Olympics news, live updates: Alysa Liu in 3rd place, Amber Glenn in 13th after short program in women’s figure skating

Of Team USA’s “Blade Angels,” only reigning world champion Alysa Liu is in the top five of the women’s singles standings after the short program portion of the event.

She’s third, behind Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai. Team Japan also occupies fourth place, thanks to Mone Chiba.

Isabeau Levito is in eighth, and Amber Glenn — who heartbreakingly erred on a triple loop after starting her program with a triple axel — is 13th.

Here’s the top eight:

2. Kaori Sakamoto (Japan): 77.23

4. Mone Chiba (Japan): 74.00

5. Adeliia Petrosian (AIN): 72.89

6. Anastasiia Gubanova (Georgia): 71.77

7. Loena Hendrickx (Belgium): 70.93

8. Isabeau Levito (USA): 70.84

Amber Glenn set the tone with a triple axel that set the stage for a triple flip and triple toe combination.

But her triple loop in the middle of her short program unraveled. That cost her.

Unfortunately, because she was one rotation short on that loop, she lost as many as seven points.

She earned 67.39 and currently ranks 12th in the individual event.

Glenn was visibly upset after that one element disrupted an otherwise incredible program.

Kaori Sakamoto executed a triple lutz early in her short program, followed by a flying camel spin.

The highlight was her triple flip and triple toe combination. But as the music built to a crescendo, so did the applause.

Sakamoto is a three-time Olympic medalist. This time, she could win gold.

Sakamoto scored a 77.23, taking second place behind teammate Ami Nakai. Alysa Liu of Team USA is now in third.

Next up was Isabeau Levito, who paired a triple flip with a triple toe to start her short program.

Skating to the music of Sophia Loren, an Italian film legend, Levito glided across the ice while representing her heritage and, specifically, her Milanese roots.

While she was penalized for her execution at times, including for a slight under rotation on a triple loop, Levito’s artistry was on display, and it helped her earn 70.84 points.

Levito is now in fifth place.

Alysa Liu started her short program with an elegant triple flip. Then she landed a double axel.

But she saved her best for the second half of her skate.

That’s when she pulled off her triple lutz and triple loop combination that wowed.

Joyful yet graceful, Liu put on a show and received a score of 76.59, good for second place.

She trails only Japan’s Ami Nakai, who showcased a triple axel in her performance earlier.

Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn (in that order) are about to skate in the women’s singles.

Strong scores in their short programs will set them up for a medal push in the free skate.

The U.S. team of Frank Del Duca and Joshua Williamson entered its final run in the two-man bobsled in fourth place after three of four runs. It put down its best run of the competition with a 55.34 to remain in contention with three German sleds remaining.

But the Germans didn’t cede their ground and finished 1-2-3 on the podium. Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer won gold (3:39.70), Francesco Friedrich and Alexander Schüller took silver (3:41.04) and Adam Ammour and Alexander Schaller secured bronze (3:41.52).

Del Duca and Williamson finished just off the podium in fourth place (3:41.96), 2.26 seconds of the gold-medal pace and .44 seconds off the podium.

Japan’s Ami Nakai, just 17 years old, is now in first place after a head-turning short program that featured a triple axel.

She earned 78.71 points. That was not only a personal best, but it was also the second-highest score of the season.

Nakai overtook Russia’s Adeliia Petrosian, who is competing as a neutral athlete.

Italy skip Joël Retornaz kept their playoff hopes alive by leading the hosts to a big win over the U.S. on Tuesday.

With losses to China and Italy, the U.S. sits 4-4 with their final match on Wednesday against Great Britain.

Russia’s Adeliia Petrosian, competing as a neutral athlete, remains first in the women’s figure skating individual event after three groups of short programs are in the books:

1. Qualified – Adeliia Petrosian (AIN) — 72.89

2. Q – Lee Haein (KOR) — 70.07

3. Q – Sofia Samodelkina (KAZ) — 68.47

4. Q – Shin Jia (KOR) — 65.66

5. Q – Iida Karhunen (FIN) — 65.06

6. Q – Julia Sauter (ROU) — 63.13

7. Q – Olga Mikutina (AUT) — 61.72

8. Q – Ekaterina Kurakova (POL) — 60.14

9. Q – Zhang Ruiyang (CHN) — 59.38

10. Q – Kimmy Repond (SUI) — 59.20

11. Q – Mariia Seniuk (ISR) — 58.61

12. Q – Livia Kaiser (SUI) — 55.69

13. Lorine Schild (FRA) — 55.63

14. Viktoriia Safonova (AIN) — 54.57

15. Meda Variakojytė (LTU) — 53.86

16. Alexandra Feigin (BUL) — 53.42

17. Kristen Spours (GBR) — 45.54

The first of Team USA’s trio — Alysa Liu — is slated to skate in less than an hour.

Skip Danny Casper rescued a point, but the U.S. faces a two-point deficit heading into the 10th and final.

Italy will have the hammer as they look to finish off the Americans.

The rocks aren’t cooperating for Danny Casper’s crew as a mistake in the eighth end opened the door for Italy to put two more points on the board.

Italy leads 7-4 as we head to the ninth end.

The big air men’s final saw big drama on Tuesday before Norway’s Tormod Frostad secured gold, just ahead of U.S. silver medalist Mac Forehand.

Frostad took control of first place early and appeared to be cruising to gold after posting the highest score in each of the first two rounds. In a competition where the two best of three runs count, his combined score of 192.25 from those rounds stood a chance to count for gold.

But Forehand, who entered the final round in second place, was overtaken by Austria’s Matej Svancer in the third round and entered his final jump in bronze medal position. He needed a score of 96.25 to retake silver.

Instead, he laid down a 98.25 for the highest score yet of the Games with a jump that’s never been completed in competition. It was good enough to take over first place.

Skip Danny Casper took advantage of an Italy error and gained back two points for the U.S.

After seven ends, Italy remains on top 5-4.

After two groups of skaters, Russia’s Adeliia Petrosian, competing as a neutral athlete, is still in the lead, although it’s important to note that more skaters in the later groups are expected to score north of 70 as well.

1. Qualified – Adeliia Petrosian (AIN) — 72.89

2. Q – Iida Karhunen (FIN) — 65.06

3. Q – Julia Sauter (ROU) — 63.13

4. Q – Olga Mikutina (AUT) — 61.72

5. Q – Zhang Ruiyang (CHN) — 59.38

6. Q – Mariia Seniuk (ISR) — 58.61

7. Livia Kaiser (SUI) — 55.69

8. Viktoriia Safonova (AIN) — 54.57

9. Meda Variakojyte (LTU) — 53.86

10. Alexandra Feigin (BUL) — 53.42

11. Kristen Spours (GBR) — 45.54

In total, 29 skaters are participating in the women’s individual event. The 24 of them who score the highest in the short program will qualify for Thursday’s free skate, which will determine who wins medals in women’s singles.

All three of the American women are in the fifth and final group Tuesday.

Because the American women are in the fifth and final group of Tuesday’s short program, they aren’t scheduled to skate until past 4 p.m. ET.

Alysa Liu will go first in the fifth group. She’s slated to perform at 4:20 p.m. ET.

She’ll be followed by Isabeau Levito at 4:27 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, Amber Glenn will be the second-to-last skater to take the ice on Tuesday. She’s due to compete at 4:46 p.m. ET.

Norway’s Tormod Frostad laid down the highest score of the competition with a 97 on his second run and is in control of the gold medal with a total score of 192.25. He’s now posted the highest score in each round.

The best two of three runs count for medal position, and Frostad’s current score could land him on top of the podium.

USA’s Mac Forehand remains his top competition with a 95.00 in each of his first two runs and is in silver-medal position with a total score of 190.00. Here’s his opening-round 95.00:

After the U.S. team over-curled their throw on their final shot, the Italians took advantage.

Skip Joël Retornaz scored a three with the hammer as Italy now leads 5-2 after six ends.