Alysa Liu retired at only 16. Now, the figure skater is back — and going for gold on her own terms.
Liu, 20, is widely expected to represent the U.S. at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. She has not been officially selected for the figure skating team, though that process will be finalized by the end of the U.S. Championships, which begin Wednesday for senior performers. And she is also expected to compete for gold in Italy after winning one in Boston at the world championships last March, a victory that cemented her comeback as much more serious than sentimental. “Everything about that performance was just amazing,” said Philip Hersh, an NBC Sports contributor and longtime Olympic writer who covered Liu’s win in Boston. “It was just, it was awe inspiring, and she landed jump after jump. I’ve seen very few other skaters ever top that, in terms of doing two flawless performances on the biggest stage — other than the Olympics — in your sport.” Liu followed up her showing in Boston with two more golds — one as part of a team at the 2025 ISU World Team Trophy, and another solo one at …
