New Delhi, Feb. 6 -- The United States kicked off their defense of the figure skating team gold medal in strong fashion on Day 1 of the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. Reigning world champion Alysa Liu delivered a captivating women's short program, helping Team USA claim the top spot in the standings with 25 points. Japan sits close behind in second with 23 points, while Italy holds third with 22.

Alysa Liu, performing second-to-last in the segment, earned a total score of 74.90. This placed her second overall in the women's short program, behind Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who posted an impressive 78.88. Liu's performance secured nine crucial points for the Americans, keeping them ahead after the opening segments....