With her blonde-and-brown “halo” striped hair and a sparkling smile piercing that flashed every time she grinned, Alysa Liu proved that success is being yourself in a world that has high standards.
For the first time in 24 years, Liu stood out as an Chinese-American woman to secure gold in women’s singles and team events at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She inspired the youth by redefining success through joy and expressed her authentic self-expression over medals.
Liu was introduced to figure skating at the age of 5 by her father, Arthur Liu. He brought her to Oakland Ice Center, California where she first started with group lessons. Her talent was quickly recognized by professionals and she soon transitioned to specialized training with coach Laura Lipetsky. By age ten, she was competing in regional events and was known for becoming the youngest U.S. Champion at age 13.
According to the Olympics, Liu won the U.S. Women’s National Figure Skating Championship at an event in Detroit where she was the first U.S. woman to land two clean three triple axels, two in the free skate and one in the short program, in the 2019 nationals championships. She earned a total score of 217.51, beating her opponent Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell. She won the senior national title at a young age which shocked many women in the ice skating industry.
Winning the U.S. National title at such a young age shifted the trajectory of her career as she became the face of American figure skating. This early breakthrough accelerated her transition into the high-stakes world international competitions.
Beijing Winter Olympics was a major international winter sports event held in February 2022 in Beijing, China. This was a historic event as Beijing became the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. For Liu, this event was the culmination of her initial rise but took place under challenging circumstances.
Liu made her debut at the Beijing Winter Olympics at the age of 16. She impressed the judges where she landed a perfect quadruple Lutz, quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program, making her the first woman to perform those skills. In her free skate to the “Violin Concerto in D” by Tchaikovsky, she delivered a remarkable performance, landing seven triple jumps. Her technical precision and confidence made her placed in top-ranking U.S. women in the event, finishing in 7th place overall.
While she did not medal individually in Beijing, her performance was hailed as a victory for a skater who had spent years under the intense pressure of being a child prodigy. Although she earned a bronze medal, this competition led her to retirement.
According to Forbes, her father was known as an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, Arthur Liu was targeted by the Chinese spies and required security escorts from the U.S. State Department. Following the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, Aurther Liu protested against the Chinese communist government and left China as a political refugee in his 20s. Weeks after Liu’s performance in China, Arthur Liu announced to the press that he and Liu were targeted by the government.
Shortly after her competition in China, Liu announced her retirement in April 2022 to overcome burnout and stress she endured as she famously quoted that she had finished her goals in skating and was ready to see what the ‘normal’ world had to offer.
Liu embraced a normal life, focusing on her mental health and personal growth. During her 18-month break, she began her studies at University of Los Angeles where she majored in psychology. She enjoyed typical teenage activities such as shopping, playing video games with her siblings and relaxing with her loved ones.
Liu returned from her retirement in March 2024, announcing her comeback to competitive figure skating for the 2024-2025 season. Following her return, she obtained major success, winning gold at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships held at the TD Garden in Boston.
One of her current famous comebacks, Liu made her debut at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics where she won two gold medals, one in the team event and one in the women’s singles event. Liu secured her individual gold medal with a massive triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and followed it with a high-scoring triple Lutz-double Axel-double toe loop sequence. She entered the free skate in third place after the short program but earned at the top of the podium after a flawless routine to Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park Suite, earning a total score of 226.79. By winning gold, she became the first American Woman to win a world title in 19 years, since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Along with her performance at Milano, Liu also performed a viral Exhibition Gala routine to the song “Stateside” by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson. Her typical high-flying ‘tricks’ that dominate the sport, Liu turned the Olympics ice into a dance floor. Her routine was characterized by rhythmic, expressive moments that synced perfectly with the song beats, earning praise for its authentic vibes and artistic freedom. The performance became immensely popular due to its high-energy and modern choreography, which saw a massive surge in social media where people attempted to recreate her dance.
Liu’s journey, retiring at 16-years-old and returning at 20-years-old on her own terms, became a catalyst for her success. Fans and media were inspired by her joyful, low-stress approach to competitions. By prioritizing her personal happiness and artistic expression over the “win-at-all-costs’ mentality, she transformed the culture of U.S. figure skating. Her success proved that a hiatus could be a source of strength rather than a setback, inspiring a new generation of skaters to view the sport as a medium for storytelling and self-discovery.
