If you’ve been anywhere near sports Twitter, TikTok, or any Olympics discourse lately, you’ve probably seen her face. The new Internet girl. The eyeliner. The confidence. The joyful smile she has after performing.
Meet Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old figure skater who went from being a teenage prodigy to an Olympic champion, and became the Internet’s newest obsession along the way just by being herself.
“Alysa Liu skates to 3rd in women’s short program” from the Olympics on YouTube.
The Prodigy Era
Alysa Liu has been “that girl” since she was a kid. At just 13 years old, she became the youngest U.S. women’s national champion in history. 13. While most of us were worried about middle school dances, she was landing triple Axels.
She wasn’t just good, she was fearless. She had power, speed, and a calm energy that made you forget how young she actually was. The skating world immediately knew she was special.
The Plot Twist: Retirement at 16
And then she shocked everyone.
At 16, right after competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics, Alysa announced that she was stepping away from skating. No dramatic scandal. No injury forcing her out. She simply said she was done… at least for now.
In a sport known for burnout, constant pressure, and impossible standards, her decision felt radical. In the end, she chose her well-being, her mental health, over everything. She went to school, lived her life, and began trying out other hobbies, as every teenage girl does.
The Comeback We Didn’t See Coming
When Alysa returned to competing, it wasn’t out of desperation, or as a PR stunt. It felt intentional.
She came back stronger. Freer. The jumps were still there, but now there was depth behind them. And she did it, she won the Olympic gold medal in 2026, becoming the first American woman in decades to take the top spot in women’s figure skating.
The “Internet Girl” Factor
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Alysa doesn’t look like the traditional ice princess archetype. She leans into an alt aesthetic, with bold eyeliner, expressive energy, and effortless cool.
She came back stronger, not letting anyone control her, what she eats, or what she wears; she came back for herself, because she loves to skate. The genuine joy on her face as she performs is mesmerizing.
Alysa Liu is changing the way most of us think. By taking a break, she reminded us that redefining success is allowed.
“Winning isn’t all that and neither is losing, it’s just something that happens, it’s the outcome, but what matters is the input and the journey.”
—Alysa Liu