Alysa Liu got real about why she loves pushing herself, turning pressure and anxiety into motivation, and making waves on the global rink. Liu came fresh off a two-gold-medal campaign at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Liu had happily retired at 16, believing the 2022 Beijing Olympics would be her last. But she returned in 2024 to give figure skating another shot and swiftly re-established herself as the top U.S. prospect.
Alysa Liu Speaks about Her Passion to Push Her Limits to the Maximum
Liu, at 20, has been nothing short of a beacon of inspiration in the figure skating world, whether through her out-of-the-box fashion statements or her phenomenal maneuvers. She began adding blonde stripes to her hair, calling them markers of each year of her life journey, and consulted a professional to turn the blonde into a more prominent ‘milk tea’ shade before the Milan-Cortina Games.
At the Olympics, she earned her first gold in the team event after contributing nine points. She trailed in third in the individual short program but rose in the rankings to claim her first Olympic singles title after the free skate.
Her near-flawless routine made her the first American female figure skater to win gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
In a recent conversation with Teen Vogue, the two-time Olympic gold medalist shared that she is fascinated by pushing her limits and explained why trying difficult things gives her the desired ‘kick.’
“I love pushing myself. There’s this thing called the aMCC in your brain, and it’s where you say willpower resides. I love doing stuff that I really don’t want to do, really hard things. I get a kick out of it, and that’s where I’m happy,” she said.
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Liu got some time off immediately after her Olympic success on the Milan-Cortina stage. Before stepping into the spotlight for media interviews and other events, she rushed home to spend time with her loved ones, catch up with old friends, and get adequate sleep. She also skated a couple of times, not because she was supposed to, but simply because she wanted to.
The Olympian made a surprise appearance, interrupting Jimmy Fallon’s monologue on The Tonight Show, prompting an excited reaction from the host. She also gifted Fallon a halo-striped wig just like hers, drawing roars of cheers from the audience. She previously graced the show twice, one in December last year before the US Figure Skating Championships and another before the 2026 Games.
