The 2026 Winter Olympic Games were held in Northern Italy, primarily in Milan and the mountain resort town in Cortina dâAmpezzo. Over the span of about two weeks, over 23 million people from the United States tuned in to watch. There were a total of 16 sports included in this yearâs games, the most popular being figure skating and ice hockey. Here, we are going to highlight some of the female Olympians and the moments that seemed to stand out the most. Â
Alysa Liu – Figure SkaterÂ
The athlete who gained the most media attention for both her talent and her quirky style and personality, you guessed it, Alysa Liu. Alysa is a 20-year-old female figure skater who earned two golds for the United States in the womenâs singles event and the team event. This Olympics wasnât her first rodeo; she performed at the national level at 13 and became the youngest US National Champion in our countryâs history. She attended her first Olympics at 16 in Beijing, China, and got 6th in the womenâs singles event. Â
Alysa Liu lost her love for skating around this time due to the constant pressure she faced from her coaches and trainers. She was tired of being controlled in every single aspect of her life. The sport she once loved and enjoyed became a cage of expectations and misery. So, for her own mental health, she quit! She wanted to experience a ânormal lifeâ for the first time. She traveled, went to college, learned how to drive, dyed her hair, spent time with her friends and loved every second of it. Two years later, she felt an unrelenting pull back towards figure skating and she decided to give in. But this time, it was on her terms. Alysa was in control of her own life, and she intended to keep it that way. At this year’s Winter Olympics, she got to choose the song, and she chose to perform to MacArthur Park by Donna Summer. The world instantly fell in love with her, from her platinum striped hair to her smiley piercing that rested on her bright, joyous smile. Alysa Liu continues to advocate for athletes’ mental health and autonomy in interviews, her social media presence, and her overall career and style choices. Â
Eileen Gu – Freestyle Skier Â
Another athlete that the media is drawn to is 22-year-old Eileen Gu, who is the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history. Eileen has earned 6 medals from both the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, half of which are gold. There has been some discourse over her decision to represent China at both games, although she was raised in the United States. Many people have labeled her a âtraitor,â even though Eileenâs mother is Chinese and her father is American, making Eileen a Chinese-American. Even though she made the switch back in 2019, she is still receiving judgment for making that decision to this day. She says she will always remain proud to represent China and her heritage. People can hate all they want, but it doesnât stop her from being the most successful freestyle skier in Olympic History. At this yearâs Olympics, she won gold in the half-pipe and a silver medal in both slopestyle and big air. Eileen also attends Stanford University as a full-time student and models in her spare time.Â
Hilary Knight – Ice Hockey Â
Hilary Knight has represented the US five times at the Winter Olympics during her ice hockey career. At 36 years old, she holds the title of Team Captain and has won 5 medals for Team USA, two of which were gold and three silver. Hilary announced last year that the 2026 Olympics were likely to be her last, saying that she feels itâs time for her professional athletic career to be over. Thankfully, she got to end her career on a high by leading the womenâs ice hockey team to victory, earning yet another gold. Although it feels like the end of an era, there are still many valuable moments to look back on. Not only did she assist in gaining the US winning titles, but she also gained some for herself. In this yearâs Olympics, she broke the record for most career goals and points earned in US Olympic womenâs ice hockey history. Hilary Knight says she is very grateful for the opportunities sheâs been given. âIf I could do this forever, I would,â she says. Hilary Knight is leaving the sport with a bang. Now, we wonder who will be up to the task of filling her spot as team leader. Â
The 2026 Winter Olympics saw record-breaking viewership from women due to more gender-balanced programming. Are sports finally becoming more gender-inclusive? That seems to be the question. The women mentioned above are only 3 of many who have made a lasting impact. I plan on tuning in to future Olympics and supporting all things women!