Who Is the Team USA Olympic Figure Skater?

Why Did Alysa Liu Retire From Figure Skating After the Winter Olympics 2022?

Although Alysa said she “felt good” looking back at her accomplishments, her relationship with ice skating was complicated. In fact, she admitted to Elle that she doesn’t remember much of her early career, which she attributed to “trauma, definitely, 100 percent.”

Since stepping onto the ice as a child, she recalled having little autonomy in most aspects of her life.

“I didn’t enjoy skating back then because I didn’t make my own programs, I didn’t design my own dresses—I was just following orders,” she explained. “Ever since I was a kid, I was told stuff like, ‘Don’t eat that.’ You can’t drink water even, because of water weight.”

Her feelings came to a head during the Covid pandemic, when she felt burnt out and lonelier than ever amid training.

“I lived everywhere but at home for a bit, and I grew to hate figure skating,” she said. “All I wanted was to be with my family and friends at home, and live like a normal teenage girl.”

“I felt like I was missing life all for this skating career that I didn’t even care about,” she added. “I didn’t really have a dream of my own, except to be at home.”

With historic achievements under her belt, Alysa was ready to say goodbye to the ice rink.