Alysa Liu's dynamic performance in Thursday's free skate earned her a gold medal, the first for the United States in the women's individual event since Sarah Hughes in 2002. And she did it on her terms.

In the hour before Alysa Liu would become the first American woman in nearly a quarter of a century to win an individual Olympic figure skating gold medal, she skipped around the warmup area deep below the Milano Ice Skating Arena taking selfies.

Alysa Liu carries U.S. gold hopes as women’s figure skating heads into its final night at the Milan Cortina Games

With seven clean triple jumps, Alysa Liu skated effortlessly to Olympic gold, becoming the first American woman in 20 years to win a medal.

Alysa Liu won the first women's figure skating gold medal for the United States in 24 years at Winter Olympics in Milan on Thursday.

On a night of American comebacks at the Milan Cortina Games, Alysa Liu delivered the U.S. its first women’s figure skating Olympic gold medal in 24 years. The 20-year-old Liu performed a near-flawless free skate Thursday to upstage Japanese rivals Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai.

American superstar Alysa Liu adds Olympic figure skating gold to her world title as she beats a standout field in the women's final.

Alysa Liu delivered the U.S. its first women’s figure skating Olympic gold medal in 24 years, performing a near-flawless free skate on Thursday night in a glittering golden dress to upstage Japanese rivals Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai at the Milan Cortina Games.