51黑料

But there stood Alysa Liu 鈥� the greatest skater in the world 鈥� about to throw a ceremonial first pitch from just in front of the mound. The California kid isn鈥檛 just the national champion figure skater, but she鈥檚 also the world champion, earning the gold in March. Wearing a Cardinals jersey, sneakers and baggy pants only a teen could pull off, Liu started spinning in place 鈥� and then .

鈥淒ouble Axel,鈥� she confirmed after.

And upon landing on the grass, she composed herself and threw the ball to the catcher.

鈥淚 was like: I鈥檒l do something (leading) into the throw,鈥� the 19-year-old Liu said. 鈥淎nd I don鈥檛 really get dizzy, you know? I鈥檓 really used to it, so I just decided to do some spins in the air.鈥�

Liu was in The Lou to help promote next winter鈥檚 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Enterprise Center 鈥� from Jan. 4-11, 2026. And while it would be cool to have this event any year in our sports town, 2026 is particularly cool, considering the winners go to the Olympics.

Yep, this event will serve as qualification for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan Cortina, Italy. Now, at just 16, Liu competed in the 2022 Olympics, finishing sixth in the women鈥檚 singles event (highest finish of the Americans). So yeah, it makes sense that she鈥檒l likely be in the 2026 Olympics. Except there was one minor wrinkle 鈥� later in 2022, she quit skating.

I鈥檇 never heard of Alysa Liu. Perhaps you, too? But I鈥檝e been moved by her story. It really is impressive. And improbable. And complicated. Yet, also, so simple.

Liu was a skating prodigy 鈥� the U.S. champion at only 13 years old 鈥� but she was, in effect, chasing other people鈥檚 dreams. By 16, she was burned out by the sport. It was all too much. It was eating up her childhood. Unhappy, she stopped skating.

And now, she has discovered a way to be happy and to skate. So she鈥檚 on the ice again.

It all took a simple journey from the mountaintop to the mountaintop.

During her retirement, she decided to go skiing.

鈥淚t was the first time I鈥檇 felt that feeling of 鈥� your legs are burning, you鈥檙e cold and you鈥檙e going fast,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 felt that for the first time (in a while), and I enjoyed it. ... I was like 鈥� I want to ski more, but it鈥檚 a big thing, day trips all the way to the mountains. And I was like: Well, if skating (can provide adrenaline), then I could do it every day, and so I basically just have fun every day.鈥�

Liu missed critical years in development as a figure skater 鈥� but by missing them, she became rejuvenated and, really, almost rewired.

See, she has this almost impossible state of mind.

鈥淵eah, actually, like, I don鈥檛 feel the pressure,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 mean, it鈥檚 probably there, but it just doesn鈥檛 get to me because I think my goals are very different from the people on the outside. My goals are just to be the best I can be in skating. So I care so deeply about my skating, but I don鈥檛 care about medals. It鈥檚 fully about the sport for me, and I think that鈥檚 also why I don鈥檛 feel the pressure of it. Because competitions 鈥� they give me an excuse to train every day. That鈥檚 basically what I want to do. I just want to skate every day.鈥�

But when you win, say, the world championship, it鈥檚 still pretty rewarding, right?

鈥淚t is so cool, so unexpected, especially worlds? Insane.鈥� she said. 鈥�... I don鈥檛 know, it鈥檚 so weird to me, but I still don鈥檛 care about whether I make it to the next competition because of this one. The results just don鈥檛 matter to me. There鈥檚 just so much more in skating that I want to explore.鈥�

No pressure? Just enjoying the journey? Unfazed by results? It sounds like something an athlete wishes they could say 鈥� wishes they could truly feel 鈥� but they know it鈥檚 not true because pressure and results weigh so heavily. Yet this is Liu鈥檚 mindset now. Perhaps because she lived through hell, already accomplished so much and then had the time off, she now has this unique perspective on it all?

She does speak with such joy about the choreography and the music choices and spending time with her U.S. teammates. I鈥檓 happy she鈥檚 happy.

And I鈥檓 happy 51黑料 will get to see her perform in January. This time, the Axels will likely come in threes.

鈥�51黑料,鈥� she said, 鈥渟hould expect some spectacular performances 鈥� the U.S. team right now is the best it鈥檚 ever been. We have the world鈥檚 champion in men and in ice dance, and then me in women鈥檚. And when you鈥檙e in that arena watching, it鈥檚 incredible 鈥� and it鈥檚 so different from just (watching on a) screen. You really feel the atmosphere.鈥�