Alysa Liu, East Bay native, mirrors Kristi Yamaguchi's path to Olympic gold

Both figure skaters from the Bay Area won Olympic gold at age 20, decades apart

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Kristi Yamaguchi, who won Olympic gold in 1992, was reminded of her own journey while watching Alysa Liu, a fellow East Bay native, win gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics. The two skaters, born and raised less than 40 miles apart, share a similar path to the top of their sport.

Why it matters

Yamaguchi and Liu's shared East Bay roots and parallel paths to Olympic glory highlight the strong figure skating culture in the Bay Area, which has produced four gold medalists in the sport. Their success inspires the next generation of local skaters and showcases the region's talent.

The details

Yamaguchi, 54, closely followed Liu's career, including her retirement at 16 after the Beijing Olympics. But Liu returned to the sport in 2024 and won a world title the following year. Like Yamaguchi, Liu took control of her own journey and used her confidence and self-belief to handle the pressure of the Olympics, where she won gold at age 20 - the same age as Yamaguchi when she won her Olympic title.

  • Kristi Yamaguchi won Olympic gold in 1992 at age 20.
  • Alysa Liu won Olympic gold in 2026 at age 20.

The players

Kristi Yamaguchi

A 54-year-old former figure skater who won Olympic gold in 1992 and is from Fremont, California.

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old figure skater who won Olympic gold in 2026 and is from Richmond, California.

Laura Lipetsky

Alysa Liu's childhood coach who guided her to two national championships.

Christy Ness

Kristi Yamaguchi's longtime coach.

Peggy Fleming

An American figure skater who won Olympic gold in 1968 and is from the Bay Area.

Brian Boitano

An American figure skater who won Olympic gold in 1988 and is from the Bay Area.

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What they’re saying

“It was incredible. The quality of skating and the depth was amazing. And to see Alysa skate the way she did was so fun and exciting.”

— Kristi Yamaguchi (San Francisco Chronicle)

“I was slightly heartbroken when she retired. She had just won the bronze at worlds and you could see her potential. She was the big hope to compete against what we were seeing in the sport, with quadruple jumps and triple axels.”

— Kristi Yamaguchi (San Francisco Chronicle)

“She somehow harnessed that, magically. I've not seen anyone else do that — to use that to stave off the pressure and the enormity of the Olympics. She had the attitude that she was going to have fun and had the confidence and maturity to do it.”

— Kristi Yamaguchi (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

A public art tribute outside SAP Center in San Jose is expected to add a sixth pillar honoring Alysa Liu's Olympic gold medal, joining the existing pillars for Kristi Yamaguchi, Peggy Fleming, Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, and Debi Thomas.

The takeaway

Alysa Liu's Olympic gold medal victory mirrors the path of fellow Bay Area native Kristi Yamaguchi, showcasing the strong figure skating culture in the region that has produced multiple American champions. Their shared journey from the East Bay to the top of their sport serves as an inspiration for the next generation of local skaters.