American Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu Withdraws from World Championships

The 20-year-old skater cites "exciting things happening" since her Olympic triumph as the reason for her withdrawal.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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U.S. Olympic champion Alysa Liu has withdrawn from the upcoming world figure skating championships, the 20-year-old announced on social media. Liu became the first American woman since 2002 to capture Olympic gold in women's singles at the recent Milano Cortina Games. She had been expected to defend her 2025 world title, but cited "exciting things happening" since her Olympic return as the reason for her withdrawal.

Why it matters

Liu's withdrawal is a significant loss for the U.S. team, as she was the reigning world champion and a rising star in the sport. Her decision to skip the world championships raises questions about her future plans and the state of American women's figure skating as the country looks to build on its Olympic success.

The details

Liu won gold at the recent Milano Cortina Olympics, becoming the first American woman to claim the title since 2002. She had been expected to defend her 2025 world championship, which she won in Boston, making her the first American since 2006 to claim the world title. However, Liu announced on social media that she has withdrawn from the upcoming world championships in Prague, citing "exciting things happening" since her Olympic triumph.

  • Liu won gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
  • Liu won the 2025 world figure skating championships in Boston.
  • The 2026 world figure skating championships are scheduled for March 24-29 in Prague.

The players

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old American figure skater who recently won Olympic gold in women's singles, becoming the first American woman to do so since 2002.

Sarah Everhardt

The American figure skater who will replace Alysa Liu on the U.S. team for the 2026 world championships.

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What they’re saying

“As some of yall already know, I withdrew from Worlds. There's been a lot of exciting things happening since my return from Milan, so I'm taking some time for that ... see yall next season.”

— Alysa Liu (Instagram)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Alysa Liu's withdrawal from the world figure skating championships is a significant loss for the U.S. team, as she was the reigning world champion and a rising star in the sport. Her decision raises questions about her future plans and the state of American women's figure skating as the country looks to build on its Olympic success.