Alysa Liu takes break from figure skating after winning Olympic gold, pledges return

By Tim Fang

After becoming the first U.S. woman in more than two decades to win an individual Olympic gold medal in figure skating, Alysa Liu said she will take a break from competing.

Liu posted on social media Tuesday that she would sit out the upcoming season. The figure skater also pledged an eventual return to the ice.

“I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It’s important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I’m gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot,” Liu told her 8 million followers on Instagram. “So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far.”

Growing up in Oakland, Liu became the youngest women’s champion in history at the age of 13, before suddenly announcing her retirement at 16 following the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Two years later, she returned to the sport on her own terms.

At the most recent Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Liu became the first American women’s figure skater since 2002 to win an individual gold medal. Liu also won gold in the team figure skating event.

Following the games, the Olympic champion was honored with a rally outside Oakland City Hall in which thousands of people attended.

“I love Oakland, I’ve been here all my life,” Liu told the crowd as she pointed to the nearby Oakland Ice Center where she trains. “I could not be more proud to represent Oakland out on the big stage at the Olympics.”