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| Alysa Liu couldn't believe her own performance at the World's Skating Championship. |
At the ripe, old age of 19, ice skater Alysa Liu came out of retirement. On Friday, she won the gold medal at the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
"This means so much to me after everything that I've been through," Liu said at the press conference after her championship performance Friday in Boston. "My last skating experience, my time away... and (now) this time around. I'm so happy... I'm mostly glad that I could put out two of my best performances."
After two years away from the sport, Liu became the first US woman to win a world title in 19 years.
After finished seventh at the 2022 Winter Olympics in in Beijing, the best finish of the the three US women, followed by a bronze at World's, the then-16-year old surprised everyon by announcing she decided to hang up her skates.
Up until then, she was on the brightest stars in the US. She expected to compete for the gold medal after beicoming the yuongest woman to win the US championship title when she was 13. A year later, she was the first American to do the quadruple jump.
After finished seventh at the 2022 Winter Olympics in in Beijing, the best finish of the the three US women, followed by a bronze at World's, the then-16-year old surprised everyon by announcing she decided to hang up her skates.
Up until then, she was on the brightest stars in the US. She expected to compete for the gold medal after beicoming the yuongest woman to win the US championship title when she was 13. A year later, she was the first American to do the quadruple jump.
When she made her retirement announcement, Liu, who had been skating since age 5 and trained in Oakland, Calif., said that she had reached all of her skating goals and was ready to move with her life.
Before enrolling at UCLA as a freshman, a ski tirp to Lake Tahoe sparked the realization that she loved being an athlete. From there, a few calls to former coaches and she began her journey to get back into competition shape.
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“Moments like these make me realize 16-year-old me was so right,” she said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t decide to retire for a little bit. So I’m glad that I listened to myself.”
With her victory at Worlds, Liu joins the elite company of American women who have won the world title, including Tenley Albright, Carol Heiss, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Linda Fratianne, Elaine Zayak, Rosalynn Sumners, Jill Trenary, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski and Kimmie Meissner.
With the gold medal in her pocket, Liu has set herself up for the Olympics that will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in 2026.
With the gold medal in her pocket, Liu has set herself up for the Olympics that will be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in 2026.
Her performance in the long skate was nearly flawless using seven triple jumps to cement her victory. After her skate, she couldn't believe her accomplishment, ecclaiming, "What the hell!" repeatedly all the way back to her coaches.
“That was the best performance I’ve laid down all season, even my practice programs have not been that good,” she treporters after her winning performance. “I really thought if I did clean skates I’d be hopefully top 10, definitely not first. This moment is so unreal, that’s the only word I can use to describe it. I still have to process it to be honest.”
“That was the best performance I’ve laid down all season, even my practice programs have not been that good,” she treporters after her winning performance. “I really thought if I did clean skates I’d be hopefully top 10, definitely not first. This moment is so unreal, that’s the only word I can use to describe it. I still have to process it to be honest.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.
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