With the new year comes the greatly anticipated Winter Olympics. The games feature a variety of snow and ice-related sports from curling to snowboarding. People from all over the world tune in to watch the best of the best compete for the chance to win on a global scale. Every year in the U.S., competitive figure skating is a popular sport that typically attracts millions of viewers across the country, but this year’s women’s team lineup has attracted an even greater deal of attention due to their historic achievements and unique stories.
One of the most inspirational comeback stories preceding the 2026 Winter Olympics comes from none other than the 20-year-old skater Alysa Liu. Having made headlines for her accomplishments in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics after winning bronze in the team skating event as well as placing third in the World Championships that same year at merely 16 years old, Alysa had a bright future ahead of her in the skating world. However, Liu unveiled a shocking announcement; she would retire from skating entirely in pursuit of a life as a normal teen. Out of the limelight, Liu went on a journey of discovering new interests and lifestyles, but after two years, her old love for skating began to reemerge.
“This is a terrible idea,” Phillip DiGuglielmo, Alysa Liu’s competitive skating coach, said when Alysa discussed returning to competitive skating with hopes of reaching the Olympics once again (CBS, 2025).
Training for the world’s largest sporting stages requires routine conditioning and learning new skills to stun the judging panel, making Alysa’s request a difficult one; she could outdo herself in her accomplishments, or she could tarnish her respectable record. However, this time around, Alysa decided that she would live her life without adhering to any standards other than her own, even if that meant finding a new training coach.
Wearing her signature “halo” hair with alternate stripes of brown and bleached hair, and performing with Lady Gaga songs, Liu stepped back into the spotlight by being herself unapologetically and on her own terms.
In an interview with Norah O’Donnell on CBS’ 60 Minutes, Liu said that with her return, she “gets to help with the creative process of the program,” as well as control her skating schedule and diet which she was unable to do last run. Through addressing difficult topics such as the harsh dieting culture and extreme overworking in efforts of winning gold, Liu brings a candid perspective that many find refreshing in the sporting world.
The top-scoring 2025 Winter Free-Skate Championship gold medalist Amber Glenn is a Plano native. Born in Plano in 1999, Glenn trained as a young child at the ice skating rink in the Stonebriar mall prior to its closing in 2013. She also trained at local ice skating rinks such as the Allen Community Rink and is a Plano Senior High Alum. However, her Texas ties are not the only reason her impact is so significant to many. At 26 years old, Amber Glenn has made modern history as the oldest woman to compete in the Olympics on the Women’s team in the last several decades. Her persistence and determination shows not only aspiring skaters, but all competitive athletes, that there is no age limit on accomplishing dreams.
Another skater seeking to win this Winter Olympics is the youngest member of the team, Isabeau Levito. Having started skating at the age of 3, Levito had always dreamt of becoming a skater and making it to the Olympics. However, in 2022, the young skater was unable to compete due to age restrictions. Instead of feeling rejected, she transformed her frustration into motivation to train even harder for the next Olympics, making her one of the most skilled skaters despite her age.
Growing up, I have always admired Olympic women athletes that broke records and defied all the odds. From gymnasts like Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles to snowboarder Chloe Kim, seeing raw determination and passion inspired me to push myself to unlock my fullest potential, even if it wasn’t pertaining to sports. Having representation on screen, whether it be gender, racial, cultural, social or any other community, is incredibly important to empower those who are in similar positions to break out of their box of perception from others and live their life to the max for themselves. Creating a diversified community in the Olympic world promotes the idea that anyone can accomplish their goals. This diversity is very meaningful as it signifies that like the stories of the women representing Team USA: any dream is limitless.
Taking place throughout the month of February in Milan, Italy, I urge all to tune in to a local broadcasting network to watch a historic Team USA compete against other nations who are all vying for that top spot in the 2026 Winter Olympics!
