The 2026 Winter Olympics concluded over a week ago. It was a very impactful 17 days that consisted of fierce competition and many record-breaking performances by many incredible athletes. One of those athletes is Alyssa Liu, who represented the United States of America through figure skating.
Alyssa Liu, who grew up in Oakland, California, won two Olympic gold medals for her figure skating performances in the past Winter Olympics. Liu went viral on social media after winning a gold medal for her skate to a popular song from singer and songwriter Laufey, entitled “Promise”.
Alyssa Liu is no stranger to winning titles. Throughout her long career, Liu became the youngest female to win a world championship at just 13-years-old in 2018. From then on, Liu consistently competed in junior competitions throughout 2018 and 2019. From 2020-2022, Liu debuted as a senior dancer, winning a bronze medal in the 2022 U.S. Championships for figure skating.
Liu was scouted to compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and she placed 8th in the women’s overall, stating she was, “[happy] all my training paid off because I’m here competing. And the goal of my whole life and my skating career was to compete in the Olympics.”
A few months after the 2022 Winter Olympics, Liu announced on Instagram that she is retiring from figure skating. She became the first Olympic contestant to not seek a second Olympics since 2002.
In March of 2024, Liu came back to social media with clips of her performances for the 2025 competition season, stating that she would be “back on the ice”. She opened up about her mental health struggles due to her intense work schedule, but vowed to advocate for awareness of this issue while rediscovering her passion for figure skating.
Liu came back stronger than ever, dominating the 2025 World Championship. Liu won first place and scored an impressive 76.36 in the short program, and won second behind U.S. champion Amber Glenn.
Liu came to win the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. She debuted a brand new program and performed many impressive tricks that easily placed her first, causing her to win her first Olympic gold medal. When she won her second gold medal for her Promise performance, Liu was joyfully embraced by her teammates and even her competitors.
Liu debuted “Stateside” with PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson for her free skate at the end of the Olympics, causing the internet to blow up with adoration for the incredible champion.
Many people were stunned by the talent of Liu. Arley Anderson, who has faithfully watched the Winter Olympic figure skaters since the 2000s, remarked, “It’s just so impressive. It’s our first gold medal for figure skating since 2006, and I just can’t believe Liu won another for the United States.”
Liu continues to stun with her talent and her outspoken nature, and many fans hope to see her competing in the upcoming worldwide seasons.
