Alysa Liu has established herself as one of the top figure skaters in the world and already has Olympic and World Championships gold medals to her name. The 20-year-old has been supported throughout her run by a single father who has been there for her through thick and thin.
After helping Team USA win gold in the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Liu is now once again in medal contention in the women’s singles event.
Alysa Liu’s Father and His Role in Her Success
Liu’s father was born in China and was forced to flee the country at the age of 25. He relocated to the United States, where he earned a law degree from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. After that, he began practicing law as a general practitioner.
Alysa and her four siblings were born through surrogacy, and Arthur and his mother took care of them during their childhood.
Arthur introduced Alysa to skating at the age of 5, and she quickly became a prodigy. He played a vital role in the early stages of her figure skating career.
“I took her everywhere, I took her to Japan to learn from the top coaches there. I took her to Canada… [I spent] I would say $500,000 to 1 million. I spared no money, no time. I just saw the talent,” he told 60 Minutes in January 2026.
Arthur worked with several coaches as he sought the right fit for Alysa. Despite regularly coming to her practice sessions and being an influential figure in her early career, Arthur described his approach as “laissez-faire”.
When Alysa decided to retire in 2022, she did not consult her father, as she revealed to the San Francisco Chronicle last year. “I didn’t really ask (my dad’s) opinion when I decided to retire. After all, it’s my life. But he supports my decision,” she said.
MORE: Why Alysa Liu Retired at 16 After Beijing and What Sparked Her Winter Olympics 2026 Comeback
While he no longer plays as big a role in Alysa’s skating career, Arthur remains one of her biggest supporters. He was spotted cheering in the stands as his daughter won the gold medal at the 2025 World Championships in Boston. Arthur is now cheering his daughter on at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina.
Liu Eyeing Figure Skating Gold at Winter Olympics
Liu finds herself in third place following the women’s singles figure skating short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics and will be hoping to take home the gold after the free skate. The free skate will take place later on Thursday, with the competition getting underway at 1 p.m. EST (7 p.m. local time).
Kaori Sakamoto of Japan holds a two-point lead over Liu, with Ami Nakai in second place after the short program.
Other Team USA figure skaters will also hope to come into contention during the free skate, with Isabeau Levito currently in eighth place and Amber Glenn 13th.
The figure skater with the most combined points after the two events will be crowned the winner.
