At 16, she achieved her Olympic dream. At 17, she left everything behind. Two years later, she returned with a message that is shaking an entire generation.
I am talking about Alysa Liu.
Let us slide into your dms 🥰
Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)Who is she?
Alysa Liu was born on August 8, 2005 in Clovis, California, and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area (more precisely Oakland).
Liu comes from an immigrant family; her father, Arthur Liu, moved to the United States around 1989. She is the eldest of four children.
Credit image: SpiritedMichelle from Wikimedia Commons (licensed under CC BY 4.0 and cropped from original)
She started figure skating at the age of 5, and by 7 she was already competing in national competitions.
In August 2018, she won gold as a novice after landing a triple Axel in her free skate, becoming the youngest to land this jump in competition. In 2019 (at 13 years old), she became the youngest U.S. women’s national champion in history. The following year, she became the youngest skater to win two senior national titles and the first woman to win two consecutive U.S. titles since Ashley Wagner in 2012–2013.
On April 9, 2022, she announced her retirement from figure skating on Instagram, stating that she felt satisfied with her career and had achieved all her goals.
But on March 1, 2024, Alysa Liu broke her silence by posting a video on Instagram with the words on screen: “Back on the ice.” It is therefore for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games that she is making her big comeback after years of silence.
She later spoke about the real reason that led her to take this break: childhood overtraining. She confessed: “I felt like I was missing out on life because of this skating career that didn’t even interest me.”
Now she is back with a new mindset and genuine joy on the ice. Maybe that is why she is so inspiring and popular: she knew how to take a break, discover herself, and now she does what she loves simply because she loves it, without pressure.
Take the Quiz: Which Inside Out Character Are You?
Inside Out is a classic but what character matches you best?
The Reasons Behind Her Popularity
Instagram and TikTok are filled with drawings and edits of this skater. She is admired for her confidence, her performances, and also her STYLE.
A Unique Style
Alysa Liu has also stood out because of her “halo hair” hairstyle and her piercings, as well as her fashion style.
As we know, appearance has always been a way to express ourselves and be who we are, which is very important for young people of this generation. And she succeeds at that. Thanks to her, thousands of teenagers around the world decide to embrace their personality and reflect it in their appearance without worrying about others’ judgment.
But while we talk about appearance, mindset is just as important.
Credit image: YantsImages from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Mindset
The skater managed to step away when she needed to, in order to learn about herself, experience life, and live on her own terms. She understood her limits and respected them.
She shared in an interview:“I was excited to be there and happy, because it’s the stage I’ve always wanted to present my programs on, show my dress, and simply show myself as I am. And I would do it again without hesitation.”
A new trend has appeared on social media: the “Alysa Liu Mindset.” When Liu says, “I don't think anything is going to be hard. You know, it's like, what is there to lose? Every second you're there you're gaining something.” or “Winning isn't all that and neither is losing. It's just something that happens.” she reassures young people’s fear of failure and proves that taking a break is not wrong, but necessary.
Because before reaching this point, Alysa Liu was also a teenager under pressure and afraid of failure.
The Psychological Side Behind the Scenes
As you know, the skater took a two-year break from her career. Why? Because the pressure and intensity had exhausted her.
Not the sport itself, but what was imposed on her to practice it: constant expectations, constant pressure. Winning, winning, and winning again. And if she lost, she had to win even more afterward.
Her goal was to go to the Olympics. She did it at 16. And she now explains:
“I was so into skating that I really didn't do much else. Skating takes up your whole life, almost. I don't know if other people kind of feel the same when they look back at certain parts of their life, but for me, it's definitely a blur, because it kind of meshes together, you know – going to the rink, going home, competing. There were many, many times when I didn't enjoy it.”
— Alysa Liu
After that, she said she felt satisfied with her career and stepped away. She got out of that vicious cycle and that discomfort to try, fail, and truly learn who she is.
Credit image: SpiritedMichelle from Wikimedia Commons (licensed under CC BY 4.0
Conclusion
Alysa Liu is a talented figure skater, inspiring an entire generation through her courage and performances. She knows her limits, what she wants, and above all what she is worth.
Because she may not only be a champion. She is the symbol of a generation that is learning that sometimes walking away can be an act of courage.
