Alysa Liu’s gold-medal winning return to figure skating has served as a global reminder of determination, moderation, and self-care. Liu has spoken openly about her struggles to return following a record-setting run in her early teenage years, but now, at 19, she is redefining an athlete’s relationship with their sport, and inspiring others as she goes. 

Liu began her figure skating career at five years old, going on to become the youngest female skater to earn gold at the 2016 U.S. championships, winning by less than a point. She continued to collect medals and reverence, and eventually announced her retirement in 2022 following the World Championships and the Beijing Olympics. 

Liu had to take a step back and see things from a new perspective after having experienced many ups and downs in her career early on. This has also brought her back to learn to love and cherish the things that once brought her joy and fulfillment.

Liu has openly spoken about her time as being a young athlete from ages 14 to 16. “I was living alone, too, for a long time, from 14 to 16,” Liu told The Rolling Stone. During that time she was away, she struggled with the thought of ever returning so much so that “it was really traumatizing to go back to the rink.” 

At the age of 15, Liu’s coaches urged her to graduate high school earlier so that she could have more time to practice and have a more open schedule, but it took a toll on her, and the sport she once loved became the thing she most hated. 

“I was in fight-or-flight mode all the time. I didn’t enjoy being at the rink from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day,” she said.

Between not being around her friends and family and being told to not interact with too many people because of COVID, Liu finally decided she would put herself first. “I didn’t want to let anybody down. But when COVID hit, I did not care anymore,” she stated. 

Although she struggled with the thought of ever returning after having endured the heartbreak, the love for the sport and the rush of ice cold sports brought her back. After a ski trip in 2024, she returned to the rink. About her return, she said, “The adrenaline rush I felt was unlike anything else since I had quit.” 

When she first came back into the rink, returning was hard for Liu. She couldn’t do it alone. So with the support of her best friend, she made her way back onto the ice for the first time in two years.

Many have shown support and even look up to Liu since her return to the ice. Redditor r/sunnynbright5 said, “I am nearly twice her age and I am like damn, she is my role model. I really admire her positivity, confidence, and ability to not let pressure get to her!”

Although Liu had a rough time getting back onto the ice, when she did it she chose to do it all on her own terms. She became the master behind the skates – not the managers, coaches, or her father, it was all her. 

In Milan, Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Liu’s comeback became complete when she won two gold medals. Her first gold medal came from the U.S. winning the figure skating team event. The other gold medal came from her dominance in the women’s individual singles event. In topping the podium for the women’s individual singles event, Liu became the first American woman to win a gold medal in this event since Sarah Hughes did so in 2002 during the Salt Lake City Olympics.

Although Liu has recently announced she has withdrawn from the 2026 World Championships, this does not mean that we will not be seeing her again on the ice. She even took to her Instagram story after articles were released announcing that she had withdrawn. 

She stated, “Some of ya’ll already know, I withdrew from Worlds. There’s been a lot of exciting things happening since I left Milan, so I’m taking some time for that. I will be cheering everyone from afar, see yall next season!”

Liu came back to the ice not to take gold, or to even make it to the top three, but to experience the joy she hoped to have when she first decided she wanted to learn to skate and once again experience the rush and love of the sport with a new lens that ultimately won her a gold.