From breathtaking jumps to mesmerizing spins, figure skating is one of the most popular sports at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. In a survey conducted by the digital media research company Reviews.org, 56% of the 1,000 American respondents said they would be tuning in to watch figure skating at the Milan Cortina Games.

And all eyes will be on the American trio of female skaters known as the “Blade Angels,” with the start of the women’s short program on Tuesday. Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito are each dreaming of taking home the gold in the individual women’s figure skating competition, something an American woman has not done since 2002.

Only the top 24 women skaters in the women’s short program will advance to the compete in the free skate final on Thursday.

Here’s what to know.

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Who are the “Blade Angels”?

The Blade Angels, as they call themselves, are three U.S. figure skaters representing Team USA in this year’s Winter Games: Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito.

They have captivated the nation, not only with their skating but with their friendship and lively, nonconformist, authentic personalities. Glenn is the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to compete in women’s figure skating at the Winter Olympics. The young women’s bravery and exceptional skills have also garnered attention from celebrities like Madonna, who sent Glenn a video saying “Go get that gold,” and Taylor Swift, who introduced the trio in an NBC Olympics video.

The three have an impressive amount of wins among them: Liu is the 2025 world champion, Glenn is a three-time U.S. champion, and Levito is the 2024 world silver medalist.

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