Alysa Liu shares honest opinion on quitting sports early and returning to win World Championships

Alysa Liu revealed she was fed up with the sport and wanted to spend time with her family when she announced an early retirement in 2022. She made a comeback last year and is now the first American skater to win the World title in nearly two decades.

Liu made her senior debut at the 2019 US Championships and won her first national title. She went on to defend it the following year before appearing at the 2022 World Championships and Olympics. While Lee won a bronze at the World Championships, she didn't win any medal at the Olympics and retired at the end of the season.

But it wasn't the lack of winning a medal that made her quit. She craved something else.

“Back then, honestly, I really was just a kid wanting to be with my siblings and make memories with them. I hadn’t gone on vacation ever in my life until after I quit skating. So, it’s just human moments that I really craved," she told CNN in an interview.

"I just felt very isolated back then, traveling everywhere for training purposes. And I mean, I knew it had to be done because the Olympics was right around the corner, but it was really hard for me back then."

The 19-year-old further added that she had started to hate training and the sport when everyone around her wanted her to win gold while she craved a normal life.

“When everyone wants you to win gold and all you want to do is be with your friends and family, it’s really hard because you’re doing something not for yourself. And I never really liked training. I didn’t like doing anything hard. I wasn’t living at home at all, and all the traveling, it got me really sick. I just really wanted to be at home and just enjoy hobbies and find myself," Alysa Liu added.

Liu claimed that she cut herself off skating entirely before an impromptu skiing trip to Lake Tahoe with friends during her retirement changed her perspective, and she started loving the sport again. Liu also found her best form yet and is now a world champion - a "wild story" in her own words.

---

Alysa Liu excited to return to Winter Olympics

Alysa Liu at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 - Source: Getty

Speaking during the aforementioned interview with CNN, Alysa Liu confirmed her participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics. The American skater said she was excited to make her second appearance and hopes to give the best performance of her career.

“I’m really excited. I hope I’m there. My first Olympics was really fun, and I thought, why not do another Olympics? And I’m pretty confident in my team moving forward. I think I’m going to be a whole lot better next season. I’m really excited for my own growth,” Alysa Liu said.

“I’m just trying to visualize two awesome programs I can put out. Something I can be proud of that I would love to showcase at the Olympics one day because it’s the biggest stage. It’s the biggest honor.”

On her Olympic debut in 2022, Liu placed eighth after the short program and rose to seventh after the free skate program.