Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu to Take a Break from Figure Skating

Alysa Liu, the Olympic gold medalist, has announced her decision to take a break from figure skating during the 2026-27 season, intending to return for the 2027-28 season.

“While people are announcing programs, Imma take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season,” Liu posted. “I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It’s important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I’m gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot. So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See yall soon!!”

Liu expressed her plans in an interview, indicating she will continue training to work on her overall artistry, spins, jumps, and other aspects of her craft.

“I really want to improve my skating, and I wanted to take the time to do that for myself and just to evolve,” she said, “and then I’ll be back after that is done. But I’ll still be cheering on all my competitors and my teammates, and I’m really excited.”

Liu emphasized the logical, emotional, and physical reasons behind her decision, stating she will miss the international competitions but is confident there will be future opportunities. Her Bay Area coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, supported her decision-making process.

“I came to them, and they totally understood where I was coming from,” Liu said. “I did have to explain a little bit, but they didn’t think I needed to justify my reason for it or anything. So it was really chill.”

Her coach highlighted Liu’s growing popularity, noting her agents are overwhelmed. Liu made history by becoming the first American to win Olympic women’s singles gold since 2002, triumphing in Milan in February. Following her Olympic victory, she missed the World Championships in March but stayed active on skates, performing with Olympic teammates on the nationwide Stars on Ice tour.

Apart from skating, Liu has engaged in various non-competitive activities, including a moment shared with Taylor Swift, a music video appearance, and attendance at the Louis Vuitton show during Paris Fashion Week. Liu initially retired at 16 after her Olympic debut in 2022, but returned to figure skating in 2024-25, capturing a world title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.

“Really the only word that comes to mind when I think about my entire journey is grateful,” Liu expressed. “I got on board with the coolest people. I have the best team. I’ve gotten to compete with the coolest skaters, and it’s been really fun, and I think the reason why it’s been so fun is because I have my own agency. I really like to skate, and so that’s why I skate.”

Liu was slated to compete at Skate America in Everett, Washington, which still features the U.S. lineup including Olympic team gold medalists Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn, among others. Liu intends to stay connected to the sport and support her teammates.

“I always want to support my teammates, so I’ll be around,” she said. “I won’t be radio silent, and whatever opportunity arises, I will probably be there to support in some way.”