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Blade Angels Aim to End 20-Year Medal Drought

2/17/2026

34 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Blade Angels Compete

The Blade Angels—Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito—are among the world's top skaters and will skate in the final group at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, aiming to end a 20-year U.S. medal drought.
The women's short program is February 17, 2026 at 12:45 p.m. ET, with the free skate on February 19, 2026.
They face rivals Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, and Adeliia Petrosian, who competes as a neutral athlete.

Summary

Isabeau's Olympic Debut

Isabeau Levito will make her Olympic debut at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, representing the United States.
She is the 2022 World Junior champion and the 2023 U.S. national champion.
She said, “You can’t evict me,” as she embraces the Olympic Village atmosphere.
Her short program is scheduled for February 17, 2026.
Her free skate is scheduled for February 19, 2026.

History

Historical Context

The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City were significant for U.S. figure skating, as the team won a gold medal in pairs amidst a judging scandal that led to a new scoring system. This event marked a turning point, with the U.S. securing eight medals in figure skating that year. As the 2026 Milan Cortina Games approach, skaters like Amber Glenn aim to revitalize U.S. figure skating after a 20-year medal drought.

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Blade Angels Compete

The Blade Angels—Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito—are among the world's top skaters and will skate in the final group at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, aiming to end a 20-year U.S. medal drought.
The women's short program is February 17, 2026 at 12:45 p.m. ET, with the free skate on February 19, 2026.
They face rivals Kaori Sakamoto, Mone Chiba, and Adeliia Petrosian, who competes as a neutral athlete.

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