Alysa Liu expressed her thoughts on the weight of competing on the world’s biggest stages, including the Olympics. While performing before a global audience can feel overwhelming to many athletes, Liu revealed that she approaches the pressure from a refreshingly different angle.
The 20-year-old became the first American woman to win the gold medal in figure skating in 24 years, and also played a crucial role in securing the top spot in the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Alysa Liu Opens Up About Her Fearless Mindset
Liu’s Winter Olympics performance drew an outpouring of praise online, with fans applauding not just her remarkable skating but also her joyful, light-hearted presence during the medal ceremony that captured hearts across social media.
The American figure skater recently appeared on “Watch What Happens Live!” and shared her mindset about competing on the global stage. Rather than allowing the moment’s magnitude to intimidate her, Liu expressed that she embraces it as part of the experience. While speaking to host Andy Cohen about her approach, she said:
” I love making mistakes. I love falling, and I also love landing and doing really well. So, I feel like no matter what the outcome was, I was going to be cool.”
After returning from a nearly two-year hiatus, Liu showcased her technical mastery by combining powerful jumps with expressive choreography, particularly in her free skate to “MacArthur Park.” Her total score of 226.79 secured the women’s singles gold, ending the USA’s 2-decade gold medal drought in the event.
Behind her, Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto earned silver with a strong showing, finishing just 1.89 points back, while compatriot Ami Nakai claimed bronze to complete the podium.
Liu reflected on the surreal moment she stepped off the ice following her Winter Olympics performance. Looking back on what was running through her mind, she described a wave of relief and pride after putting her best foot forward on the sport’s biggest stage.
“I have no idea. I was not thinking about the score even after I competed. I was just still kind of in that,’ Oh! I just skated my life out right now.'”
After the conclusion of the 2026 Winter Olympics, Liu received a grand welcome back home and is currently making back-to-back appearances in popular shows. She also doesn’t shy away from her next challenge and shared thoughts about competing in the 2030 Winter Olympics in France: “Yeah, I mean, I like France, I think. So, yeah, I would like to.”
