Winning a medal for Team USA doesn’t always reveal the entire story! Yes, Ilia Malinin left Milan heartbroken after finishing eighth, though he was a favorite for gold. Or, Alysa Liu, who was subjected to racism as a Chinese American, and she still rose above that all to win two Olympic golds. But in sport, the highs and the lows don’t end at the podium… certainly not for them. And now Liu and Malinin are once again emerging in a different kind of spotlight: America’s top honor.

Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu have been named finalists for the 96ᵗʰ James E. Sullivan Award, one of the biggest honors in U.S. sports. This award is for more than just being the best in your sport. It’s about leadership, character, and sportsmanship, on and off the game.

For Ilia Malinin, this follows the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. He competed in the men’s singles event as well, helping the U.S. win gold in the team figure skating event. Even though he didn’t end up in the top three. Liu, of course, got her once-in-a-lifetime experience and two golds, and showed what she’s made of in that kind of pressure. But to be a finalist of Sullivan Award, it places them in the company of 17 outstanding athletes from many different sports.

Olivia Babcock, Cameron Boozer, Azzi Fudd, Grace Lau, Mikaela Shiffrin, Zahid Valencia and more are also nominated for this. It’s a pretty impressive group, and each one has earned their spot for different reasons. So, who will take home the award?

That part is up to the fans and the award committee. Voting is open online until March 5 at 11:59 p.m., and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony on April 7, 2026, at the New York Athletic Club. But why were Ilia Malinin and Liu nominated? The answer lies in their impact on sports and the people around them.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

How Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu have made a bigger impact on sports

Ilia Malinin has been pushing figure skating to places no one thought possible. He’s the first skater to land a fully rotated quadruple Axel in international competition, and he became the first to land seven quadruple jumps in a single program. And his record backs it up. He’s a two-time World Champion, a four-time U.S. national champion, and a three-time Grand Prix Final winner!

But it is not only what he does on the ice. Malinin was the “most valuable skater” and “skater of the year” by the International Skating Union and even 30 Under 30 by Forbes. He did not excuse himself or conceal himself, even after a difficult performance at the Olympics on a personal level.

Ilia Malinin was not ashamed of his troubles, “Honestly, it’s not a pleasant feeling… So many eyes, so much attention. It really can get to you if you’re not ready to fully embrace it. That may be one of the mistakes I made… I think it was definitely mental. Finally experiencing that Olympic atmosphere… it’s really different.” Still, days later, he performed back in the Olympic figure skating exhibition gala

Alysa Liu, meanwhile, has her own story of breaking barriers. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, she won two gold medals, one in the team event and another in the women’s individual competition, ending a 24-year gold drought for American women in that event. But her journey wasn’t easy.

After retiring at 16 because of burnout, as she said at that time “I skated every single day. I didn’t get a day off, so it was pretty intense… On top of that, I felt traumatized by the obsession others had with everything I ate and drank.” However, two years later, she returned and on her terms, restored her programs and won the 2025 World Championship. But Liu already left a mark in history long before all that: at 13, she was already the youngest U.S. national champion.

And now with Ilia Malinin and Liu, one thinks that greatness is not all about medals. It is the matter of being innovative and possessing character and courage to go beyond the limit and that is what the Sullivan Award is all about.