A rising U.S. figure skating star who’s been dazzling fans with her elegance and tenacity. At just 18, she’s already carved out a stellar resume—2022 junior world champ, 2024 world silver medalist, and a legit contender for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Fans know talent when they see it, and Levito’s got it in spades, blending technical precision with an artistry that’s pure magic. But this season, she faced a heart-wrenching twist: a recurring injury that nearly snuffed out her momentum. “I was on such a high last year,” she told Olympics.com, reflecting on her 2024 triumphs. How does a skater this gifted climb back from a setback that tests her soul?
“I didn’t know if I’d be strong enough to come back,” she said, laying bare the doubt that haunted her. Let’s unpack her emotional struggle, because it’s been a rollercoaster. That right foot injury—a stress-related nightmare—sidelined Levito for three months, forcing her to miss the U.S. Championships in January 2025 and watch her season unravel. “It was terrifying,” she confessed in an exclusive Olympics.com interview, admitting the mental scars cut deeper than the physical ones. She felt “forgotten” as the skating world moved on, her confidence shaken after a year where she’d been untouchable. For fans who live for her triple jumps and infectious spirit, it’s a gut punch—how do you stay Team Levito when she’s questioning herself?
Meanwhile, her painful road off the ice paints a stark picture of a champ grounded. Unable to train, Levito was stuck at home in New Jersey, scrolling her phone and battling a storm of emotions while her rivals lit up the ice. “It’s definitely the worst injury I’ve ever had,” she told Olympics.com, her voice carrying the weight of lost time. The isolation stung—watching peers like Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn grab headlines while she nursed her foot and her pride. She leaned on family and her love for creating online content to cope, but the frustration was real. “I was sad a lot,” she admitted, a raw glimpse into a skater fighting to keep her fire alive. With the 2025 Worlds looming, can Levito turn that pain into fuel?
Finally, the injury details hit like a slapshot to the fandom. It started at Skate America in October 2024, a stress reaction in her right foot—her landing foot, the one that powers those jaw-dropping jumps. What began as nagging pain spiraled into a full-blown crisis, sidelining her through the Grand Prix season. “It traumatized me,” Levito revealed to Olympics.com, explaining how every step post-recovery came with a whisper of dread: “Am I going to hurt it again?” Medical staff cleared her by late 2024, but the mental hurdle lingers—she’s back on the ice, landing triples again, yet that fear shadows her. “I have to trust it’s healed,” she said, a mantra she’s still mastering. As she eyes a podium at Worlds, will that foot—and her mind—hold steady under pressure? But what even kept her going during these painful days??
Isabeau Levito’s TikTok helped her during recovery, connecting with Fans and Showcasing Resilience
Isabeau Levito, the 18-year-old U.S. figure skating sensation, has embraced TikTok as more than just a social media platform—it’s a window into her world, blending her athletic journey with personal charm. Known for her elegant spins and jumps on the ice, Levito has carved out a space on TikTok (@isabeau.levito) to share snippets of her life, from training montages to behind-the-scenes moments, endearing her to a growing digital audience. As of early 2025, her account reflects her status as a rising star—modest in follower count compared to mainstream influencers (around 8,000 followers based on fan discussions), yet impactful among figure skating enthusiasts.
Her TikTok presence gained attention during her recovery from a foot injury in the 2024-25 season, a challenging period she discussed in an exclusive Olympics.com interview shared via the platform. Unable to skate for three months, Levito turned to TikTok to stay connected with fans, offering glimpses of her rehabilitation process and emotional reflections. She once revealed how fan-made TikTok videos, featuring her past performances, lifted her spirits during this hiatus. “I started making a favorites folder in TikTok,” she said, “and there would be videos that fans make of me… I felt so missed and loved.” These interactions countered her fear of being forgotten, showcasing TikTok’s role as a morale booster during her setback.
Levito’s content isn’t just about skating—it’s personal and quirky, reflecting her Gen Z roots. Fans might catch her lip-syncing to Nicki Minaj or Lana Del Rey (artists she’s cited as favorites), showing off her crochet projects (linked to her secondary Instagram, @handmadebyisabeau), or playing with her cat, Lana, who even has her own Instagram (@lana_the_snow_bengal). This mix of vulnerability and creativity sets her apart from the polished personas of many athletes, making her relatable to younger audiences who value authenticity.
Her return to competition, marked by a silver medal at the Road to 26 Trophy in February 2025, also found a home on TikTok. Clips of her programs—perhaps a triple Lutz or her signature musicality—circulated among fans, amplifying her comeback narrative. Unlike Instagram, where she posts more curated updates, TikTok allows Levito to experiment with trends, like stitching fan videos or joining skating challenges, fostering a two-way dialogue.
Her TikTok presence also amplifies her visibility in a sport that struggles for mainstream attention outside Olympic cycles. By engaging with fan edits and posting raw, unfiltered moments, Levito builds a loyal community that extends beyond the rink. As she gears up for future competitions, like the World Championships, her TikTok could evolve further—perhaps featuring training vlogs, Q&As, or even duets with fellow skaters—cementing her as a modern athlete who bridges the gap between ice and screen.
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