Alysa Liu won gold in the women’s figure skating event at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. Her historic feat made her the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in that category since Sarah Hughes’ victory in the 2002 Winter Games. Donning the golden sequined dress matching the gold medal, the 20-year-old from West Oakland was at the top of the game on Friday. Her story, however, draws inspiration from coming back to the space after 24 years.
At the age of 13, Liu became the youngest US national champion and the youngest skater to compete. Three years later, she finished in sixth place at the Beijing Olympic Games as a debutant. However, since then, she has been nowhere to be found in the sport.
Soon after she began her studies at UCLA, where she majored in psychology, she went hiking with friends into the Himalayas. Through that, she discovered her true self and what she was beyond the world of a skater. Her US nationals win at the age of 13 was not easy to begin, having felt left out by the other opponents.
During an interview from the 2026 Winter Games, Liu shared her past experiences on what led her to quit at a young age and the social media negativity she faced as a national champion.
Liu shared, “I really hated skating when I quit. Like, I really didn’t like it. I didn’t care about competitions. I didn’t care about places. I didn’t care about skaters. I didn’t care about my programs. I just wanted to, like, get away. I wanted nothing to do with that. I hated fame. I hated social media. I didn’t like interviews. Like, I hated all of it.”
Liu’s story of struggle
At the Milano Cortina 2026, Liu’s performance was not her individual win but a credit to her father’s freedom. The story goes back to 1989 when her father, Arthur Liu, went to China as a political refugee after the Tiananmen Square massacre. Soon after, he decided to come to America with the hope of living a free life. During their life there, Liu became a notable figure of Team USA.
However, during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Alysa and her father became targets of target by the Chinese government. Mounted by pressure to return back she and her father were provided with tight security as Liu was a recognized skater at that time. Two years later, she decided to quit and return with a better and improved version of herself. Her victory at the Winter Games 2026 showcases the story she owns.
