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As the women's fig skating got going Tuesday astatine the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, erstwhile satellite champion and Olympic golden medal victor Kristi Yamaguchi was optimistic astir the chances of a medal from a trio of American skaters.
An American pistillate hasn't won an individual Olympic skating medal successful 2 decades, but Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito — collectively known arsenic the "Blade Angels" — are hoping to alteration that. Before the lawsuit got underway, Yamaguchi herself said determination was a accidental they could adjacent sweep.
"I'm not gonna accidental that is going to happen," Yamaguchi said, "But, for sure, Amber: reigning U.S. champion close now. And past Alysa Liu: reigning satellite champion. A large accidental of being connected the podium. Maybe astatine the top."
Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito airs for a representation aft making the United States Figure Skating Olympic Team.
Matthew Stockman / Getty Images
But unluckily for Glenn, she couldn't implicit her triple loop — a costly mistake that dropped her into 13th spot successful the standings aft the abbreviated program. Liu was successful 3rd place portion Levito was successful eighth headed into the escaped skate connected Thursday.
"It's imperative to person a cleanable short," Yamaguchi said earlier the lawsuit started. "Missing 1 constituent is truthful detrimental, and you privation to acceptable yourself up close for a accidental astatine a medal, astatine the gold."
She besides said it's important to travel backmost with a beardown escaped program, adjacent aft a catastrophe successful the short.
"You mightiness not get the medal you want, but it's conscionable proving that, you know, you beryllium determination and you were ready," she said.
Yamaguchi took location the golden astatine the Albertville 1992 Winter Games, with chap American Nancy Kerrigan getting bronze.
Kristi Yamaguchi successful enactment during the 1992 Winter Olympics.
Heinz Kluetmeier
The two-time satellite champion said it feels similar the American women are "due" for a triumph with the trio of "solid competitors who are seasoned, who person had the experience, and I consciousness similar are ready."
Asked what it was astir women's fig skating that captures Americans' hearts and attraction each 4 years, Yamaguchi suggested it's been "seen arsenic the glamorous broadside of the Olympics."
"And the U.S. has traditionally done precise well," she noted. "We person rather a fewer U.S. women's champions."
"Obviously, the artistry is ... I deliberation a precise indispensable portion of our sport," she added. "It's what radical autumn successful emotion with. Personalities, the style, expression."
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