In the world of figure skating, most people are considered “old” by their early twenties. This is why it was such a shock when Alysa Liu, the youngest U.S. women’s champion in history, announced her retirement at only 16 years old. She had just finished the 2022 Olympics and won a bronze medal at the World Championships. She seemed to be at the top of her game, but she said she was done. Now, after two years away from the sport to live a “normal” life, Liu is back for the 2025-2026 season. Her return is exciting for fans, but the U.S. team she is coming back to looks a lot different than the one she left
When Liu first started winning titles at age 13, she was known for doing jumps that most other American women couldn’t do, like the triple axel and the quadruple Lutz. But being a child prodigy is exhausting. After the Beijing Olympics, Liu admitted she was burnt out and wanted to spend time with friends and go to school. Her break seems to have worked. Since announcing her comeback in 2024, she looks a lot happier on the ice. She isn’t doing as many quads now, but her skating looks smoother and more mature. She told reporters that she came back because she actually missed the sport, not because she felt forced to do it.
While Liu was gone, other American women stepped up to lead the team. Isabeau Levito has been the biggest standout. Levito won the U.S. Championship in 2023 and took home a silver medal at the 2024 World Championships. She doesn’t focus as much on the huge jumps as Liu used to, but her grace and “ballet-style” skating have made her a favorite with the judges. For a while, she was the clear number-one skater in the country.
Another skater who has made a big impact is Amber Glenn. Glenn won the 2024 National title at age 24, which is pretty rare for women’s skating. She is known for her power and for being one of the few Americans who can still land a triple axel. Having skaters like Levito and Glenn at the top means that the U.S. is no longer just relying on one person. Instead of all the pressure being on Liu, there is now a whole group of women who can win medals.
The race for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina is tough. The U.S. only gets three spots for the women’s event. Right now, it looks like it will be a battle between the veteran Liu, the consistent Levito, and the powerful Glenn. There are also younger skaters coming up from the junior levels who might try to grab a spot. This internal competition is actually good for the U.S. because it pushes everyone to get better before they have to face the top skaters from Japan and Europe.
Despite all the pressure, Alysa Liu just made history on February 19, 2026, by becoming the first American woman to win individual Olympic gold in 24 years. She accomplished that by purely having fun. Her total score for the competition is 226.79. Liu jumped into first place, past Chiba and Amber Glenn of the United States.
In conclusion, Alysa Liu’s return to skating is one of the biggest stories of the year, but she isn’t the only one to watch anymore. By taking a break, she saved herself from totally hating the sport and came back with a better attitude. At the same time, skaters like Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn proved that American skating is in good hands. As we get closer to the next Olympics, the U.S. team looks stronger than ever because it has a mix of experienced veterans and new stars.
Lang, J. (2026, February 19). Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games
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