

“That song, honestly, it’s so personal to me,” Liu said last fall. “I remember I used to cry to it all the time, even when I wasn’t skating. Even when I am skating, that song is just really good. Laufey’s voice really does something to me.”

Olympic skater Polina Edmunds from San Jose has shared rink time in San Francisco with Liu since her return in March 2024.

“I am anticipating her skating a clean program and that’s pretty much what she’s done since getting back in the competition shape and competing at the top of her game,” Edmunds said.