By Giada Merced
This year, the Olympics were held in Milan, Italy. The fashion capital of the world. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about at all. I am here to talk about Alysa Liu. She was one of the skaters who received a great deal of notice this season. And even though her outfits were amazing, they were not the reason she captured everyone’s attention. Alysa Liu has been skating since the age of five, when her dad took her to the Oakland Center in California, where she and her siblings were raised. Her talent level immediately improved so much that within five years, she was skating with older skaters in competitions.
Before Alysa, there was Tara Lipinski, who placed 15th at the 1996 World Championships but won first place the following year, becoming the youngest figure skating world champion. That was the best result until 2019 at the GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships. 13-year-old Alysa Liu landed three triple Axel jumps in one competition, being the first U.S. woman to accomplish it. Though she has been skating practically her whole life, she has risen to fame due to her title as the youngest ever U.S. women’s champion.
From 2019 to 2022, Alysa was on a powerful and remarkable streak that continued from showing off her triple axels to breaking records like the bronze win at the World Junior Championships. She put a pause on the Beijing Olympics after bringing home bronze. In an interview with the 11Alive media outlet, she says, ” I was traveling so much because of it and I was starting to get sick of it. I wanted to see my friends, family, like all I wanted to do was be at home, hang out with my friends, like and I don’t know, enjoy life.” She then talks about how exhausted she was and how she just wanted to experience regular life, like going to concerts and getting a driver’s license.
Arthur Liu, her father, was her main coach and mentor throughout her skating career. He has always supported her dreams and goals, even when she decided to take a break. This gave him time to reflect on his teaching methods. He realized that pushing his daughter too hard had led to her burnout. In an article called “Alysa Liu’s father shares conflicting emotions after Olympic gold” published by the news outlet called “USA Today”, he expressed regret for not recognizing the signs of her disengagement sooner. He states to reporter Josh Peter, “She was upset, and she missed home. But then I was thinking, when I was 14, I went to boarding school. I survived. I felt like [Alysa] can survive this, too. But not knowing that she hated it. I did not know until she came home.” He admits that he was so focused on pushing her to greatness that he overlooked her well-being.
In 2024, her love of the sport came back with a skiing vacation that reignited her taste for skating. It served as a reminder of the adrenaline rush, she would feel as she glided effortlessly across the ice. Determined to take charge of her career, Alysa wanted to make sure that when she made this comeback, she would reinvent herself and make sure it was on her own terms. Alysa went back to skate training with Philip DiGuglielmo, a former figure skater himself, and Massimo Scali, a former Olympic ice dancer, for the Milan Cortina 2026.
As most people have seen by now, Alysa Liu has become the first woman from Team U.S.A. to win an individual Olympic gold medal in figure skating since 2002. Sarah Hughes had that title 24 years ago in Salt Lake City. Alysa is now the eighth American woman in history to win a gold medal in singles figure skating. Her hard work and dedication paid off as she flawlessly executed her routines, impressing both the judges and the audience with her graceful and energetic movements.
As she continues to inspire young skaters around the world, Alysa Liu is sure to leave a legacy in the sport of figure skating. She says, “I think my story is more important than anything to me. That’s what I hold dear, and this journey has been incredible, and my life has just been — I have no complaints. I’m just so grateful for everything.” She serves as a reminder that it is not about what you do with your life, but how you live it. Alysa pushed the boundaries of what is possible in women’s figure skating. And with this remarkable comeback, there’s no doubt she will continue to do so.
