At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, 17-year-old Japanese figure skater Ami Nakai secured a bronze medal in the women's singles event on February 20. In her Olympic debut on a major stage, she performed confidently despite some technical errors. Nakai described the experience as more fun and sparkly than she had imagined.
On February 20, 2026, at the Milano Cortina Olympics, 17-year-old Japanese figure skater Ami Nakai won the bronze medal in women's single figure skating. This was her first season as a senior and her debut on a major international stage.
Nakai leapt onto the podium and bounced up and down to express her joy. She nailed her signature triple axel, which helped secure the medal, though she failed to fully execute the second jump of a triple lutz and toe loop combination and under-rotated later jumps. Even so, she skated through her roughly four-minute program without faltering.
“The Olympics were more fun and sparkly than I imagined,” the 17-year-old said.
Her journey to the Olympics had not been smooth. In the 2023-24 season, she struggled with a lower back injury that prevented satisfactory training and led to a slump. Her coach, Kensuke Nakaniwa, recalled, “Looking back, it was an important moment.”
A practice enthusiast, Nakai realized that constant triple axels placed huge strain on her body and learned the importance of conditioning and rest. She took a solid rest the day before the competition. “I felt zero nerves,” she said. “I could just be myself and skate with my usual feel.”
As the last skater of the event, she performed to her full potential under immense pressure. “I had injuries and stuff, but I don’t think the journey has been wasted,” she said proudly.
Standing on the Olympic podium at 17—two years younger than her idol, Mao Asada—she reflected, “It was the most brilliant view of any competition I’ve ever been in.”
