Alysa Liu's Career Twists and Turns: From Teenage Sensation to Olympic Favorite
At 16, Alysa Liu shocked the figure skating world by quitting. Four years later, she's back on top.
The U.S. women's champion at age 13, Liu had already made a name for herself in the sport. Her abrupt departure from competitive skating left fans and coaches stunned. But when Liu returned to training, no one expected her to dominate again.
Liu's resurgence began with a surprise win at the World Championships. Skating to Donna Summer's disco classic, she dazzled the crowd with intricate jumps and artistic flair. The sold-out audience erupted in applause as she finished first.
"I was like, 'This is wild,'" Liu said after her historic performance. "I was already standing up."
Liu's father, Arthur, had played a significant role in her early career. A single father who had fled China with nothing, he built a law practice and a family while his daughter pursued figure skating full-time.
"His investment was like half a million to a million dollars," said Sharyn Alfonsi, Liu's mother. "He spared no expense."
Arthur Liu, however, was not a controlling presence in Alysa's life. When asked about his approach to coaching, he described himself as a "laissez-faire" father who gave his daughter the freedom to make her own decisions.
"I took her everywhere," Arthur said. "But I didn't push her too hard."
When Liu announced her retirement at 16, many were surprised. She had already won two national titles and was hailed as the great American hope in figure skating.
"It's unheard of," Sharyn Alfonsi said about her daughter's decision to leave competitive skating. "In our sport, it is not unheard of."
But Liu was determined to pursue other interests while still being a part of the skating community. She spent time trekking to Everest Base Camp and taking road trips with friends.
"It was my best life," she said about that period.
Two years into her self-imposed exile from competitive figure skating, Liu began training again at her home rink in Oakland. Her coaches were surprised by her rapid progress.
"The jumps came back like that... Quickly," Phillip DiGuglielmo said about Liu's return to form.
With Liu in charge of her program, the dynamic between coach and skater changed. No longer was she subject to a rigid training schedule or restrictive dietary requirements.
"I don't need somebody pushing me," Liu said. "My determination is like up there."
Liu's coaches agree that their new arrangement has yielded better results for both Liu and the team.
"100%," Massimo Scali said about the impact of Liu being in charge of her own program.
As Liu prepares to compete at the Winter Olympics in Italy, she views herself as an artist rather than just an athlete. Her blend of jumping ability and movement makes her a standout performer on the ice.
"I love being an athlete too," Liu said. "I think it's really cool."
Liu is now a gold medal favorite for the Olympic title, with no American woman having won in singles since 2002.
"I'm excited to hype people up, give them an experience, whether it's negative or positive," Liu said about her approach to competitions.
With her confidence and determination on full display, Liu is poised to become one of the most successful figure skaters in U.S. history.
At 16, Alysa Liu shocked the figure skating world by quitting. Four years later, she's back on top.
The U.S. women's champion at age 13, Liu had already made a name for herself in the sport. Her abrupt departure from competitive skating left fans and coaches stunned. But when Liu returned to training, no one expected her to dominate again.
Liu's resurgence began with a surprise win at the World Championships. Skating to Donna Summer's disco classic, she dazzled the crowd with intricate jumps and artistic flair. The sold-out audience erupted in applause as she finished first.
"I was like, 'This is wild,'" Liu said after her historic performance. "I was already standing up."
Liu's father, Arthur, had played a significant role in her early career. A single father who had fled China with nothing, he built a law practice and a family while his daughter pursued figure skating full-time.
"His investment was like half a million to a million dollars," said Sharyn Alfonsi, Liu's mother. "He spared no expense."
Arthur Liu, however, was not a controlling presence in Alysa's life. When asked about his approach to coaching, he described himself as a "laissez-faire" father who gave his daughter the freedom to make her own decisions.
"I took her everywhere," Arthur said. "But I didn't push her too hard."
When Liu announced her retirement at 16, many were surprised. She had already won two national titles and was hailed as the great American hope in figure skating.
"It's unheard of," Sharyn Alfonsi said about her daughter's decision to leave competitive skating. "In our sport, it is not unheard of."
But Liu was determined to pursue other interests while still being a part of the skating community. She spent time trekking to Everest Base Camp and taking road trips with friends.
"It was my best life," she said about that period.
Two years into her self-imposed exile from competitive figure skating, Liu began training again at her home rink in Oakland. Her coaches were surprised by her rapid progress.
"The jumps came back like that... Quickly," Phillip DiGuglielmo said about Liu's return to form.
With Liu in charge of her program, the dynamic between coach and skater changed. No longer was she subject to a rigid training schedule or restrictive dietary requirements.
"I don't need somebody pushing me," Liu said. "My determination is like up there."
Liu's coaches agree that their new arrangement has yielded better results for both Liu and the team.
"100%," Massimo Scali said about the impact of Liu being in charge of her own program.
As Liu prepares to compete at the Winter Olympics in Italy, she views herself as an artist rather than just an athlete. Her blend of jumping ability and movement makes her a standout performer on the ice.
"I love being an athlete too," Liu said. "I think it's really cool."
Liu is now a gold medal favorite for the Olympic title, with no American woman having won in singles since 2002.
"I'm excited to hype people up, give them an experience, whether it's negative or positive," Liu said about her approach to competitions.
With her confidence and determination on full display, Liu is poised to become one of the most successful figure skaters in U.S. history.
. Four years later, she's dominating the World Championships and looking like the total boss on ice 
.
.
. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to watch someone skate like that? It's like she's got her own personal highlight reel playing out in front of us every time she steps onto the rink 
.
. Bring it on, Alysa!
I gotta say, Alysa Liu's whole career thing is kinda wild... Like, she just quits skating at 16 and then comes back like nothing happened? That's some crazy talk! 
And don't even get me started on how her dad just let her do whatever she wanted, no control whatsoever. I mean, if that's the approach to coaching, I'm all for it... not because it's good or bad, but because it's definitely... different 
️
Her mom is always talking about how her dad Arthur supported her early career and spared no expense... 
Like, that's so cool! He wasn't super controlling either, which is awesome. Alysa has this amazing attitude towards competition now - she says she just wants to hype people up and give them an experience... 
I'm low-key living for her Olympic vibes right now 
. I love that she has this sense of freedom to make her own decisions and approach to training. It's like, she's not just a skater, she's an artist 
. The thing that gets me is how passionate she is about competitions, not just winning but giving people an experience... that's so refreshing 
. She's like a breath of fresh air in figure skating.