Maura Brunt ‘27
EE Managing Editor
The 2026 Winter Olympics, held in Milan, Italy, blew up all over the media as clips of different athletes’ skiing tricks, bobsledding rides and figure skating performances became popular and well-known. One specific athlete that blew up was the US’ very own gold medalist, Alysa Liu, who won gold in both the figure skating team event and the women’s singles event.
However, beyond her gold medals, Alysa Liu provides a refreshing and different perspective on sports and ice skating, challenging the traditional “winning” mindset. She started figure skating competitively early on in her life, starting to become popular, even winning the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at 13 years old, becoming the youngest female to ever win it, repeating the title in the 2020 Championships. Yet, after qualifying and competing in the 2022 Beijing Olympics when she was 16, where she placed 6th, the highest on the American team, she surprised the world by retiring from the sport.
At the time, Alysa described feeling burnt out. She felt that her training was becoming overwhelming and had lost the passion for the sport. It had become more of an obligation rather than something that she loved. She only reconsidered putting her skates back on after a ski trip, which resparked her excitement. Since then, she has changed her mindset on how she views skating: she does it on her own terms, having more creativity and freedom over her training.
While her joy and perspective change might seem like an insignificant part of the sport, its true effects can be seen when watching her skating performances. Her long program went viral due to the joy that was radiating off her. Unlike many other performers, she remained calm and present, smiling throughout the program, allowing her to be more expressive and confident. According to Alysa, “what matters is the input and the journey”. She felt that no matter how she placed, she would still be content with herself. It was a risk and big decision to step away from her successful and growing career when she did. Still, Liu does not regret her break from ice skating, as it allowed her to find herself and reminded her why she liked skating, and allowed her to find a balance so she would not lose that passion.
Athletes in all different sports and all different ages can learn a lot from Alysa Liu. Especially in high school and college, when students are trying to balance academic stress with their athletic performance and extracurriculars, it is very easy to get burnout or overwhelmed, too focused on achieving perfection. However, Liu is proof that sometimes the best course of action is to take a break, allowing athletes to recover and reflect, so they can come back stronger. Breaks are not a sign of failure, rather, they can allow a necessary reset for long-term success. Intrinsic motivation can be very powerful, while it is easy to overfocus on the outcome and trying to win, athletes should feel proud and successful in their efforts and training.
Overall, while Alysa Liu has become famous for winning the gold, what makes her a very powerful role model is her message to the world. Whether it be sports, academics, or hobbies, when people maintain passion and joy, they are able to achieve true success.