Victorious Olympic figure skater, Alysa Liu, has opted out of the global championships slated for the end of this month. This was an anticipated decision for the reigning champion, especially after she secured the first Winter Games gold medal for an American woman in over two decades.
Scheduled to commence on March 24 at Prague’s O2 Arena, Liu had been set to skate alongside her fellow Olympians, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito. Bradie Tennell, initially the primary substitute, declined the invitation, leading to Sarah Everhardt stepping in to fill Liu’s spot on the American squad.
Twenty-year-old Liu, having withdrawn from competition after the 2022 Beijing Games only to orchestrate a triumphant return two years later, made history last year in Boston. She became the first American woman since Kimmie Meissner in 2006 to secure the global championship title. The previous month at the Milan Cortina Games, she then went on to claim the first Olympic gold medal for a U.S. woman since Sarah Hughes in 2002, ascending to the highest step on the winners’ platform.
From Italy, Liu indeed secured a pair of gold medals. She collaborated with Glenn to assist the U.S. in safeguarding its Olympic team championship.
Liu has rapidly risen to prominence, a phenomenon attributable not just to her athletic triumphs but equally to her demeanor and distinct style. Previously fatigued by the sport’s demands, she re-emerged with a renewed, carefree perspective. This optimistic aura proved greatly advantageous during the demanding circumstances of the Winter Olympics.
It is typical for Olympians to forego the ensuing global tournaments. Given that the competitive period is sufficiently extended, with initial competitions commencing in autumn’s early days, many opt to commence their break prematurely, especially following the demands of participating in the Winter Games.
Other notable individuals who have also pulled out of the international championships include Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the victorious Olympic pairs duo from Japan; Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, the pairs team that contributed to securing team bronze for Italy, the organizing nation; and Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx, who has experienced a season plagued by physical setbacks and concluded in the fourteenth position in the female category at the Milan Cortina Games.