Women's figure skating finally gets its time in the spotlight at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics! The individual competition starts on Tuesday, February 17 and three skaters are not only getting support from American fans, but from Taylor Swift too.
Team USA's Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, better known as the "Blade Angels," got some love from the showgirl herself on Monday, February 16, making their individual competition even more exciting.
Amber, Alysa, and Isabeau will step on the ice at 12:45 p.m. EST on Tuesday, February 17, competing in the short program and again on Thursday, February 19 at 1:00 p.m. EST. While Japan's Kaori Sakamoto is favored to win the gold, the Blade Angles are top contenders too.
Ahead of their much anticipated performances, here's everything you need to know about Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito, and how Taylor Swift lent her support.
© Getty ImagesAmber Glenn, 26
Amber is the only American competitor at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics with a triple axle in her routine. The 26-year-old started skating when she was just five and dreamt of competing professionally after watching Sarah Hughes win the gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Amber is the first openly LGBTQ women's singles skater on Team USA and has paved the way for advocating for mental health inside the sport. Outside of skating, she loves anime and Star Wars.
© Getty ImagesAlysa Liu, 20
After stepping away from figure skating at 16, Alysa is back and skating on her own terms. The 20-year-old is from Clovis, California, born to Arthur Liu and Yan Qingxin. She started skating when she was a young girl, inspired by Michelle Kwan.
When Alysa was just 13, she became the youngest ever to win the U.S. women's national championship. This is Alysa's second Olympics – she won Bronze in the team competition in Beijing – and she could very likely win a medal in the individual competition.
© Getty ImagesIsabeau Levito, 18
While Isabeau did not perform in the team competition, she is ready to shine in the individual. The 18-year-old is from New Jersey, but is born to an Italian mother – Chiara Garberi Levito. Isabeau's grandmother lives just a few miles from the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan.
Isabeau started skating when she was three and her career quickly took off. She was the first U.S. female figure skater to win the world junior championship in 14 years. Outside of skating, Isabeau loves watching Gilmore Girls and indulging in Italian cuisine.
© Getty ImagesWhy do they call themselves the "Blade Angles?"
Ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, Alysa came up with the nickname. "I came up with a ton of different ideas – 'Blade Angels' was my idea. There was a vote and everybody liked it," she told Olympics.com.
The Blade Angels are making history, not only because they could be the first three women in almost two decades to all end up on the Olympic podium, but because they are friends, something rare in the figure skating world.
"Something that [Alysa has] been saying throughout all the press conferences and stuff is… 'Why is it so shocking that we're being friendly, that we're friends?' Amber said.
"I love Isabeau's wittiness, I'm sure everybody says this, but truly she's the funniest person I've ever met," Alysa chimed in. "And then Amber … you have a lot of love and you give a lot of love. She just radiates that."
© Getty ImagesTaylor Swift and the Blade Angels
In a video shared by the U.S. Figure Skating Olympic team on Monday, February 16, Taylor Swift, 36, announced the Blade Angels. She started the video shared to Instagram: "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to Amber, Alysa and Isabeau…three American showgirls on ice."
The Life of a Showgirl singer went on to describe each skater. Amber, whose "superpower is embracing the fight and daring the world to test her self-belief." Alysa and the "joy [that] fuels her." And Isabeau who is "destiny personified."
Fellow Team USA member, Madison Chock, commented on the post writing: "Obsessed!!! Can't wait to see my angels shine."
