As the 2026 Winter Olympics unfold, all eyes are on Milan, Italy.
Amidst the world’s talented skaters, a spotlight shines on Alysa Liu, who delivered the performance of her career, earning gold in women’s figure skating and cementing her place in Olympic history. In addition to her individual achievement, Liu helped the United States secure gold in the team competition.
The 20-year-old gave a performance that can only be described as breathtaking, flawless, and magical. It was a program filled with skill, artistry, and a clear display of love for the sport. Her movements looked effortless; her smile radiated joy, and her choreography was a mix of precision and self-expression. Performing to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” Liu scored a 150.2 in her free skate program and a total of 226.79 overall, narrowly placing her above three-time world champion Sakamoto Kaori.
Liu’s win marked the first Olympic title for Team USA in Women’s Figure Skating since 2002, when Sarah Hughes won gold in Salt Lake City. She is also the first American woman to win an individual medal in the event since Sasha Cohen won bronze in Torino in 2006.
Beyond the medal, her victory challenges traditional expectations placed on Olympic athletes. Her story shows that forging your own path is not only possible but can lead to Olympic gold.
From the start, Liu has approached her career on her own terms. She first made history in 2019 at the age of 13 when she became the youngest U.S. national champion. At age 16, she made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, earning 7th in the women’s singles event. One month later, she won bronze in the ICU World Figure Skating Championships.
Despite what seemed like a promising start to her career, Liu stepped away from competitive skating in 2022 at the age of 16 via an Instagram post to her followers.
Skating just didn’t feel the same. What once brought her joy began to feel forced. Being told how to dress, what music to dance to, and even what to eat weighed heavily on her. Reflecting on her decision to step away, Liu said, “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.”
So, she made the difficult decision to walk away, choosing to prioritize her mental health and rediscover who she was outside of the sport.
The time she spent away allowed Liu to rediscover her love for skating on her own terms: no pressure, no expectations, and no restrictions. She enrolled in college, hung out with her friends, went on adventures, and just experienced life. She slowly started to regain her spark, and she remembered the reason she began skating in the first place: to express herself.
Determined to return, Liu began training with renewed purpose. Her mindset shifted; she was no longer competing to win, but rather because she genuinely wanted to be there. “I didn’t need a medal,’’ she said. “If I fell on every jump, I would still be out there wearing this dress, so no matter what, I was all good.’’ With encouragement from her friends, she took creative control over her skating, selecting her own music, choosing her costumes, and planning routines. This creative freedom allowed her to create programs that reflected who she was, bringing her joy and allowing her to feel “more like herself than she did in the past.”
Alysa’s story is inspiring not just because she won gold, but because she showed that success doesn’t require sacrificing your well-being or individuality. It’s not about the medals, pushing yourself to your limit, or being perfect, but rather finding the courage to step away and reconnect with what you love.
Her win reminds athletes that authenticity and passion can go hand in hand with Olympic gold. Her path, full of courage and perseverance, is history written in gold.