Overview
- Liu won the women’s singles title in Milan to end a 24-year U.S. gold drought, with her free skate spawning a viral Bratz tribute that replicated her podium look and pose.
- Her comeback and candid focus on well-being drew fresh attention beyond the rink, with a Glamour interview detailing her boundaries-first approach to competition.
- The cultural ripple has been immediate, from UCLA gymnast Katelyn Rosen’s figure-skating celebration to local interest at Lakewood ICE, where Liu trained while studying at UCLA, and a reported surge to roughly 4.8 million Instagram followers.
- Malinin powered Team USA to figure skating team gold with a 200.03-point free skate featuring five quads, then finished eighth in the men’s event after errors and spoke about pressure and online abuse, drawing support from stars including Simone Biles, Tom Brady and Stephen Curry.
- He delivered an emotional exhibition performance featuring his signature backflip and said he aims to reset at the World Championships beginning March 23.