Alysa Liu’s outstanding comeback from early retirement culminates in Olympic gold

Alysa Liu grew to become the primary American lady to win a person Olympic gold medal in determine skating in 24 years. The 20-year-old Oakland native delivered an electrifying efficiency in the course of the ladies’s free skate program on Thursday to surge atop the rostrum.

Liu began the day in third place after posting a 76.59 brief program rating behind Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto. Because the third-to-last skater of the occasion, Liu put collectively a close to flawless program whereas skating to Donna Summer season’s “MacArthur Park.” She acquired roars from the gang as she skated with confidence and ease. The positivity exuded off of her with each leap and creative sequence, culminating with a career-best rating of 226.79.

Liu posted a whopping 150.20 rating within the free skate, however needed to wait out the packages of Sakamoto and Nakai to study her destiny. Nonetheless, minor deductions to each Japanese skaters ensured Liu would stroll away with gold. Her free skate program was practically three factors greater than the silver medalist, Sakamoto.

“With the ability to do it my method on the massive stage like this has been my dream,” Liu stated after successful gold, through NBC Information. “I received to do it in my brief [program] within the workforce occasion and I received to do it tonight within the free skate. I am simply over the moon. I am the luckiest woman ever, and I am actually grateful.”

Liu completed with a mixed rating of 226.79, whereas her American teammates Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito completed fifth and twelfth, respectively. Liu grew to become the primary American lady to win a person gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002 and the eighth American lady total to perform that feat. Earlier in these Video games, Liu and Glenn helped the Individuals win workforce gold.

At no level throughout Liu’s efficiency did she look like bothered by the strain. Even after she acquired her rating, it was all smiles. 

No shocked response, no tears of pleasure. Simply pure happiness.

A outstanding comeback for Alysa Liu

It is the right storybook ending for Liu, who briefly — and abruptly — retired from determine skating in 2022 on the age of 16. On the time, because the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the cancellation of all the things from faculty lessons to whole skilled sports activities seasons, Liu’s native rink within the Bay Space closed. That offered her one thing she hadn’t had since she began skating at 5 years previous: a break. That compelled break from skating made the concept of leaving the game ceaselessly engaging to Liu, and so she walked away.

This wasn’t simply any determine skater who determined to name it a profession. Liu is a prodigy. She started competing in main competitions on the age of 10. By 13, she grew to become the youngest U.S. ladies’s nationwide champion ever. At 14, Liu grew to become the youngest skater to win two senior nationwide titles. In 2019, she grew to become the primary U.S. feminine determine skater to land a quadruple leap in a global competitors.

Liu was on the peak of her powers. However she was glad with all the things she had completed on the time, and determined to maneuver on.

“It was a vital time in my life,” Liu informed 60 Minutes in an interview earlier than the Olympics started. “I used to be 16 and faculty was arising. Like, I wished to take action a lot. I went to Nepal and I trekked to Everest Base Camp. Me and my buddies would do tons of highway journeys. I used to be actually simply livin’ it up. I might say it was my greatest life.”

However after two years of high quality time with family and friends, and touring world wide, Liu received the itch to compete once more. In 2024 she made her triumphant return, and shocked many in her means to basically decide proper again up the place she left issues with no ability loss.

If Liu was to return, although, she wished to do issues in a different way.

“I get to select my very own program music,” Liu stated. “I get to assist with the artistic means of this system. If I really feel like I am skating an excessive amount of, I am going to again down. If I really feel like I am not skating sufficient I am going to ramp it up. Nobody’s gonna starve me or inform me what I can and might’t eat.”

Her coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, stated she returned to the game a greater skater. 

“For a few years she was dropped off on the rink,” DiGuglielmo stated. “She was informed what to do. Now she is available in, and it’s all collaborative.”

Since returning in 2024, Liu grew to become a world champion in 2025. That made her the primary American lady to win a world title since since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Liu profession has reached new heights in methods she by no means anticipated — she’s a gold medalist on the largest stage.