Why Alysa Liu’s Story Feels Bigger Than the Gold Medal Everyone’s Talking About

Her victory is not only historically significant but also a story full of ups and downs about talent, pressure, and a spectacular comeback.

A moment of triumph in Milan.

On the evening of February 19th at the Milan Ice Arena (Italy), Alysa Liu concluded her free program performance to Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park with an emotional spin. When the music ended, the audience rose to their feet, erupting in thunderous cheers.

Television cameras captured the moment she excitedly shouted, “That’s exactly what I was talking about!” Her near-perfect performance earned Liu 150.20 points in the free section, bringing her total score to 226.79 – the highest in the competition.

She officially brought home the first Olympic gold medal in women’s singles for the US since Sarah Hughes’ victory in 2002. Prior to this, US women’s figure skating had made its mark with names like Tara Lipinski and Kristi Yamaguchi, but had gone through many Olympic Games without a medal.

“The medal is not the destination.”

After her victory, Alysa Liu drew attention when she shared: “I don’t need this medal. What I needed was the stage, and I got it. The medal isn’t the destination, it’s the journey.”

That statement partly reflects the maturity of thinking of the 21-year-old girl, who was once considered a “prodigy of the ice rink”.

Born in 2005 in the United States to parents of Chinese descent, Liu began figure skating at the age of 5 at the Oakland Ice Center. At 13, she became the youngest national champion in US history and the first female athlete in the country to successfully execute a triple axel in competition.

The Triple Axel is one of the most complex and difficult jumps in figure skating, characterized by a forward jump followed by 3.5 spins in the air. This highly skilled technique is usually mandatory for male skaters and rarely seen in female skaters.

The 21-year-old female athlete boasts an impressive record including: two gold medals – women’s singles and team – at the 2026 Winter Olympics, world championship in 2025, bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships, victory at the 2025-2026 Grand Prix Final, and two US national championships.

In 2019, she was honored on Time’s list of 100 influential young people and was dubbed the “ice angel” by the American media.

Retirement at age 16 and a triumphant comeback.

After the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished 6th, Liu unexpectedly announced her retirement at the young age of 16. The pressure of competing so early and the disruptions caused by the pandemic led her to want to stop and live her youth to the fullest.

“I worry that I’ll never get to live with my family… I’m growing up too fast,” she shared with The Guardian in 2025.

Sharing her thoughts on taking a break from the ice, Alysa Liu admitted it was the right and most meaningful decision in her life.

“That short period of retirement was truly worthwhile. I was able to spend more time with the people I love, because I couldn’t do that when I was a figure skater,” Liu said.

The female athlete said that for the first time, she was able to fully experience life as a normal young person: being with her siblings, attending friends’ birthday parties, and celebrating Christmases in the truest sense. These are seemingly simple things that Liu had previously missed due to her demanding training and competition schedule.

“Finally, I can spend time with my siblings, doing things together like a normal family. It’s amazing; I’ve never done any of that before,” she shared.

According to Liu, that period of quiet reflection helped her understand the value of giving and receiving. “Because I was able to give, I also received more for myself. And so, I felt like a true human being for the first time,” she confided.

Those everyday experiences became a solid mental foundation, contributing to the creation of a more mature and confident version of Alysa Liu when she returned to the pinnacle of figure skating.

Two years away from the ice rink, Liu studied psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), went mountain climbing, and traveled. She wanted to experience life as a normal young person, instead of being a prodigy constantly under scrutiny.

The turning point came in 2024, after a nearly two-hour conversation with coach Phillip DiGuglielmo. Returning to competition, Liu won the 2025 World Championships – the first world title for the American women’s team since 2006 – before heading to the Olympic heights at Milano-Cortina in 2026.

Family is a solid foundation.

Alysa Liu and her siblings were born via surrogacy. Her father, Arthur Liu, said he decided to become a father at age 40 with the desire to have a large family.

Liu grew up in Richmond, California (USA) in a warm and close-knit environment. Despite entering the world of high-level competition at a young age, she still received close attention and support from her family.

In an interview with A Divine Sport in 2025, the 21-year-old athlete opened up about her close relationship with her younger brothers and sisters. She said that they are the ones who keep her life “fresh and exciting.”

“I love them very much. We enjoy teasing each other and playing games. None of us are really angry with each other, and we don’t argue much. When you’re with your family, you can be yourself and say whatever you think,” Liu shared.

That bond not only helped her balance her life but also became a lasting source of motivation in her journey to conquer the pinnacle of figure skating.

Several of Liu’s siblings also enjoy sports. According to a post on her personal Instagram account, her younger sister Selina currently plays volleyball and soccer for her high school team and is expected to graduate this year.

A talented face of American figure skating.

She is no longer the child prodigy who caused a sensation with her difficult techniques, but a mature athlete who balances her achievements with her personal life.

Her sweet beauty, confident demeanor, and strong personality have made this “ice angel” a global phenomenon. More than just glamour, Alysa Liu’s journey is a story of daring to step back to move forward and daring to live true to herself.