Mount Laurel resident and Olympic champion Isabeau Levito took the ice last month in Milan, Italy, the same place her mother emigrated from nearly 30 years ago.
Levito earned her spot on the 16-member U.S. Ice Skating Team on Jan. 11, after earning bronze in the U.S. Figure Skating Championship in St. Louis. The 18-year-old traveled to Milan as part of the 16-member skating team that consists of three female skaters, three male skaters, two pairs teams, and three ice dance teams.
“I’m going to do just my normal, consistent training routine, because it will be like any other competition except much more fun and exciting,” Levito said in a statement following the selection of the team. “We have such a great team and so many great resources and I really enjoy skating for this country.”
Levito began skating at 3 years old after she was inspired by the Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada in 2010. She trained at the Skating Club of Southern New Jersey in the township under coaches Yulia and Slava Kuznetsova and Otar Japaridze.
Levito is a 2024 world silver medalist, 2022 world junior champion, 2022 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, 2023 U.S. champion, 2024 and 2022 U.S. bronze medalist, 2021 U.S. junior champion and 2020 U.S. junior silver medalist. She also has six Grand Prix Series medals.
The location of this year’s Olympics was special for Levito; her mother, Chiara, came to the U.S. from Milan in 1997. On Feb. 17 and 19, Levito took the ice for the women’s free skate inside the Milano Ice Skating Arena, just 13 minutes away from where her grandmother still lives. Levito’s mother and aunt were on hand at the games.
After a solid showing in the women’s short program on the 17th, Levito shook off a fall on her opening triple flip jump on the19th, responding with five more triple jumps, including a triple flip; double-axel sequence; and a triple loop, double toe loop, double toe loop combo.
Levito placed 12th overall in her first Olympic games, finishing eighth in the Feb. 17 short program with a score of 70.84, and 13th in the Feb. 19 free skate with a score of 131.96, for a combined score of 202.80.
“I just felt special,” Levito said in an interview with NBC about her performance. “I know (my family) must be grinning ear to ear for me. They love this program probably even more than I do, which is hard to believe. But the fact I was able to skate so well here when it matters (makes me) very happy.”
The U.S. team ultimately secured gold in the team event with 69 points, edging Japan by one.
Levito is expected to return to Europe later this month to compete in the 2026 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia, from March 24 through 29. Her performance in the Milan Olympics can be viewed on the NBC Sports Youtube Channel.
“I feel filled with joy,” Levito told “The Today Show.” “I had a mistake, but I feel happy with how I skated in general. It’s been a great experience and something I will still cherish.”
