Alysa Liu has been considered a figure skating prodigy ever since she was a kid. When she was just 12 years old, she was the youngest U.S. woman to land a triple axel in a competition. Then at 13, she became the country’s youngest World Champion ever.

But in 2022, right as Alysa was at the height of her career, she quit the sport altogether and retired at 16. She didn’t set foot in a rink for nearly two years, until a family ski trip reminded her just how much she loved the sport. Now she’s competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy — and she’s looking like one of the favorites to win gold. If she medals at all, she’d be the first U.S. woman to do it in 20 years. 

In this episode, we hear from Alysa on what it’s like to be a child athlete competing at an elite level, what brought her back to the rink, and how she’s taking ownership of her career. We also discuss Alysa’s chances and her competition with senior correspondent at The Athletic Marcus Thompson, who’s covering women’s figure skating at the Olympics.

Show Notes

1. Alysa Liu 2025 World Championships | Skating ISU
2. Alysa Liu left figure skating behind. She came back better than ever | The Guardian
3. Alysa Liu Fell in Love With Skating All Over Again — And Is Now a World Champion | Sports Illustrated
4. 14-year-old Alysa Liu makes history again at 2020 Nationals I NBC Sports
5. Alysa Liu back on the Olympic stage, this time truly herself | Marcus Thompson for The Athletic

Show Credits

Host: David Greene

Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler

Senior Producer: Michael Olcott

Producer: Michaela Winberg

Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa

Talent Booker: Britt Kahn

Engineer: Mike Villers

Tile Art: Bea Walling

Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.