Alysa Liu captivated audiences everywhere when she won gold for the United States in the 2026 Winter Olympics women’s skating final. Full of smiles, the 20-year-old delighted judges and viewers by exuding joy throughout her performance – all the more surprising because Liu had ‘retired’ from the sport at the age of 16 after a lifetime of competition. For two years she stayed away from the rink, instead choosing a normal life: getting her licence, attending college and even going on holiday for the first time. When she laced up her skates again at 18, she wasn’t driven by a desire for the gold medal. Instead, Liu said simply: ‘My framework, my perspective, changed’. Instead of viewing it as competitive sport, she now sees figure skating as an opportunity to bring together her love for the arts, dance, music and sports. While she’s engaged in the same activity – competitive figure skating – she’s doing it from a completely different place of freedom and joy. ‘Skating is a sport, but first and foremost it’s an art form. And in order to produce the best art and have it connect with fans, you have to know yourself,’ she said.