Alysa Liu, an American figure skater, has been making history as one of the youngest and most accomplished skaters of her time. Her journey to becoming the first skater to bring back gold for the US since 2002 started when she was just 5 years old, taking to the ice for the first time. She excelled quickly and began competing in national competitions just two years later, showcasing her skill and passion for figure skating. By this time, her outstanding accomplishments had only just begun. At just 12 years old, Liu made history as the youngest woman ever to land a triple Axel, a jump long considered one of figure skating’s most demanding feats. The following year, she captured the 2019 U.S. National Championship title at 13, becoming the youngest skater ever to win the event.
Liu carried that momentum and energy onto the world stage at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she finished sixth in the women’s singles competition, which was the top result among American skaters. One month later, she earned bronze at the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships, marking the first time a U.S. woman had reached the world podium since 2016.
After closing out a remarkable 2022 season, Liu stunned the skating world by announcing her retirement at just 16, stepping away from competition while still at the peak of her career.
However, after she was later encouraged by a friend during a ski trip, Liu found her way back to the ice, with a competitive fire she thought she had left behind. This time, her comeback was entirely her own. She handpicked her costumes, selected her music, and carefully curated the aesthetic of her programs, crafting a return that reflected not just her skating, but her identity as well.
In her first season back, she finished second at the U.S. Championships, signaling that her hiatus had done little to diminish her skill. Then came a crowning moment at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, where Liu captured the women’s singles world title, becoming the first American woman in 19 years to do so.
2026 Olympics
For the 2026 Olympics, which took place in Milan from February 6 to February 22, Alysa Liu’s first event was the Figure Skating Team Event, which she participated in with other U.S. figure skaters such as Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn. The Team Event is composed of one qualifying round and then a final round, both of which contain four categories: Ice Dance, Pair Skating, Women’s Singles Skating, and Men’s Singles Skating. Liu competed in the qualifying round for Women’s Singles, performing a Short Program, a competition segment lasting no longer than 2 minutes and 40 seconds with seven required technical elements, to “Promise” by Laufey. Liu received a score of 74.90 and 9 team points, placing second in the event. Overall, the U.S. won gold in the Team Event with 69 total points, and Liu received her first Olympic gold medal.
However, the Women’s Singles Skating Event was where Alysa Liu shone brightest. For her Short Program, she again performed to “Promise” by Laufey and landed in third place with a score of 76.59. Then came the Free Skate, a longer competitive segment lasting 4 minutes with more creative freedom, where Liu performed to “MacArthur Park Suite” by Donna Summer and received a score of 150.20, resulting in a final score of 226.79 and a first-place finish, winning her second Olympic gold medal.
For all of her events, Liu’s performances were described by many as a breath of fresh air. She has been described as bringing joy and passion back into an Olympic sport that has historically seen athletes suffer from immense pressure and stress. Her declaration of returning to the sport for fun and the energy and happiness that she brings to her performances present a powerful statement that success is not just measured by medals, but by a genuine love and passion for what one does.
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