History of Alysa Liu in Timeline
Alysa Liu is a highly accomplished American figure skater. Her achievements include a 2026 Olympic Games team event gold medal, the 2025 World championship, a 2022 World bronze medal, the 2025-26 Grand Prix Final championship, multiple Grand Prix and Challenger Series medals, and two U.S. national titles. She competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics at the age of 16, finishing sixth individually. As a junior skater, she earned a World Junior bronze medal, a Junior Grand Prix Final silver medal, multiple Junior Grand Prix titles, and a U.S. junior national title.
2002: Sarah Hughes wins gold
Alysa Liu's early retirement would have marked her as the first American women's singles skater to not bid for a second Olympics since 2002 gold medalist Sarah Hughes.
August 8, 2005: Alysa Liu's Birth
On August 8, 2005, Alysa Liu was born, marking the beginning of her life and future figure skating career.
2006: Kimmie Meissner Wins World Title
In 2006, Kimmie Meissner won the world title, a feat that no other U.S. woman had accomplished until Alysa Liu in 2025.
2006: Last American woman medaled at the World Championships
In 2006, was the last time before Ashley Wagner in 2016 that an American woman medaled at the World Championships.
2008: Mirai Nagasu Wins Junior and Senior Titles
In 2008, Mirai Nagasu won the junior and senior titles back-to-back, a feat that Alysa Liu later repeated.
2012: Ashley Wagner's U.S. Titles
In 2012 and 2013, Ashley Wagner won consecutive U.S. titles, a feat that Alysa Liu later matched.
2012: Ashley Wagner wins U.S. championships
In 2012, Ashley Wagner won U.S. championships.
2013: Polina Edmunds wins Junior Grand Prix event
Alysa Liu's win at the Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid marked the first time since 2013, when Polina Edmunds won, that an American won a Junior Grand Prix event.
2013: Last American Female Skaters in Junior Grand Prix Final
Before Alysa Liu, the last American female skaters to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final were Karen Chen and Polina Edmunds in 2013.
2013: Ashley Wagner's U.S. Titles
In 2012 and 2013, Ashley Wagner won consecutive U.S. titles, a feat that Alysa Liu later matched.
2013: Ashley Wagner wins U.S. championships
In 2013, Ashley Wagner won U.S. championships.
2015: Seventh Place at Central Pacific Regionals
In 2015, Alysa Liu placed seventh at the Central Pacific Regionals, competing as a juvenile skater.
2016: Youngest Intermediate Gold Medalist
At the 2016 U.S. Championships, Alysa Liu became the youngest female skater to earn the intermediate gold medal at 10 years old.
2016: Ashley Wagner's Medal at the World Championships
In 2016, Ashley Wagner medaled at the World Championships.
2017: Fourth Place at U.S. Championships
In 2017, Alysa Liu placed fourth at the U.S. Championships in the novice category, after leading with a 1.22 point lead in the short program.
2017: Silver Medal at Asian Open Trophy
In 2017, Alysa Liu won the silver medal at the Asian Open Trophy, finishing second to Japan's Mana Kawabe.
August 2018: Gold at Asian Open Trophy and First Triple Axel
In August 2018, Alysa Liu won gold at the Asian Open Trophy in Bangkok, Thailand, and became the youngest skater in history to perform a clean triple Axel in competition.
2018: U.S. Junior National Champion
In 2018, Alysa Liu became the U.S. junior national champion, marking an early milestone in her figure skating career.
January 25, 2019: Youngest U.S. Senior Women's Champion
On January 25, 2019, Alysa Liu became the youngest skater to win the U.S. senior women's title, breaking Tara Lipinski's record. She also became the youngest female skater to land a triple Axel at the U.S. Nationals and the first to do so during the short program at Nationals. She scored 73.89 points in her short program and posted an overall score of 217.51 after completing two consecutive triple Axels in her long program.
August 2019: International Debut at Junior Grand Prix
In August 2019, Alysa Liu made her international competition debut at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid, where she scored 69.30 points in her short program to "Don't Rain on My Parade" by Barbra Streisand.
December 2019: Featured on Cover of International Figure Skating Magazine
In December 2019, Alysa Liu was selected to be on the cover of the December 2019 edition of International Figure Skating Magazine.
2019: Began Working with Massimo Scali
Alysa Liu began working with Massimo Scali in 2019, prior to her more extensive coaching change announcement on June 22, 2020.
2019: Made Appearances on Various Shows
Following her win at the 2019 U.S. Championships, Alysa Liu made appearances on Today, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and the 2019 Kids' Choice Awards, where she presented an award to Lindsey Vonn.
2019: Two-Time U.S. National Champion
In 2019, Alysa Liu became a two-time U.S. national champion, highlighting her dominance in the sport at a young age.
2019: Named to Time 100 Next List
In 2019, Alysa Liu was named to the inaugural Time 100 Next list.
2019: Silver Medal at Junior Grand Prix Final
In 2019, Alysa Liu won the silver medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final, behind Russia's Kamila Valieva and ahead of Daria Usacheva.
June 22, 2020: Coaching Change Announcement
On June 22, 2020, Alysa Liu announced that she would be changing coaches from Laura Lipetsky to Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali. She would also work with Canadian coaches Lori Nichol and Lee Barkell via video conferences and occasional travels to Toronto, Canada.
December 11, 2020: Jeremy Abbott Joins Coaching Team
On December 11, 2020, Alysa Liu announced that Jeremy Abbott, a former four-time US men's champion, was joining her coaching team.
December 2020: Resuming Training on Ultra-C Elements
As of December 2020, Alysa Liu resumed training on her more difficult ultra-C elements, including the triple Axel, in preparation for the next season.
December 2020: Joined Team Toyota
In early December 2020, Team Toyota announced Alysa Liu as one of the new additions to its roster of sponsored athletes.
2020: Bronze at World Junior Championships
In 2020, Alysa Liu competed at the World Junior Championships, placing third behind Kamila Valieva and Daria Usacheva. She earned 67.52 points in the short program and a technical score of 137.31 points in the long program.
2020: Limited International Competition and Domestic ISP Points Challenge
In 2020, Alysa Liu faced limited international competition opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was age-ineligible for senior Grand Prix competitions. She placed fourth in the domestic ISP Points Challenge and sixth at the 2020 Las Vegas Invitational after a hip injury.
2020: Limited Social Media Use
In 2020, Alysa Liu limited her social media use because she found it "not worth it" and "exhausting."
2020: Wins 2020 U.S. Championships
In 2020, Alysa Liu won the U.S. Championships with a score of 235.52, becoming the youngest two-time women's U.S. champion and the first woman in seven years to win back-to-back U.S. championships. She landed two triple Axels and six other triple jumps. She also failed to be the first woman at U.S. Nationals to successfully complete a quadruple Lutz.
2020: World Junior Bronze Medalist
In 2020, Alysa Liu won the bronze medal at the World Junior Championships, adding to her list of achievements at the junior level.
2020: 2019-2020 Season
The 2019-2020 was a significant season for Alysa Liu where she participated in the Aurora Games in August 2019 and showcased her skills.
June 2021: Graduated from High School
In June 2021, Alysa Liu graduated from high school at the age of 15.
June 19, 2021: Liu posts video of Triple Axel and Quad Lutz attempt
On June 19, 2021, Alysa Liu posted an Instagram story showing a combined video of her attempts to land a triple Axel and quad lutz in training for the upcoming 2021-22 season.
August 30, 2021: Selected to Compete at 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy
On August 30, 2021, US Figure Skating announced that Alysa Liu would compete at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy to secure a third berth for American women at the 2022 Winter Olympics. She placed first in both segments, winning the gold medal and securing an Olympic place. She was unhappy with her singled free skate attempt at a triple Axel.
November 2021: Targeted by Chinese Spies
In November 2021, Alysa Liu and her father were targeted by spies allegedly under the direction of the Chinese government, as part of an operation to collect private information on Chinese political dissidents living in the United States. This event was reported in March 2022.
2021: Tied Personal Best at US Championships
In 2021, Alysa Liu achieved a personal best score of 76.36 at the US Championships, which she tied in a later competition.
2021: Wins 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy
In 2021, Alysa Liu won the CS Lombardia Trophy by over 32 points, successfully landing a triple Axel and receiving new personal bests. This was her debut on the ISU Challenger series.
2021: Wins Cranberry Cup
In 2021, Alysa Liu won the Cranberry Cup, a Senior B competition at the Skating Club of Boston, with a total score of 205.74. She placed first in both the short and free programs, though she fell on a triple Axel attempt in the free skate.
2021: Fires Coaches and Moves to Colorado
Two days after her fourth-place finish at the 2021 NHK Trophy, Alysa Liu's father decided to fire coaches Philip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, so that Liu could move to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and begin working with Christy Krall, Drew Meekins, and Viktor Pfeifer.
March 2022: Targeted by Chinese Spies
In March 2022, it was reported that Alysa Liu and her father were targeted in November 2021 by spies allegedly directed by the Chinese government, who were collecting private information on Chinese political dissidents in the United States.
March 2022: Last competition before hiatus
March 2022 was the date of Alysa Liu's last competition before her hiatus until the Budapest Trophy in October 2024.
April 9, 2022: Announces Retirement from Figure Skating
On April 9, 2022, Alysa Liu announced her retirement from figure skating on Instagram. She felt satisfied with her career, had completed her goals, and was "moving on with [her] life". She stated that she didn't enjoy skating a lot of the time.
2022: Qualifying for the 2022 Winter Olympics
Alysa Liu competed to secure a third berth for American women at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
2022: World Bronze Medalist
In 2022, Alysa Liu secured a bronze medal at the World Championships, adding to her list of accomplishments.
2022: Stepped Away from Sport
In 2022, Alysa Liu stepped away from the sport.
2022: Withdraws from U.S. Championships, Petitioned for Olympic Team
In 2022, at the U.S. Championships, Alysa Liu placed third in the short program but had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19. She successfully petitioned to be included on the 2022 U.S. Winter Olympic team and was the youngest athlete named to the team.
2022: Competes at 2022 Winter Olympics
In 2022, at the Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu placed eighth in the short program and moved up to seventh place in the free skate, despite underrotating her triple Axel attempt. She skated at the exhibition gala with a program to "Loco" by Itzy, choreographed on-site by Jean-Luc Baker. Itzy acknowledged Liu's performance on social media.
2022: Wins Bronze at 2022 World Championships
In 2022, at the World Championships, Alysa Liu won the bronze medal, becoming the first American woman to medal at the World Championships since Ashley Wagner in 2016. She landed a triple Axel with an under rotation in the free skate.
2022: Signed Deal with American Girl and Modeled Ralph Lauren
In 2022, leading up to the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Alysa Liu signed a deal with toy manufacturer American Girl, and modeled Ralph Lauren's collection for Team USA's opening ceremony uniforms.
2023: Enrolled at UCLA
In the fall of 2023, Alysa Liu enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she currently studies psychology.
March 1, 2024: Announces Comeback to Figure Skating
On March 1, 2024, Alysa Liu posted a video on her Instagram announcing her return to figure skating for the 2024-25 season. She stated skiing gave her an adrenaline rush similar to skating, which led her to try skating again and rediscovering her ability to do a double Axel.
October 2024: Competes at 2024 CS Budapest Trophy
In October 2024, Alysa Liu competed at the 2024 CS Budapest Trophy, her first competition since March 2022. She won the gold medal, ranking first in both the short program and overall. She under-rotated three jumps during the event.
2024: Competes in the 2024-25 Grand Prix Series
In 2024, Alysa Liu competed in the 2024-25 Grand Prix series, placing second in the short program at 2024 Skate Canada International but seventh in the free skate, finishing sixth overall. She followed this with a fourth-place finish at the 2024 NHK Trophy. Liu stated she was more present, happy, and into training this time.
2024: Won Gold Medal at CS Golden Spin of Zagreb
In early December 2024, Alysa Liu won the gold medal at the CS Golden Spin of Zagreb.
May 2025: Rejoined Stars on Ice
In May 2025, Alysa Liu rejoined Stars on Ice for its US leg.
2025: World Champion
In 2025, Alysa Liu became the World champion, demonstrating her excellence in figure skating.
2025: Competed at Skate America
In 2025, Alysa Liu competed at Skate America, edging out Rinka Watanabe for the gold medal. She finished second in the short program but first in the free skate and overall. She expressed satisfaction with the results.
2025: Competed at Four Continents Championships
In 2025, Alysa Liu competed at the Four Continents Championships in Seoul, South Korea, placing fourth in both the short and free program segments, ultimately finishing fourth overall, 1.48 points behind the bronze medalist. She expressed satisfaction with her performance.
2025: Represented Team U.S.A. at World Team Trophy
In 2025, Alysa Liu represented Team U.S.A. at the World Team Trophy, winning both the short and free program segments and contributing to Team U.S.A.'s gold medal win overall. Liu expressed her enjoyment of the team event and the camaraderie it fostered.
2025: Competed at US Championships
In January 2025, Alysa Liu competed at the US Championships, placing first in the short program and second in the free skate and overall. She expressed enthusiasm regarding her return to U.S. Nationals and was happy with her performance.
2025: Discarded Olympic Season Short Program
In late September 2025, Alysa Liu announced that she would discard her Olympic season short program to the song "This Is How It Feels" by D4vd and Laufey, due to external issues related to the artist D4vd, and would pursue a different direction aligned with her values.
2026: Returned to The Tonight Show and Featured on 60 Minutes
Before the 2026 Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu returned to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and was featured on 60 Minutes.
2026: Olympic Games Team Event Gold Medalist
In 2026, Alysa Liu won a gold medal in the team event at the Olympic Games, a significant achievement in her career.
2026: Announced New Free Program and Competed at U.S. Championships
In early January 2026, it was announced that Liu had revamped her free program and would debut it at the U.S. Championships. At the U.S. Championships, Alysa Liu won the silver medal behind Amber Glenn and was subsequently named to the U.S. team for the 2026 Winter Olympics. She later announced she would use her "MacArthur Park" free program at the Olympic Games.
2026: Participated in Winter Olympics Team Event
On February 6, 2026, Alysa Liu participated in the 2026 Winter Olympics Figure Skating Team Event, placing second in the short program. Liu's result combined with those of her teammates secured an Olympic gold medal for Team United States of America. She expressed her love of the team experience.
Mentioned in this timeline
Instagram is a photo and video-sharing social networking service owned...
The United States of America is a federal republic located...
California is a U S state on the Pacific Coast...
Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate the largest...
Lindsey Vonn is a highly decorated American alpine ski racer...
China officially the People's Republic of China is an East...
Trending
21 minutes ago NASA's DART Mission Successfully Alters Asteroid Orbit: Earth Defense Test Triumph
21 minutes ago Jackson and Kavanaugh clash over Supreme Court's handling of Trump emergency cases.
22 minutes ago FAA halts JetBlue flights nationwide due to a requested ground stop.
22 minutes ago Cillian Murphy shines in Peaky Blinders movie; Paul Anderson discusses Arthur's future.
22 minutes ago Colleen Hoover's 'Reminders of Him' gets reimagined; Tyriq Withers cast as Ledger.
1 hour ago Rybakina vs Kostyuk: Indian Wells Prediction and Preview for the WTA Day 6 Match
Popular
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights activist politician and...
Ken Paxton is an American politician and lawyer serving as...
Markwayne Mullin is an American politician and businessman serving as...
Corey Lewandowski is an American political operative lobbyist commentator and...
Kristi Lynn Arnold Noem is an American politician She was...
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is a prominent American politician lawyer...