After stepping away from the ice for two years, Alysa Liu rediscovered her love for figure skating and returned. Now, following the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, she has “no plans to leave” the sport.

Liu received multiple honors in the world of figure skating, including a bronze medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics and two U.S. National Championship titles. She began competing at national levels at age 7—only two years after she put on a pair of skates for the first time. At 16 years old, Liu decided that her time skating was coming to an end. That was, until she announced her comeback in 2024, where she vowed to compete on her own terms.

On February 19, at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, she earned her personal best total score in the free skate and stepped to the top of the podium with a gold medal, then did so again in the short skate. She said that she’s “been having fun this whole time.” She’s grateful for her team and the support system she has behind her.

At the commencement of the Olympics, Liu had 200,000 followers on Instagram. By the end, she gained 3 million followers. With her new popularity, she “hope[s] that with all this attention, [she] can at least raise awareness about mental health and sports and mental health in general.”

To top her successful Italy trip off, her gala skate was to “Stateside” by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson. Before the Olympics, PinkPantheress sent Liu a message wishing her good luck. That luck certainly helped.

Liu skated alongside Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito as  part of a trio known as the “Blade Angels.”

Alysa Liu arrived in Milan without expectations of a medal. She left with two gold medals and so much more experience.