“I am very speechless,” Alysa Liu had said, her voice trembling, eyes still processing the magnitude of the moment. “I just wanted to do good programs for myself… So when I saw that I medaled, I was like, ‘What?!’ I didn’t believe it. I’m still in shock.” It was 2022. She had just won bronze at the World Championships, becoming the first American woman since Ashley Wagner in 2016 to stand on that podium. The world thought it was the beginning of something special. But little did she know… it was the end. Two weeks later, at just 16, she walked away. Retired. Done. The sport she had dedicated her life to? Left behind. Fans were stunned. How could someone so young, so talented, just quit? But fate has a funny way of working, doesn’t it? Alysa Liu wasn’t done. Not even close. And when she came back?

She didn’t just compete. She shattered a 19-year curse. Fans are crying. They’re screaming. What just happened?! Well! Alysa Liu is a world champion. She skated around the ice, hands over her mouth, disbelief washing over her. Her golden dress shimmered under the lights of TD Garden, but nothing sparkled brighter than the moment itself. The crowd? On its feet, screaming, crying, living through history. Because after 19 long years, the drought was over. She was the first U.S. woman to stand atop the world podium since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. And she did it in style!

Why? Dethroning Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, the three-time defending champion, is one of the most difficult tasks, but she did it with a masterful free skate to Donna Summer’s MacArthur Park. The music soared, and so did she. Triple-triple combos? Nailed. Spins? Effortless. The artistry? Perfection. Then the score came in: 222.97. She covered her face, shaking her head in disbelief. This was real. Moments later, Sakamoto walked over and wrapped Liu in a tight embrace, a silent passing of the torch. From one champion to the next. The weight of it hit her when she became the first USA champion since 2006. Nineteen. Years. And now, she was the one to break the curse.

“What the hell?” Liu whispered, still trying to process it. “I don’t know. I don’t know how to process this.” How could she? Two years ago, she walked away from skating. She had been a prodigy, yes, but the joy? Gone. The pressure, the expectations, the endless cycle of competition- it had all become too much. She just wanted to be a normal college student.

But then, a ski trip changed everything. The adrenaline, the thrill—it reminded her of what she loved about competing. That rush. That feeling of flying. She started skating again. First, just for fun. Then, the fire returned. Could she really come back? The odds were against her. Figure skating is brutal—comebacks are rare, and successful ones? Nearly unheard of. Yet here she was. At the 2025 U.S. Championships, she had already sent a warning sign with a stunning silver. But the world stage? That was different. She wasn’t just competing against past champions, but she was up against her own past. And she didn’t just compete. She won!

Alysa Liu’s performance sent shockwaves through the skating world, breaking a 19-year U.S. drought. Fans couldn’t hold back their excitement and tears and went gaga over it.

Fans can’t hold their happiness as Alysa Liu wins her first world championships

Alysa Liu was out of competition for two years. Many thought her skating career was over. But tonight, she stunned the world, returning to win her first-ever World Championship. Fans couldn’t hold back their emotions. “ALYSA LIU COMING BACK FROM A 2-YEAR RETIREMENT TO WIN WORLDS. THE GOATERY IS INSANE!” one fan exclaimed. A comeback like this is the kind of sports story that we rarely hear: out of retirement and straight to the top.

It wasn’t just about winning, though. The moment Kaori Sakamoto skated over and embraced Liu after her brilliant free skate, it became something even greater. “This is the beauty of sport. Sakamoto embraces Alysa Liu after a brilliant free skate. Whatever happens with the scores, this is a top moment of the evening.”

Then came the history-making realization. “CAME BACK FROM A TWO-YEAR RETIREMENT AND BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN WORLDS SINCE 2006!!!! I LOVE YOU ALYSA LIU.” The drought was over. A U.S. woman finally stood atop the world stage once again.

And the timing? Perfect. “What a remarkable comeback story this is: Alysa Liu retired from figure skating three years ago. Tonight she became the first U.S. woman in 19 years to win the world championship — with the 2026 Winter Olympics little more than 10 months away.” Suddenly, the Olympics had a new name to watch. Yet, through it all, Liu stayed true to herself. “Alysa Liu is the funniest person ever, like I love that she just enjoys the moment and does her own thing. Never change, Alysa!!!”