This is an editorial pick, not a submission — Talmyn’s own research into a season we think tells a genuine story, published as part of our ongoing Talmyn Athlete of the Year coverage.
Alysa Liu made her Olympic debut at 16 at the 2022 Winter Games, and not long after, retired from competitive figure skating. She returned to the sport in 2024, saying she’d rediscovered her love for skating — including the creative side of it, from music selection to choreography and costume design, that she’d lost interest in before stepping away.
Why she made this list
The specific arc here is what makes it worth featuring: a voluntary retirement at a young age, followed by a comeback built on reconnecting with the parts of the sport that had burned her out the first time, not just a return to competing. That approach produced results quickly — she became world champion in 2025, a year after returning, and then won individual Olympic gold at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games, becoming the first American woman to win an individual Olympic figure skating title in 24 years. She also helped the U.S. team win gold in the team event at the same Games.
The specific competition detail worth noting: Liu entered the free skate in third place, behind two Japanese skaters, and moved into first with a near-flawless final program that scored a career best — a genuine come-from-behind performance under Olympic pressure, not a comfortable front-runner’s win.
Talmyn’s Athlete of the Year coverage looks for a season with a real, specific story behind the result, not just a medal count. Liu’s path — stepping away, coming back on her own terms, and winning from behind at the Olympics — is a clear example.
