Alysa Liu pulled off something truly spectacular at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, walking away with not one but two gold medals – but she has had to hand one back.
The 20-year-old American sensation captured hearts throughout the Games, becoming a viral hit thanks to her distinctive style and impressive performances on the ice.
Liu first struck gold in the Team Event before delivering an even more remarkable achievement in the individual competition.
Her women’s singles victory marks a historic moment for American figure skating – it’s the first time a US woman has claimed the individual title in more than twenty years.
Alysa Liu celebrated a little too hard after winning gold at the Winter Olympics
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But Liu’s celebrations came with an unexpected twist – her first medal literally fell apart.
“I was just jumping up and down, as one does to celebrate, and it just dropped,” she told Overtime. “It just literally fell off of the ribbon. It got very scratched up pretty dented.”
The skater wasn’t alone in experiencing this mishap, with American skier Breezy Johnson among others whose medals also separated from their ribbons.
Liu actually wanted to keep her damaged prize, asking officials if they could simply repair it rather than swap it out.
“I actually liked it when it was off the ribbon, but that’s not allowed,” she explained.
Alysa Liu captured American hearts with her performances at the Winter Olympics
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“I had to give it in. I was like, ‘Can’t you just fix this one?’ I’m attached. But it’s OK, I’m detached. Just like it was.”
Liu’s journey to Olympic glory is quite the comeback tale.
She stepped away from competitive skating after the 2022 Beijing Games, citing burnout as her reason for retiring.
Two years later, she returned to the ice and hasn’t looked back since.
At Milano Cortina, she delivered a career-best score of 226.79 in the individual event, wowing audiences with her free skate set to a disco-infused rendition of Donna Summer’s ‘MacArthur Park’.
Liu is part of what fans have affectionately nicknamed America’s ‘Blade Angels’ – a trio completed by fellow skaters Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, all current or former US champions.
Looking ahead, Liu has made clear she’s not planning another retirement anytime soon.
Alysa Liu gave stunning performances at the Winter Olympics
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“I have no plans to leave (figure skating), yet. I can’t imagine not skating next year,” she told NBC.
The double Olympic champion also shared a refreshingly grounded perspective on her achievements.
“These titles are huge, but I don’t want them to overshadow who I am and what I do and what I am all about. Winning isn’t all that, and neither is losing,” she said.
Her time away from the sport helped her discover something important about herself.
Alysa Liu has no plans to leave figure skating anytime soon
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“Through retirement, I realised I am a little bit like a creative person, and I have these ideas. I have my own sense of fashion and I’m a little bit stubborn with it.
“I love choreography and music and I do it on my own terms. No one tells me what to do.”