Alysa Liu: Inspiration on Ice
On February 19, 2026, Alysa Liu became the first U.S. woman in 20 years to win an Olympic figure skating medal. Her free skate performance, to the song “MacArthur Park”, consisted of six triple jumps, one of which was a triple-lutz, triple-toe-loop combination, and received high component scores for artistry and skating skills. This performance allowed Liu to obtain a final score of 226.79. Her joyful, carefree attitude during the skate brought recent attention to the importance of prioritizing mental health in competitive sports. However, to understand her current success, one must first understand Alysa Liu’s beginnings, including both her initial rise to fame as well as the reasons behind her comeback.
Alysa Liu was born on August 8, 2005. At the age of 5, she began skating lessons at the Oakland Ice Center, after her dad (himself a fan of figure skating) signed her up. Her coach—Laura Lipetsky—and her choreographer—Cindy Stuart—both had a considerable amount of skating experience, with the former training under Olympic figure skating coach Frank Carroll and the latter choreographing massive productions such as Disney on Ice.
In 2016, Liu became the youngest figure skater to earn intermediate gold at the US Championships, marking the first of many records she would break throughout the course of her career. Two years later, Liu won the Junior National Title, and in 2019 and 2020, she won the Senior National Titles and broke Tara Lipinski’s records. During this time period she also became the first US woman to jump two triple axels in one program.
In 2019, she competed at the international Aurora Games (a female multi-sport festival), becoming the first American female skater to successfully complete a quadruple Lutz in competition. She got perfect scores, securing first place overall for the US team. Over the course of her junior competition career Liu would go on to receive 5 medals, as well as break 7 major records. However, the most notable aspect of her career so far is her participation and performance in the U.S. 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics Games.
At just sixteen years old, Liu placed 6th place overall, competing against the world’s most formidable skaters including the infamous Russian team lead by Eteri Tutberidze. The 2022 Olympics, held in Beijing, was “a little bit freaky and exciting” for Liu.
Shortly afterwards, in a move that surprised many fans and members of the figure skating community, Liu announced her retirement from competitive skating. She cited that she started to “hate” skating, due to a combination of pressure, loneliness, and restrictions on her diet and clothing; she clarified that she now wanted to explore life beyond athletics, emphasizing that she was fulfilled with how much she had accomplished.
However, in 2024, she announced her return to professional figure skating, after a family ski trip with her family and friends reminded her of the thrill of being on the ice. That same season, in March of 2025, Alysa won the 2025 ISU Figure Skating World Championships held in Boston. In a shockingly successful comeback, Alysa demonstrated her renewed enthusiasm for skating, bringing about what she calls “Alysa 2.0.” This signalled not only a comeback, but also a personal transformation.
No longer burdened by pressure or restrictions, Alysa Liu returned to the rink with a smile on her face once again, focused on artistry and self expression. Her win is not only reflective of her own personal skill and growth, but also of how success can be brought even while prioritizing mental health. Whether viewed as a prodigy or a young athlete navigating her identity beyond her sport, Liu’s career demonstrates extraordinary achievement and discipline. She continues to pioneer a model of success that values both triumph as well as personal fulfillment.