Alysa Liu hasn’t even graduated from high school yet, but the Team USA athlete has already announced her retirement from figure skating.
Just two months after finishing seventh at the 2022 Olympics and a month after winning the bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships in France, Liu announced that she has achieved everything she set out to achieve in the sport.
“I’m here to announce that I’m retiring from skating,” Liu wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday. “I am so happy with how my skating career has gone. Now that I’m finally done with my goals in skating, I’ll move on with my life… this skating thing has taught me a lot more about life than I expected. I’m really glad I went ice skating.”
Liu has had an impressive career in her 11 years on the ice. At age 13, she became the youngest woman to win a US national senior title. Just a year later, in 2020, Liu defended her title as the youngest two-time national champion. In Beijing, she was the youngest of the three women to represent the United States in the women’s individual competition, along with Mariah Bell and Karen Chen.
On Saturday, Alysa Liu announced her retirement from competitive figure skating.AP
The 16-year-old has become known for her impressive repertoire on the ice. Liu became the first American junior to successfully land a quadruple jump in one program, and she was the first woman to successfully land both a triple axel and a quad in the same routine.
“It’s been a crazy 11 years,” Liu wrote. “I honestly never thought I would achieve as much as LMAOO, I’m so happy.”
Liu’s Olympic journey has been fraught with controversy both on and off the ice. Russian competitor Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance, but was allowed to compete anyway.
In addition, Liu and her father, a former political refugee, were reportedly being watched by the Chinese government. Liu’s father Arthur has previously spoken out against the Chinese Communist Party. During the Olympics, the duo was always at the side of escorts.
At the 2022 Olympics, Liu placed seventh in the women’s individual competition.AP
Still, Liu’s retirement post reflected her positive experiences with ice skating and all that she will appreciate about her time as a competitive figure skater.
“I made so many friends and so many good memories that I will have for the rest of my life,” Liu wrote. “[Right now]I’ll probably just spend all my free time with my family and friends; and I will also study.”
“But [for real] This skating thing taught me a lot more about life than I expected. I’m really glad I went ice skating.”