Alysa Liu Retires at 16, Returns as Olympic Gold Favorite

The figure skating prodigy stepped away from the sport after the Beijing Olympics, only to make a comeback and become one of the top contenders in Milan.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old American figure skater, has become a headline-grabbing athlete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy. After winning gold in the team event, Liu is now one of the favorites to win the individual women's competition. However, Liu's journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. She retired from figure skating at just 16 years old, following her Olympic debut in Beijing. Now, after a two-year break, Liu has returned to the sport and is poised to vie for the top prize.

Why it matters

Liu's story highlights the immense pressure and burnout that can come with being a prodigy in a sport like figure skating. At just 13 years old, she won the U.S. national championship, becoming a media sensation. The constant demands and expectations eventually led her to step away from the sport entirely. Her comeback, however, shows the resilience of athletes who are able to take a break and return to competition on their own terms.

The details

Liu first burst onto the scene by winning the U.S. national championship at age 13, one of the youngest competitors to ever accomplish that feat. She went on to become a media darling, appearing on talk shows and representing the U.S. at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished seventh. Immediately after those Games, Liu retired, citing a desire to experience more of life outside of figure skating. After a two-year break that included a ski trip that reignited her competitive spirit, Liu returned to the sport and has since won the most recent world championship.

  • Liu won the U.S. national championship at age 13 in 2019.
  • Liu competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished seventh.
  • Liu retired from figure skating immediately after the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
  • Liu returned to figure skating in 2024 and won the world championship that year.
  • Liu is competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

The players

Alysa Liu

A 20-year-old American figure skater who is one of the favorites to win gold in the individual women's competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Isabeau Levito

An 18-year-old figure skater from Philadelphia who is also competing for Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“I got what I wanted. I started skating when I was five and I never got a break, really. And I also wanted to go to school and experience that, because up until that point, I was homeschooled all through high school, and basically all of middle school as well. I was lacking experience in other things in the world. All I knew was skating, and I just wanted to live my life.”

— Alysa Liu (Team USA)

What’s next

Liu will compete in the individual women's figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, where she is one of the favorites to win the gold medal.

The takeaway

Alysa Liu's story serves as a cautionary tale about the immense pressures and burnout that can come with being a prodigy in a sport like figure skating. Her decision to step away from the sport at 16 and then make a triumphant comeback shows the resilience of athletes who are able to take a break and return to competition on their own terms.