US Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu has announced she’s retiring at the age of just 16, having said she’s finally ‘done’ with her goals in the sport.
The world bronze medallist started skating at the tender age of five, and went on to win her first US title at 13 before making her Olympic debut in Beijing earlier this year.
Now, however, she's retiring from the sport after just over a decade in figure skating, saying she has made 'many good memories' and feels 'satisfied' with her career.
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In an Instagram post, Liu wrote: “Heyyyyy so I’m here to announce that I am retiring from skating. I started skating when I was 5 so that’s about 11 years on the ice and it’s been an insane 11 years.
“A lot of good and a lot of bad but [you know] that’s just how it is. I’ve made so many friends, and so so sooo many good memories that I’ll have for the rest of my life. I honestly never thought I would’ve accomplished as much as I did LMAOO I’m so happy. I feel so satisfied with how my skating career has gone.
“Now that I’m finally done with my goals in skating I’m going to be moving on with my life. [Right now] I’m probably just gonna spend all my spare time with my family and friends; and I’m also going to study [you know what I mean?]
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“But [for real] this skating thing has taught me a lot more about life than I anticipated. I’m really glad I skated.”
Liu, from Richmond in California, won her first US title in 2019, when she was just 13 – in turn breaking Tara Lipinski’s record to become the youngest national champion.
A press release from Team USA explained how the young athlete was able to defend her title one year later, this time with 'two triple axels as well as the first quad jump by a woman at the US championships'.
It continued: "In a sport where those big four-rotation jumps were quickly becoming essential to be competitive on the international level, Liu appeared well positioned to break through and become just the second American woman to medal at the world championships since 2007.
"However, due to age restrictions she was not allowed to compete at the senior international level until the Olympic season in 2021-22."
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Liu had to miss the 2022 US Championships due to a positive Covid test, but later arrived in Beijing to make her Olympic debut – landing 'seven triple jumps, including two triple-triple combinations, during her joyful free skate at Capital Indoor Stadium', leaving her in seventh place.
Team USA added: "A little over a month after her Olympic debut, Liu skated a clean long program at the world championships in France to claim third place. That made her the first US woman to medal at a global figure skating championship since Ashley Wagner won silver at the 2016 worlds. Prior to Wagner, no US woman had reached the individual podium at the world championships or Olympics since 2006."
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Topics: Sport