Alysa Liu has etched her name into Olympic history after securing two gold medals at last month’s Milan-Cortina Winter Games, reports BritPanorama.
The 20-year-old American became the first woman from the United States to capture individual figure skating gold in nearly a quarter of a century, while also contributing to her nation’s victory in the team competition.
Liu’s remarkable double triumph in Italy represents the crowning achievement of her career thus far, coming less than four years after she stepped away from competitive skating entirely. Her journey to Olympic glory has been anything but conventional; at just 13, she claimed the US national championship, making her the youngest athlete ever to hold that title.
Despite her Olympic success, Liu maintains an unconventional philosophy when it comes to balancing athletics and personal relationships. The champion skater insists she refuses to let training dominate her existence at the expense of meaningful connections. “I pick hanging out with my friends over a session, and if that makes me a worse skater, so be it,” she told Teen Vogue, having recently appeared on the publication’s cover.
Liu’s return to competitive skating came in 2024, following a surprising decision to walk away from the sport entirely in 2022. Within a year of her comeback, she had secured the World Championship title. Following her Olympic victory, she spent five days without any media obligations, reconnecting with friends and catching up on rest.
She competed at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 aged 16, subsequently earning a bronze medal at the World Championships that same year. Approximately a week after her stunning free skate performance that ended America’s 24-year drought in women’s individual figure skating, Liu encountered Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe behind the scenes at the Today show. The pair shared an embrace before posing for a photograph together.
When Liu offered the actor the opportunity to wear one of her medals, Radcliffe politely declined, stating, “No I can’t wear it, I’ll hold it. Wearing it feels like stolen valor.” He praised Liu’s gold medal-winning routine in Milan, describing it as “the most joyful thing I’ve watched.”
Liu’s relaxed mindset heading into the Games contributed to her success, reflecting a balance of ambition and personal priorities that resonates beyond the rink. Whether she finds lasting glory in further competitions may rest on how well she continues to merge her love for skating with the life she’s building outside of it.
