Olympic Champion Alysa Liu to Sit Out 2026-27 Season
AI-generated image · US National Wire
The 21-year-old American skater will continue training with her Bay Area coaches while stepping away from competition to focus on artistic evolution.
Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu has announced she will sit out the 2026-27 figure skating season, as first reported by The Guardian. The 21-year-old American intends to return to competition for the 2027-28 season.
Liu shared the decision via social media, stating that she needs time to "recalibrate" and develop her skating without the pressures of competition. In a statement, Liu noted that it is important for her sport to reflect her personal growth and that she wants to challenge herself to evolve her artistry and skating.
Despite the hiatus from competition, Liu told NBC Sports that she will continue training. She plans to maintain her partnership with her longtime Bay Area coaches, Massimo Scali and Phillip DiGuglielmo, focusing on jumps, spins, and overall artistry. Liu told NBC Sports that stepping away was the right choice after assessing her physical and emotional state over the summer, adding that the decision "makes the most sense" logically and emotionally. DiGuglielmo and Scali have expressed their support for the move.
The decision comes after a period of significant success and high-profile visibility. In February, Liu won the Olympic women's singles gold in Milan—the first American woman to do so since Sarah Hughes in 2002—and secured gold in the Olympic team competition. She also won a world championship in 2025, becoming the first American woman to win that title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Following her Olympic victory, Liu engaged in several public appearances, including a homecoming celebration in Oakland where Mayor Barbara Lee presented her with a key to the city. She also attended the Met Gala and Louis Vuitton's Paris Fashion Week show and performed on the Stars on Ice tour. Because of her decision to sit out the season, Liu will no longer compete at Skate America, which was scheduled for November 13-15 in Everett, Washington.
Liu's career has been marked by unconventional paths. After becoming the youngest U.S. women's champion at age 13, she retired at 16 following a sixth-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, citing burnout. After studying psychology at UCLA and spending time away from the rink, she mounted a comeback focused on personal agency over her training, diet, and costumes. This approach eventually led to her recent Olympic and world titles.