Alysa Liu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alysa Liu
Alysa Liu at the 2025 World Championships
Born	(2005-08-08) August 8, 2005 (age 20) Clovis, California, United States
Education	University of California, Los Angeles
Personal information Country represented  United States Home town Richmond, California Height 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) Coach Phillip DiGuglielmo Massimo Scali Skating club St. Moritz Skating Club, Oakland Began skating 2010
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	劉美賢
Simplified Chinese	刘美贤
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Liú Měixián

Alysa Liu (born August 8, 2005) is an American figure skater. She is the 2025 World champion and a 2022 World bronze medalist. Alysa also won the 2021 Nebelhorn Trophy and 2021 Lombardia Trophy. She is a two-time U.S. national champion from 2019 and 2020.

At just 16 years old, Alysa competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics, finishing sixth. In junior competitions, she earned a bronze medal at the 2020 World Junior Championships. She also won a silver medal at the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final. Alysa was a two-time Junior Grand Prix champion and the 2018 U.S. junior national champion.

Alysa made history as the youngest U.S. women's national champion at age 13. At 14, she became the youngest skater to win two senior national titles. She was the first woman to win two U.S. titles in a row since Ashley Wagner in 2012 and 2013. She was also the first woman to win junior and senior titles back-to-back since Mirai Nagasu in 2008. When Alysa won the 2025 World Championships, she became the first U.S. woman to win the world title in 19 years. The last one was Kimmie Meissner in 2006.

Alysa is known for her amazing jumps. She was the first American junior woman to land a triple Axel in international competition. She was also the first American woman to land a quadruple jump. Alysa was the first woman to complete both a quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program. She was also the first woman to land a triple Axel with a triple toe loop in the short program. In 2019, Time magazine named her to their "100 Next" list.

Early Life and Family

Alysa Liu was born on August 8, 2005, in Clovis, California. She is the oldest of five children. Her father, Arthur Liu, is an attorney who moved to the U.S. from a small village in Sichuan, China. Alysa and her siblings were conceived using an anonymous egg donor and a surrogate mother. Her father was married to Yan "Mary" Qingxin when Alysa was born. Alysa and her siblings call Mary their mother, and she is their legal guardian.

Skating Career

Starting Out

Alysa started skating at age five. Her father, who admired Michelle Kwan, took her to the Oakland Ice Center. She began with group lessons. Soon, she moved to individual lessons with her first coach, Laura Lipetsky. Laura started coaching Alysa when she was 5½ years old. Cindy Stuart, her first choreographer, also began working with her when she was young.

In 2015, Alysa placed seventh at the Central Pacific Regionals as a juvenile skater. At the 2016 U.S. Championships, she became the youngest female skater to win the intermediate gold medal. She won by a very small margin. She was first after the short program. Her free skate included two triple Salchows.

In 2017, Alysa competed in the novice category at the U.S. Championships. She placed fourth overall. She was in first place after her short program. She landed two triple-triple combinations in her long program.

Junior Success

2017–18 Season: Junior Debut

Alysa started her 2017–18 season with a silver medal. This was at the 2017 Asian Open Trophy. She was the youngest skater in the junior division at the 2018 U.S. Championships. She won the competition even though she was sick. She scored her season's best in the short program. She had a nearly seven-point lead before the free skate. Her short program included a triple flip-triple toe loop combination. She earned 120.33 points in her long program. She landed two double Axels and seven triple jumps. Alysa won with a total score of 184.16 points. This was almost 18 points more than the silver medalist. Even though she won, Alysa was too young to compete at the 2018 World Junior Championships. Instead, she went to the 2018 International Challenge Cup. There, she won the advanced novice silver medal.

2018–19 Season: Triple Axel History

In August 2018, Alysa competed as a novice at the 2018 Asian Open Trophy. She won the gold medal. She outscored the silver medalist by over ten points. She landed a triple Axel in her free skate. This made her the youngest skater ever to perform a clean triple Axel in competition. She was also the fourth American female skater to do so.

2019–20 Season: World Junior Bronze and Junior Grand Prix Silver

Alysa's first competition of the 2019–2020 season was the Aurora Games. This was an international all-female competition. She earned perfect scores and helped the U.S. team win first place. She was the first American female skater to land a quadruple Lutz in a competition. However, this was not at an event recognized by the ISU (International Skating Union).

Liu at 2019 JGP United States

Alysa made her international debut at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Lake Placid in August 2019. She scored 69.30 points in her short program. This broke her own personal best record. She completed all her jumps, including three triples.

In her long program, Alysa became the first American female skater to land a quadruple Lutz in a competition. She also became the first female skater to complete both a quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program. She won the event by 21.52 points. This was the first time in 20 Junior Grand Prix events that a non-Russian skater won.

Alysa's second Junior Grand Prix event was in Poland. She placed fourth after the short program but came back to win the event. In her short program, she landed a triple Axel-triple toeloop combination. This was the first time this was done in Junior Grand Prix history. She qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final in second place.

Alysa won the silver medal at the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final. She was behind Russia's Kamila Valieva. Alysa placed first in the short program. In her long program, both her quadruple Lutzes and a triple Axel were judged as underrotated. She also fell on her first triple Axel. She finished second overall.

Alysa was too young for senior international competitions. However, she was named to the 2020 World Junior Championships team. She placed third at her first World Junior Championships. She came in fourth after her short program. In her long program, she earned the second-highest technical score. She landed a triple Axel and six more triple jumps.

After the season, Alysa's father decided she would work with Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali. She also began working with Canadian coaches Lori Nichol and Lee Barkell remotely.

2020–21 Season: Growth Spurt and Changes

Alysa had fewer international competitions because the 2020–21 ISU Junior Grand Prix was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also too young for senior Grand Prix events. She struggled with her jumps because of a growth spurt. She placed fourth in a domestic competition called the ISP Points Challenge. In October, she was invited to the 2020 Las Vegas Invitational. She finished sixth individually. She was recovering from a hip injury from a fall during practice.

In December 2020, Alysa announced that former U.S. men's champion Jeremy Abbott joined her coaching team.

In January, Alysa competed at the 2021 U.S. Championships. She placed second in the short program with a clean skate. In the free skate, she doubled one jump and underrotated two others. She dropped to fourth place overall. Alysa said she had already started training her triple Axel again.

Senior Career

2018–19 Season: First National Title

Alysa was too young for international senior or junior competitions. However, she could compete in the senior ranks at the 2019 U.S. Championships. On January 25, 2019, she broke Tara Lipinski's record. She became the youngest skater to win the U.S. senior women's title. She placed second in the short program and first in the free skate. She was the youngest female skater to land a triple Axel at the U.S. Nationals. She was also the first female skater to land three triple Axels in a U.S. competition. Alysa completed two triple Axels in a row in her long program.

Her season ended after U.S. Nationals. This gave her time to work on her skating skills. She trained with Italian skater Carolina Kostner in Rome. She also began working with Italian choreographer Massimo Scali.

2019–20 Season: Second National Title

Alysa was a favorite to win her second title at the 2020 U.S. Championships. She placed second in the short program. She landed a triple flip and a triple Lutz-triple toe combination. She won the free skate by over eight points. Her final score was over 10 points higher than the second-place skater. She landed two triple Axels and six more triple jumps. At 14, Alysa became the youngest two-time women's U.S. champion. She was also the first woman in seven years to win back-to-back U.S. championships.

2021–22 Season: World Bronze, First Olympics, and Retirement

Liu finishing her short program at the 2022 World Championships

Alysa competed in the Peggy Fleming Trophy. This event evaluates skating elements from an artistic point of view. She came in second place.

Alysa trained in Italy to improve her jump technique. Italian coach Lorenzo Magri was added to her coaching team.

Alysa made her senior international debut at the Cranberry Cup in August 2021. She won the competition. She placed first in both the short and free programs.

She then won the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy by over 32 points. She landed a triple Axel and achieved new personal best scores.

In September 2021, Alysa was chosen to compete at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Her goal was to help the U.S. secure a third spot for American women at the 2022 Winter Olympics. She placed first in both parts of the competition. She won the gold medal and secured one of the Olympic spots.

Alysa made her senior Grand Prix debut at the 2021 Skate Canada International. She placed fifth overall. At her second event, the 2021 NHK Trophy, she finished fourth.

After the 2021 NHK Trophy, Alysa's father decided she would move to Colorado Springs, Colorado. She began working with new coaches: Christy Krall, Drew Meekins, and Viktor Pfeifer.

At the 2022 U.S. Championships, Alysa placed third in the short program. However, she had to withdraw from the event after testing positive for COVID-19. Despite this, she was chosen for the 2022 U.S. Winter Olympic team. Alysa was the youngest athlete on the American Olympic team.

Liu during her free skate at the 2022 World Championships

At the women's event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Alysa placed eighth in the short program. She moved up to seventh place in the free skate. She said she was "still in shock at how well I did." She was invited to skate at the exhibition gala. A program to "Loco" by K-pop group Itzy was choreographed for her on-site.

At the 2022 World Championships, Alysa was expected to do well. She placed fifth in the short program. In the free skate, she landed a triple Axel, though it was underrotated. She also landed six clean triple jumps. She rose to third place, winning the bronze medal. She became the first American woman to win a medal at the World Championships since Ashley Wagner in 2016.

On April 9, 2022, Alysa announced on Instagram that she was retiring from figure skating. She felt satisfied with her career and had achieved her goals. She explained that skating took up her whole life. Her former coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo, said she felt she had met her goals. After achieving them, it was time for her to leave the sport on her own terms.

2024–25 Season: Comeback and World Champion

Liu performing a layback spin during practice at the 2025 World Championships

On March 1, 2024, Alysa posted a video on Instagram saying she was "back on the ice" for the "2024-25 season." U.S. Figure Skating confirmed her return. Alysa explained that she went skiing and felt an adrenaline rush. This made her want to skate again. She tried a double Axel and could do it. She decided to return to skating on her own terms.

Alysa decided to work with her former coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali. She moved her training to Lakewood Ice in Lakewood, California. She also began working with coaches Amy Evidente and Ivan Dinev.

In October 2024, Alysa competed at the 2024 CS Budapest Trophy. This was her first competition since March 2022. She won the gold medal.

She then competed in the 2024–25 Grand Prix series. At 2024 Skate Canada International, she placed sixth overall. She said she was happy to be competing again. She felt more present and happy. She then finished fourth at the 2024 NHK Trophy.

Liu finishing her short program at the 2025 World Championships

In early December, Alysa won the gold medal at the 2024 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb. The following month, she competed at the 2025 U.S. Championships. She placed first in the short program and second overall. She was very happy with her return to U.S. Nationals.

In February 2025, Alysa competed at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, South Korea. She finished fourth overall. She said she felt good and enjoyed her performance.

On March 2, 2025, Alysa took part in "Legacy on Ice," an ice show. Later that month, at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, Alysa won the gold medal. She won both the short and free programs. Alysa became the first American woman to win the World title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. Her victory was a huge comeback after she had retired from the sport in 2022. Alysa said she was "so happy" and never dreamed of becoming a world champion after returning.

A couple of weeks later, Alysa represented Team U.S.A. at the 2025 World Team Trophy. She won both the short and free program segments. Team U.S.A. won the gold medal overall. Alysa said the team event was "really fun" and she loved the team spirit.

Show Skating

Alysa performed in the Sun Valley on Ice summer shows in 2019 and 2021. After she first retired, she toured the U.S. with Stars on Ice in spring 2022. Alysa rejoined Stars on Ice for its May 2025 U.S. tour.

Awards and Recognition

In 2019, Alysa was named to the first Time 100 Next list. This list highlights the next generation of rising leaders. Michelle Kwan wrote the article about Alysa. In May 2020, Alysa became a Gold House A100 Honoree. The A100 List honors the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific leaders.

Personal Life and Education

Alysa attended Chinese school for three years. She then transferred to Oakland School for the Arts. When she missed too many classes for competitions, she started homeschooling. She studied at her father's law office between practices. Alysa graduated from high school in June 2021 at age 15. In fall 2023, she started studying psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

In 2020, she limited her social media use. This was because of many negative comments on her posts. She found it "not worth it" and "exhausting."

Programs

Competition and exhibition programs by season 

Season	Short program	Free skate program	Exhibition program
2016–17	"Puttin' On the Ritz" Composed by Irving Berlin	"Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" Performed by Benny Goodman	N/A
2017–18	"Spanish Flame" Composed by Maxime Rodriguez	Les Misérables Composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg	N/A
2018–19	"Don't Rain on My Parade" Performed by Barbra Streisand Choreo. by Rohene Ward	The Witches of Eastwick Composed by John Williams Choreo. by Cindy Stuart	"Don't Rain on My Parade"
2019–20	"Don't Rain on My Parade"	"New World Symphony" Composed by Jennifer Thomas Choreo. by Lori Nichol	"Party Happening People" Performed by Deee-Lite Choreo. by Rohene Ward
2020–21	La Strada Composed by Nino Rota Choreo. by Lori Nichol	"The Storm" Composed by Balázs Havasi Choreo. by Lori Nichol	"It's Oh So Quiet" Performed by Björk
2021–22	"Gypsy Dance" From Don Quixote Composed by Ludwig Minkus Choreo. by Massimo Scali	Violin Concerto Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performed by Joshua Bell Choreo. by Massimo Scali	"Rainbow" Performed by Kacey Musgraves
			"Loco" Performed by Itzy Choreo. by Jean-Luc Baker
2024–25	"Promise" Performed by Laufey & Dan Wilson Choreo. by Massimo Scali	"MacArthur Park Suite" Performed by Donna Summer Choreo. by Massimo Scali	"Let You Break My Heart Again" Performed by Laufey & Philharmonia Orchestra
			"Hero" Performed by Mariah Carey

Programs as a Professional Skater

Competitive Highlights

Liu (left) on the podium at the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final with Kamila Valieva (center) and Daria Usacheva (right).

Liu at the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final

Images for kids

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  Alysa Liu at the 2025 World Championships

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  Alysa Liu performing a layback spin during practice at the 2025 World Championships

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  Alysa Liu finishing her short program at the 2025 World Championships

See also

In Spanish: Alysa Liu para niños