Olympic Champion Liu Withdraws
Olympic champion Alysa Liu withdrew from the upcoming world figure skating championships, citing undisclosed reasons. Liu made history as the first American woman since 2006 to win the world title and captured Olympic gold last month. Her absence is expected to reshape the competitive field and open opportunities for emerging skaters.
Liu's withdrawal follows a pattern of prioritizing her well-being; she previously retired in 2022 at age 16 after achieving her initial skating goals. She returned to the sport in 2024 on her own terms, with more control over her music, costumes, and training schedule. A trailblazer in the sport, Liu was the first American woman to land a quadruple Lutz in competition and the first woman globally to land both a quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program. Her 2026 Olympic free skate was performed to Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park Suite." The 2026 World Figure Skating Championships will take place from March 24-29 in Prague, Czech Republic. Liu's absence opens up the field for other top competitors, including Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, who took silver behind Liu at the recent Olympics. Stepping in for Liu is 19-year-old Sarah Everhardt, the 2025 Four Continents bronze medalist. Everhardt, who also won the 2024 Cranberry Cup International, trains in Reston, Virginia, with coaches Tatyana Malinina and Roman Skornyakov.
