Olympic Figure Skater Liu Withdraws
U.S. Olympic champion Alysa Liu has withdrawn from the upcoming World Figure Skating Championships. The 20-year-old made history last year by becoming the first American woman since 2006 to win the world title and followed with landmark Olympic gold — the first for the U.S. since 2002. Specific reasons for her withdrawal haven't been disclosed.
This withdrawal marks Liu's second step back from the sport. She previously retired at age 16 after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, citing the need to live a normal life and recover from what her father described as "trauma" and PTSD. Her return to competition two years later was remarkable, culminating in a historic 2025 World Championship title in Boston. She followed that victory with a dominant 2025-26 season, winning the Grand Prix Final and her first Skate America title. Liu has been a trailblazer since her debut. At 13, she became the youngest U.S. champion in history and was the first American woman to land a quadruple jump and a triple Axel in the same program during a competition. It is not uncommon for top skaters to skip the World Championships following an intense Olympic season to recover physically and mentally. Japan's Olympic pairs champions, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, have also withdrawn from the event in Prague. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Everhardt will replace Liu, joining U.S. teammates Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito. The first alternate, Bradie Tennell, declined the invitation to compete. With Liu's absence, the field is more open for other top competitors. Japan's Olympic silver medalist Kaori Sakamoto and bronze medalist Ami Nakai are expected to be strong contenders for the world title. Fans can still see Liu perform soon, as she is scheduled to join the "Stars on Ice" tour, which will travel across the United States, Canada, and Japan from April to May.
