Alysa Lui, born August 8, 2005, grew up in Oakland, California and began figure skating at 5. She grew up with a single father who encouraged her to try everything, including skating. As she started she quickly stood out and displayed her fearlessness, strong jumping ability, and competitive mindset to always be first. In her early teens she began to exceed “just good” she continued to perform extremely difficult jumps most professionals have trouble landing. 

Alysa became a prodigy at age 13, she is the youngest U.S. women’s national champion ever. At nationals, she won back to back titles in 2019 and 2020, she landed insane jumps such as the triple axil and the quadruple jump. By this point she landed jumps that are rare in women skating and became the future of American figure skating. She then competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics at 16 where she finished in 7th place then made the huge decision to retire. She made the ultimate plan to retire due to wanting a normal life, for example experiencing friendships, school, and travel. She also had a great deal of stress and burnout after 11 years of training and achieving tons during that time.

As Camila Rocha’ 26 says “In a sport defined by relentless pressure and early burnout, Alysa Liu proved that stepping away doesn’t mean falling behind it can be the very thing that sets you apart.”

Her life outside of skating consisted of going to college at UCLA, traveling, trying new sports, and acting like a normal teen in her day-to-day life. During this period of exploring, she learned a lot about herself such as finding her true identity outside of skating. She then made a tremendous decision to come back, not because she had to, but because she wanted to and loves the sport. She felt the spark come back and called her coach, ready to join and approach skating on her own terms. She began to climb back to the top and won the World Championship in 2025 by focusing more on enjoyment than pressure. 

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo became Alysa’s biggest accomplishment. She won two gold medals in the women’s singles with a huge score and contributed to the U.S team also finishing first. Although Alysa’s journey was bumpy and didn’t look like the typical Olympian’s, she was able to change perspectives and demonstrate that not everything is smooth sailing, even if it seems that way. Her story isn’t just about talent, it’s about timing, metal reset, and regaining love for the sport. That’s what makes Alysa Lui special.  Sometimes finding yourself is the way to figure out where you most belong and what you truly long to be and accomplish.