Alysa Liu is an American figure skater who became one of the most phenomenal prodigies in the sport and then wrote one of the most compelling stories behind its comebacks. Liu was only 13 years old when she became the youngest U.S. women’s national champion in history.
She made headlines when she became the first American woman to land a quadruple jump in international competition. She left competitive skating at the age of 16 in 2022, then shocked the skating world with a comeback that saw her win a gold medal in the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Alysa Liu Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Alysa Liu |
| Birth Date: | August 8, 2005 |
| Age: | 20 Years |
| Birthplace: | Clovis, California, USA |
| Height: | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) |
| Parents: | Arthur Liu and Yan Qingxin |
| Boyfriend: | – |
Early Life
Alysa Liu was born on 8th August 2005, in Clovis, California. At age five, she started skating at the Oakland Ice Center and was soon showing unusual athletic skills and no fear on the ice. She started training at a young age and had to juggle both studies and official daily training.
Alysa Liu is the firstborn in a family of five children. Her father, Arthur Liu, is an attorney based in the Bay Area and a Chinese political refugee who fled China following the 1989 pro-democracy demonstration. Alysa and her siblings were conceived through anonymous oocyte donors and through gestational surrogacy, a family setup that Liu has proudly admitted to.
Yan Qingxin, the former wife of Arthur Liu, is a legal guardian and very close to her father, Yan, especially after she was raised by him. Liu was an academic success. She dropped out of high school at the age of 15 to concentrate on the 2022 Winter Olympics by enrolling in the California Connections Academy. After her introduction to the Olympics, she went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she combined school with elite sports as part of her recovery stage.
Alysa Liu Career
The rise of Liu was as meteoric. She won her U.S. junior title in 2018 before becoming the youngest winner of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 2019, taking the senior women’s national title at the age of 13 years old. In 2020, she managed to defend her national title and became the representative of a new generation of American skaters.
Alysa Liu was technically a boundary pusher. When she was 13, she was the first American woman ever to get three triple axels in one competition. She was the first American woman to do a quadruple Lutz during international competition at the age of 14. Liu took the medals at the ISU Junior Grand Prix and moved to senior competition as she grew more mature.
In Beijing, 2022, she placed sixth in the women’s singles event, a massive achievement by a teenager skating in the largest skating event. She then won a bronze medal in the World Figure Skating Championship that year.
After only 16 years, Alysa Liu announced her retirement from competitive skating in April 2022, citing emotional exhaustion and wanting to have a life outside of elite sport. Most people were surprised to see her do this, but they respected her greatly. Liu made a comeback in 2024 with a new outlook.
She accentuated the artistry, genuineness, and artistic control and adopted a unique approach, fusing technical accuracy with personalism. Her recovery came fast. In 2025, she won the World Championship, and the message was no longer that she was coming back, but that she was coming back dominating.
Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito are both top U.S. women’s figure skaters and teammates on Team USA for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Liu was instrumental in Team USA winning the team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
She ranked second in the short program segment of the women’s competition, and it assisted the United States in taking the lead on the podium. The win was a personal triumph of historic proportions and cemented her position as one of the most iconic American skaters of her age.
Social Media Presence
Alysa Liu has a firm internet presence. Her Instagram profile, @alysaxliu, has over 724,000 followers. Her posts integrate elements of competition, training videos, travel, and shots of her non-skating life. Liu has spontaneous and authentic social media, unlike other athletes who build highly edited profiles on various social platforms.
She often tells us about her studies at UCLA, friends, music, and travels. In the two years she spent in retirement after skating, she reported on road trips, hiking, a hike to the Everest Base Camp, and time spent experimenting with new hobbies.
Personal Life
Alysa Liu leads a very secretive personal life. No publicly confirmed reports of her being in a romantic relationship exist as of her 2026 Olympic appearance. She has never publicly stated a boyfriend or partner, and her comeback interviews have centered more on her growth, education, friendships, and personal fulfillment. In her 2022-2024 retirement as a competitive athlete, Liu wrote that her focus was on living it up with friends, travel, and experiences beyond the competitive formal framework of elite sport.
Alysa Liu Net Worth
Alysa Liu has built solid wealth through skating success and smart brand deals. Most reports estimate her net worth between $400,000 and $1 million. She earns money from competitions, shows, sponsorships, and media work. Brands partner with her because of her Olympic profile and youth appeal.
Toyota signed her ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics. Nike supports her as she prepares for the 2026 Olympic season. Samsung works with her during major Olympic marketing campaigns. Gillette Venus added her as a brand ambassador in 2026. Prize money from national and international events adds a steady income.
Appearance fees from skating tours and exhibitions also increase her earnings. Training at an elite level costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Costs include coaching, travel, ice time, and custom costumes. Success at a young age helped her secure strong endorsement deals.