Olympic Skater Alysa Liu Withdraws

This isn't the first time Alysa Liu has stepped away from the ice. After the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where she finished sixth, a then-16-year-old Liu retired from the sport, citing burnout and the desire to live a normal teenage life. Her father later revealed she was suffering from trauma and wouldn't go near an ice rink. Her comeback has been nothing short of historic. Liu returned to competition in 2024, and in 2025 became the first American woman to win the World Championships since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. This victory was followed by a stunning performance at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, where she captured two gold medals, including the first individual gold for a U.S. woman since Sarah Hughes in 2002. Liu's withdrawal, while abrupt, is not entirely unprecedented for an Olympic champion. The figure skating season is long and grueling, and many athletes choose to skip the World Championships that immediately follow an intense Olympic year to recover both physically and mentally. Known for her technical prowess, Liu was the first U.S. woman to land a quadruple jump in competition and the first woman ever to land both a quad and a triple Axel in the same program. At 13, she became the youngest-ever U.S. women's national champion. Her absence from the championships in Prague significantly alters the competitive landscape. Top contenders who now have a clearer path to the podium include Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who took silver behind Liu at the Olympics, and fellow American skaters Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito. The 20-year-old's decision comes shortly after a surge in fame following her Olympic success, which included a recent incident where she was chased to her car by overzealous fans at an airport. Sarah Everhardt will take Liu's place on the U.S. team for the World Championships.