Ami Nakai of Japan won the women’s short program, leading the field at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with a score of 78.71, ahead of Kaori Sakamoto and Alysa Liu.

Quick Scoop: Who Won the Women’s Short Program?

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina, Ami Nakai, a 17‑year‑old from Japan, topped the women’s figure skating short program.

  • She scored 78.71, a season- and personal-best mark that put her in first place going into the free skate.
  • Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, a three‑time world champion, was second with 77.23.
  • Alysa Liu of the United States, the 2025 world champion, stood third with 76.59 and was the top American after the short program.

Ami Nakai’s clean triple Axel and strong combinations were highlighted as the technical backbone of her program and the key to her narrow lead.

Why This Is Trending

This result is generating buzz in figure skating circles and on sports forums for a few reasons:

  • A 17‑year‑old leading an Olympic women’s event, especially with a big triple Axel, fits the classic “breakout star” storyline fans love.
  • Japan holding three of the top four spots (Nakai, Sakamoto, and Mone Chiba in fourth) underscores a current wave of Japanese dominance in women’s skating.
  • U.S. fans are closely watching Alysa Liu’s medal chances, since she could end a long American women’s medal drought stretching back to 2006.

On fan forums, people are already debating whether Nakai can hold off Sakamoto’s typically strong free skates and whether Liu can climb higher if she lands her biggest elements under pressure.

Mini Viewpoints From Around the Ice

Different perspectives emerging in coverage and discussions:

  • Technical fans focus on base value and grades of execution, noting Nakai’s triple Axel plus high‑quality triples as the difference‑maker in the short.
  • Artistry‑oriented viewers praise Sakamoto’s skating skills and performance quality, arguing her free skate could overturn the short‑program gap.
  • U.S. supporters emphasize Liu’s consistency this season and her history of delivering strong short programs to build a lead in major events.

One common thread: many fans say this Olympic women’s event feels unusually open, with several legitimate medal contenders rather than one overwhelming favorite.

Key Facts at a Glance (HTML Table)

Item Details
Event Women’s figure skating short program, Winter Olympics 2026 (Milan–Cortina)
Winner Ami Nakai (Japan)
Winning score 78.71 (season-best / personal-best)
2nd place Kaori Sakamoto (Japan) – 77.23
3rd place Alysa Liu (USA) – 76.59
Date of short program Evening of 17 February 2026
Notable element Nakai’s clean triple Axel and strong triple–triple combo
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TL;DR

Ami Nakai (Japan), 17, won the women’s short program at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Olympics with 78.71 points, edging Kaori Sakamoto and Alysa Liu heading into the free skate.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.