A 20-year-old American figure skater from the Bay Area emerged as the darling of the 2026 Winter Olympics, soaring to an individual gold medal and capturing the imagination of a generation of fans.
The year was 1992, and the site was Albertville, France. Team USA’s Kristi Yamaguchi, the reigning world champion, turned in a near-flawless performance to claim the gold.
If that sounds familiar, it should. Alysa Liu, a 20-year-old from the Bay Area and the reigning world champion, won gold at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. She also helped Team USA to a gold medal in the team skating event.
MORE: Olympic champ Alysa Liu calls out fans for invasive behavior
Liu talked about her close relationship with Yamaguchi during an interview with PEOPLE. Yamaguchi served as a nurturing supporter during Liu’s early career and backed her when she returned to the sport after a brief retirement. The pair both trained at Oakland’s St. Moritz Ice Skating Club.
“I love her, she’s always been really supportive of me and there was this event I went to where she was like, ‘if you can’t find anyone and you need somewhere to be I’ll be right over here’. She’s so nice,” Liu said, per the X account Alysa Liu Updates
Liu began skating at age 3 and won a national title by the age of 13, according to PEOPLE. After finishing sixth in the singles competition at the 2022 Beijing Games, Liu announced her retirement, citing burnout. She returned two years later, reenergized and prepared to reclaim her love of the sport.
Yamaguchi said she could tell the journey made Liu a better, more grounded skater.
“She’s a young woman now, and I think she’s taken ownership of what she’s doing, her path and how she’s going about her skating journey this time,” Yamaguchi said in an interview with NBC Bay Area during the Olympics.
“I think having that control and really, really knowing that, ‘Hey, these decisions are mine, and I’m going to be accountable for them,’ has really given her an amazing confidence. She still has that effervescent joy that she always did as a young skater, but now there’s a maturity and a lot of heart and emotion that comes out in her skating as well.”
Kristi Yamaguchi (USA) on the podium after the women’s individual competition during the 1992 Albertville Olympics at Halle Olympique. Yamaguchi won the gold medal. Mandatory Credit: MPS-Imagn Images
Between public appearances to celebrate her gold medal, Liu is training to defend her crown at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships from March 25-29 in Prague. She and other American Olympic figure skaters will perform in the Stars on Ice tour this spring.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
NFL: 5 most overrated NFL free agents hitting the market in 2026
MLB: What drug did Jurickson Profar take? MLB announces PED use
SPORTS MEDIA: Stephen A. Smith bashes underwhelming NBA star as ‘food addict’
VIRAL: NBC delivers epic nostalgia with ‘Throwback Tuesday’ NBA broadcast
WORLD CUP: Will Iran compete in the 2026 World Cup? Donald Trump weighs in
WNBA: Players, union leaders divided, claims letter from 2-time MVP and 4-time All-Star
