From Third to Gold: Alysa Liu’s Free Skate Stuns the Crowd

On a night built for pressure, Alysa Liu delivered something unforgettable.

Coming into the free skate ranked third after the short program, Liu knew she had no room for hesitation. Two strong Japanese contenders stood between her and the top of the podium including defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto. The margin was tight. The stage was set.

Then the music started.

Skating to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park,” Liu performed with a blend of athletic precision and visible joy. Her jumps were clean, her landings steady, and her choreography flowed with confidence. But what truly separated her performance wasn’t just technical execution it was composure. She looked calm. Present. Certain.

When her total score flashed 226.79 she shot up from the kiss-and-cry area, formed a heart with her hands, and mouthed, “I love y’all!” to the crowd. It was a moment of pure emotion, the kind that reminds fans why figure skating is as much art as it is sport.

Sakamoto followed with a strong routine but couldn’t close the gap. The final challenger needed perfection to overtake Liu. A slight mistake midway through proved costly. And just like that, the standings held.

From third place after the short program to standing atop the podium, Liu had done it.

What makes this victory powerful isn’t just the medal it’s the growth. After stepping away from competition in the past and facing intense expectations as a former prodigy, Liu’s performance showed maturity, resilience, and joy in the sport again.

She didn’t just win with points.

She won with presence.

For those who haven’t seen the performance yet, the full free skate is something you need to watch the energy, the reaction, the emotion in real time.

🎥 Watch the full performance here:

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Some moments are better experienced than described. This was one of them.