Team USA’s Isabeau Levito Reveals Her Affection for Fellow Skater

In a candid moment during an Instagram Live session, Team USA figure skater Isabeau Levito, 18, expressed her admiration for fellow Olympic athlete Cha Jun-hwan. “Oh my God, someone said my celebrity crush is Cha Jun-hwan, that is so real,” she exclaimed, sparking a lively conversation with teammate Alysa Liu, 20.

Liu, curious about the authenticity of Levito's feelings, asked, “Is this a bit?” The playful exchange highlighted the camaraderie between the two skaters as they navigated their Olympic journey together.

Levito's fondness for Cha, 24, blossomed during the 2024 Stars on Ice tour. “Everyone’s bit with him was just that he was perfect,” she explained. “In the group rehearsals, when everybody was looking bad, everyone would just look at Cha Jun-hwan and say, ‘But he is perfect.’”

Cha, representing the Republic of Korea, narrowly missed a medal at the 2026 Olympics, finishing 4th in the men’s figure skating event, just 0.98 points behind Japan’s Shun Sato, who secured bronze.

The clip of Levito discussing her Olympic Village experience gained traction online after she shared her enthusiasm for life in the Village. “I’ve spent every night in the [Olympic] Village. It’s been everything and more,” she told NBC in a video posted on February 16. “You can’t evict me.”

Levito continued to express her joy: “I don’t think there’s anything not to enjoy. I haven’t even gotten to compete yet and I feel like my experience is already complete. Not complete, but I’m having a blast. The best time.”

Having arrived in Italy weeks before her competition, Levito took full advantage of her time exploring the Village grounds. “I feel like I’m exactly where I want to be and I’m so glad that things have aligned and worked out for me to be here,” she said, looking forward to her upcoming performance.

Levito ultimately finished 5th in the short program, while Liu secured 3rd place. Amber Glenn, another member of Team USA’s Blade Angels, faced challenges and ended up in 13th place.

After her performance, Levito reflected positively: “I feel very good. I feel like I skated with the elegance that I wanted to skate with. And I’m very glad that my Olympic debut looked like that… I just felt special.”

She added, “I really love this program. I love the costume, and I love the character that I get to play in this program. So I just feel very confident and very satisfied and happy with myself right now.”

Liu echoed Levito's sentiments after her own short program performance: “It felt great,” she shared with reporters. “I don’t know if I felt this good because it was Olympic ice or because my best friend, my siblings, my [dad], and my friends were watching. I don’t know which it is — I’m just really happy, and this moment is really exciting.”

As they prepare for the women’s free skate on February 19, Levito, Liu, and Glenn are set to showcase their skills once again on the ice.