Alysa Liu will sit out the 2026-27 figure skating season “to recalibrate” and “fine-tune things”
“I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve,” she said
Liu reassured fans she will return for the 2027-28 season and will cheer on her teammates in the meantime
Alysa Liu is sitting out the upcoming competition season.
The 21-year-old Olympic gold medalist announced her plan to skip the 2026-27 season in a Tuesday, Aug. 25, Instagram post. She was assigned and expected to compete in the upcoming International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating.
“While people are announcing programs, imma take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season,” Liu wrote. “I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve.”
She explained that “it’s important” to her that her competition reflects her “personal growth,” and she’ll take time away “to recalibrate” and “fine-tune things.”
Liu reassured fans that she will return for the 2027-28 season, writing, “So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See yall soon!!”
Alysa Liu on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Credit: Tang Xinyu/VCG via Getty
She opened up about her decision in an interview with NBC Sports, elaborating that she plans to focus on her “overall artistry,” from spins and jumps, and more.
“I really want to improve my skating, and I wanted to take the time to do that for myself and just to evolve, and then I’ll be back after that is done,” Liu told the outlet in the article published Tuesday, adding that she plans to continue cheering on her teammates.
“Logically and emotionally and physically, this just makes the most sense,” she said, later adding, “I just felt this was right. So I’m trusting my instincts.”
The Olympian noted that she spoke with her coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali about the decision.
“I came to them, and they totally understood where I was coming from,” Liu told NBC Sports. “I did have to explain a little bit, but they didn’t think I needed to justify my reason for it or anything. So it was really chill.”
She confessed that while she’ll miss seeing the international competitors at all the international competitions, she’ll be coming back and knows there will be more in the future.
Liu’s Olympic teammates, gold medalists Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn, will return to compete for the U.S. for the 2026-27 season, along with Olympic bronze medalist Jason Brown and pairs Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov and Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik.
Liu’s announcement comes over a month after she won the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete on July 15. The other nominees were Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, Las Vegas Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza and San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini.
During her acceptance speech, Liu touched on her career in the sport, which began at 5 years old.
“I had some really rough times in it, I took two years off,” she said. “So, for me, this really feels like I broke through in my own way, for myself, and for my sport.”
Alysa Liu attends the 2026 ESPY Awards on July 15, 2026 in New York City.
Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty
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Liu retired at age 16 due to burnout, after competing at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. However, she returned years later at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics in February.
In Milan, she made history by winning gold in both the Women’s Singles and the Mixed Team event, becoming the first woman on Team USA to earn an individual gold medal since Sarah Hughes in 2002.
“My goal is always to share my story and to connect with people,” Liu told PEOPLE after her historic victories. “To have my experiences, turn them into a performance, and have my emotions be a part of that and get people to feel something.”
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