Alysa Liu, with Olympics on deck, wins another major figure skating title
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Two major titles later, who could argue?
Now 20, Liu won the women’s competition Saturday at the Grand Prix Final, the culminating event of the sport’s annual Grand Prix season, for her second major international prize of the calendar year after also winning gold at the world championships in March.
In a tight competition, the American won with an overall score of 222.49, ahead of two Japanese skaters on home ice in the city of Nagoya. Ami Nakai was second (220.89) and Kaori Sakamoto was third (218.80).
“I’m not gonna lie, I feel a little bit sweaty, a little hot, but I’m feeling pretty good overall,” Liu said after the win.
Liu wasn’t perfect this week. She finished second to Japan’s Mone Chiba after Friday’s short program and had just the third-best free skate score. But Chiba, the leader after the short program, faltered in the free skate, falling on both a triple loop and a triple Salchow early in her routine. Nakai, who was third after the short program, had the second-best free skate, but it wasn’t quite enough to close the gap to Liu.
Sakamoto, a three-time world champion, had the best free skate score overall, but it couldn’t make up for a fifth-place start in the short program after she only performed a double Lutz instead of a triple on the first element.
American Amber Glenn, who last year won this event for the first major title for an American woman in 14 years, finished fourth.
It sets up for an intriguing Olympic women’s competition headlined by the two nations currently dominating the women’s singles rankings. Sakamoto, Chiba, Glenn and Liu are all in the top six, along with American Isabeau Levito and Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova. Russians will also be allowed at the Olympics as Individual Neutral Athletes, and Adeliia Petrosian, considered a medal contender, has already qualified.
The win capped a brilliant Saturday for the Americans at the competition. Ilia Malinin set a world record to come from third place to win the men’s singles and extend his two-year-long unbeaten streak. Also, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won the ice dance for the third straight year. They’ve also won three straight world titles in the event. Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won the pairs competition Friday.
For Liu, the win is the latest achievement in what’s been a remarkable return to the sport. A two-time U.S. champion prior to her retirement, she returned to competition in October 2024 at an event in the Challenger Series — a tier below the Grand Prix events. Five months later, she won gold in Boston at worlds, announcing herself as a major contender for the 2026 Olympics in Milan in February.
“Moments like these made me realize 16-year-old me was so right,” Liu said after her win at worlds. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t decide to retire for a little bit. So I’m glad that I listened to myself.”
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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