Alysa Liu reminds everyone you need good balance to skate well
Jessica Taylor - Social Media Manager
Graphic by Jessica Taylor
Alysa Liu is redefining what it takes and means to win.
At age 20, the American figure skater won gold in both the team and women’s singles events at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Liu has a complicated history with skating. At 12, she became the youngest female skater ever to land a triple axel. A year later, she won the 2019 U.S. National Championship – the youngest to do so at just 13.
But after placing sixth at her first Olympics in 2022, Liu surprised everyone by announcing her retirement on Instagram at the age of 16.
Liu spent two years enjoying hiking and photography, being a normal girl and developing her own style. Then, she shocked everyone again by returning to the ice, placing second in the U.S. Championships and winning the 2025 World Championships.
Liu has charmed fans with her unapologetic self-expression: dyed hair, a self-done smiley piercing and candid explanations of her priorities.
When she came back to skating, Liu says she gave her coaches an ultimatum: she wanted to compete, but only if she got complete control over every part of it. She picks her own costumes and music, makes room for a life beyond training and, ultimately, treats skating as an art instead of a competition.
Liu’s Olympic win doesn’t just break records. It sends a message different from the familiar “self-sacrifice pays off” narrative.
It suggests you don’t have to give up your life to be successful.
For years, we’ve heard that uninterrupted practice and dedication lead to greatness. We are shown peak athletes breaking records and told that by giving every piece of yourself to one thing, by giving up anything that interferes, you can do that too.
But we have also seen how unhealthy dedication can tear people apart.
Consider the recent history of women’s figure skating, specifically in the Olympics. Before Russia was banned from competing, Russian-Georgian figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze had been sending teen girls to shine bright and retire early.
Some call it the “Eteri expiration date.” Her skaters spend a lot of time on a podium, but almost none of them are able to keep competing past their teens because of the malnutrition, overtraining and manipulation she has been accused of putting them through.
Liu used to be similar, her life revolving around the ice since she was five years old, but now she is the complete opposite of the Russian skating prodigies.
Since she came back, she has spoken loudly about skating on her own terms and changed the narrative about what it takes to be a good skater.
Her fellow Olympian, Ilia Malinin, known as the “quad god,” was a favorite to win the men’s singles. He helped America earn gold in the team figure skating events, and with seven quad jumps in his program, it would be almost impossible to beat him.
But at the individual free skate, he fell twice.
Everyone has bad days, mentally and physically. Malinin is only 21 years old, an incredible athlete with incredible skills, but with the weight of the world expecting a clean skate from him, that much pressure can impact anyone.
Alysa Liu skates with a smile, no pressure on her shoulders, and it shows consistent results.
She radiates joy, even in interactions with her fellow competitors. She has become the exact kind of role model young figure skaters need to see.
In a sport that places so much pressure on young women’s bodies, Liu has made it clear that she won’t let anyone tell her what she can and can’t eat.
A recent clip shows Liu celebrating with fellow Olympian, 17-year-old Ami Nakai, lifting and hugging her after finding out Nakai won bronze. By uplifting other skaters with such pure joy, Liu is shifting attention away from podium placement.
Liu is proving that you don’t have to isolate yourself to be great. Focusing on joy and artistry instead of surpassing healthy limits strengthens her performance.
You can be a competitor, performer, artist, friend and human, all at once.
By being openly herself and sharing what healthy winning looks like, Alysa Liu encourages more dynamic expression for a sport that has been dominated by copy-and-paste, often unhealthy performance styles.
Her golden medals are more than just trophies; they’re a reminder that success doesn’t have to cost you yourself.
If she can win while staying true to herself, who’s to say anyone else can’t?
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Alysa Liu reminds everyone you need good balance to skate well
Alysa Liu is redefining what it takes and means to win.
At age 20, the American figure skater won gold in both the team and women’s singles events at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Liu has a complicated history with skating. At 12, she became the youngest female skater ever to land a triple axel. A year later, she won the 2019 U.S. National Championship – the youngest to do so at just 13.
But after placing sixth at her first Olympics in 2022, Liu surprised everyone by announcing her retirement on Instagram at the age of 16.
Liu spent two years enjoying hiking and photography, being a normal girl and developing her own style. Then, she shocked everyone again by returning to the ice, placing second in the U.S. Championships and winning the 2025 World Championships.
Liu has charmed fans with her unapologetic self-expression: dyed hair, a self-done smiley piercing and candid explanations of her priorities.
When she came back to skating, Liu says she gave her coaches an ultimatum: she wanted to compete, but only if she got complete control over every part of it. She picks her own costumes and music, makes room for a life beyond training and, ultimately, treats skating as an art instead of a competition.
Liu’s Olympic win doesn’t just break records. It sends a message different from the familiar “self-sacrifice pays off” narrative.
It suggests you don’t have to give up your life to be successful.
For years, we’ve heard that uninterrupted practice and dedication lead to greatness. We are shown peak athletes breaking records and told that by giving every piece of yourself to one thing, by giving up anything that interferes, you can do that too.
But we have also seen how unhealthy dedication can tear people apart.
Consider the recent history of women’s figure skating, specifically in the Olympics. Before Russia was banned from competing, Russian-Georgian figure skating coach Eteri Tutberidze had been sending teen girls to shine bright and retire early.
Some call it the “Eteri expiration date.” Her skaters spend a lot of time on a podium, but almost none of them are able to keep competing past their teens because of the malnutrition, overtraining and manipulation she has been accused of putting them through.
Liu used to be similar, her life revolving around the ice since she was five years old, but now she is the complete opposite of the Russian skating prodigies.
Since she came back, she has spoken loudly about skating on her own terms and changed the narrative about what it takes to be a good skater.
Her fellow Olympian, Ilia Malinin, known as the “quad god,” was a favorite to win the men’s singles. He helped America earn gold in the team figure skating events, and with seven quad jumps in his program, it would be almost impossible to beat him.
But at the individual free skate, he fell twice.
Everyone has bad days, mentally and physically. Malinin is only 21 years old, an incredible athlete with incredible skills, but with the weight of the world expecting a clean skate from him, that much pressure can impact anyone.
Alysa Liu skates with a smile, no pressure on her shoulders, and it shows consistent results.
She radiates joy, even in interactions with her fellow competitors. She has become the exact kind of role model young figure skaters need to see.
In a sport that places so much pressure on young women’s bodies, Liu has made it clear that she won’t let anyone tell her what she can and can’t eat.
A recent clip shows Liu celebrating with fellow Olympian, 17-year-old Ami Nakai, lifting and hugging her after finding out Nakai won bronze. By uplifting other skaters with such pure joy, Liu is shifting attention away from podium placement.
Liu is proving that you don’t have to isolate yourself to be great. Focusing on joy and artistry instead of surpassing healthy limits strengthens her performance.
You can be a competitor, performer, artist, friend and human, all at once.
By being openly herself and sharing what healthy winning looks like, Alysa Liu encourages more dynamic expression for a sport that has been dominated by copy-and-paste, often unhealthy performance styles.
Her golden medals are more than just trophies; they’re a reminder that success doesn’t have to cost you yourself.
If she can win while staying true to herself, who’s to say anyone else can’t?