The 2026 Winter Olympics are formally right here and I’m already obsessive about three American stars. Determine skaters Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito — higher generally known as the “Blade Angels” — have had me in a chokehold ever for the reason that three of them have been named to Group USA final month. It’s not simply that they’re all beautiful skaters, unimaginable athletes, or extremely quirky characters. Glenn, Liu, and Levito share a camaraderie we hardly ever see in younger ladies pitted towards one another in tense competitors. The Blade Angels are badass besties who present as much as assist one another after which go and share one another’s goofy memes on social media. Their friendship is not only refreshing, however inspiring. Oh, and there’s truly an opportunity that one, two, or all three of them might make it to the Olympic podium.
The Blade Angels deserve all of it: Medals, Wheaties bins, and even their very own cartoon.
Like so many different Winter Olympics followers, I bear in mind falling laborious for determine skating the primary time I noticed somebody gracefully glide throughout the ice and defy gravity with a seemingly easy twirl within the air. I can’t bear in mind if my first ice princess was Katerina Witt or Kristi Yamaguchi, however I do know that any illusions I had that determine skaters have been angels have been shattered when Nancy Kerrigan was assaulted in 1994. The media circus that spiraled, and the Tonya Harding of all of it, made me understand that the crisp, clear ice of a rink might nonetheless be as dirty because the gutter.
Over time, I’ve dipped out and in of following the game, with the 2022 Winter Olympics marking one more scandal-ridden ladies’s determine skating season. Russian prodigy Kamila Valieva was accused of doping, kickstarting a fierce worldwide controversy. Though she was allowed to compete, she missed the rostrum and had her Group medal revoked. Her fellow Russian skaters took Gold and Silver, though second place finisher Alexandra Trusova was caught sobbing and cursing over the outcomes. All three skaters have been proteges of Eteri Tutberidze, a Georgian-Russian coach as famend for producing world-class winners as she was notorious for pushing underage athletes to the sting, mentally and bodily.
So after I tuned into the 2026 U.S. Championships and noticed that this yr’s Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists weren’t simply thrilled to make the rostrum, however overjoyed perpetually, I used to be floored. I used to be much more impressed after I realized that Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito all have sturdy, distinct personalities, sharply distinctive private type, and ferocious power on the ice. Their press conferences have been hilarious. Their poise below stress, inspiring. Their chemistry appeared tailored for a traditional Toonami sequence or my new favourite Crunchyroll anime.
The Blade Angels are the determine skating heroines I want I had rising up. So who’re the Blade Angels? Meet Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito:
Amber Glenn
Age: 26
Hometown: Plano, Texas
Quick Program: “Like a Prayer” by Madonna
Lengthy Program: “I Will Discover You” by Audiomachine & “The Return” by CLANN
Instagram: @amberglenniceskater
Why She Guidelines: Amber Glenn is a literal Ice Skating Barbie; a queer, anime-loving, ADHD-tackling Barbie. Amber’s not solely the cool huge sister of the bunch, but additionally a game-changer for the game. By proudly owning her pansexuality, she is the primary overtly homosexual ladies’s single skater on Group USA. She additionally works laborious to champion psychological well being consciousness and volunteers at an animal shelter. She merely guidelines.
Alysa Liu
Age: 20
Hometown: Clovis, California
Quick Program: “Promise” by Laufey
Lengthy Program: Woman Gaga medley
Instagram: @alysaxliu
Why She Guidelines: Alysa Liu was a toddler prodigy, profitable her first U.S. Championship on the tender age of 13. After burning out on the game and retiring at 16, she staged her personal comeback as a younger grownup. Now she’s rocking her signature halo coiffure and smiley piercing in Milan Cortina, touchdown a number of the hardest jumps in all of determine skating. (She’s additionally extraordinarily chill, uttering a “true dat” earlier right this moment throughout her judging for the Group Occasion.) She freaking guidelines.
Isabeau Levito
Age: 18
Hometown: Mount Holly, New Jersey
Quick Program: Sophia Loren medley
Lengthy Program: “Se” from Ennio Morricone’s rating for Cinema Paradiso
Instagram: @isabeau.levito
Why She Guidelines: Isabeau Levito — actually named after Michelle Pfieffer in Ladyhawke (!!!) — seems at first look to be your conventional ice princess due to her traditional type. Nevertheless, the Philly-area native is one powerful cookie and possibly Group USA’s de facto information on the bottom in Italy. (Her mom is actually from Italy.) She completely guidelines.
