Olympic skating star Alysa Liu makes decision on future after Donald Trump snubbing
Olympic skating star Alysa Liu makes decision on future after Donald Trump snubbing
Rory RobinsonThu, August 27, 2026 at 10:41 PM UTC
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Alysa Liu is stepping away from competition for the upcoming ice skating season -Credit:Getty
Alysa Liu has spent months after the Milan Winter Olympics learning just how quickly a gold medal can propel an athlete from a highly respected niche sport into megastardom.
The 21-year-old will take a well-deserved break and even skip out on a trip to the White House after countless fashion weeks, red carpets, TV cameos, interviews, and millions of new followers gained that seemingly never end.
The Team USA star announced this week that she will sit out the entire 2026-27 competitive campaign while continuing to train via an Instagram post. She posted a silhouette image of herself stretching on a scenic high coastal overlook while sharing her plans to return for 2027-28. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour banned a player before their innovative plans begin next season.
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The reigning Olympic and world champion said the break is designed to let her recalibrate, improve her artistry, and continue developing her spins and jumps without the immediate pressure of another full season.
"While people are announcing programs, imma take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season. I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve," she wrote.
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"It’s important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I’m gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot. So fear not, I’ll be back, & in the meantime I’ll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See y'all soon."
Alysa Liu announces stepping away from competition -Credit:Instagram @alysaxliu
The decision comes months after Liu reportedly declined an invitation to visit Donald Trump's White House with other Team USA athletes following her two gold medals in Milan. Her family's outspoken political history led fans to think the choice was deliberate.
Liu later said her decision was driven by scheduling, health, and family priorities rather than politics. She was already committed to the Stars on Ice tour and other post-Olympic obligations like several Team USA women's hockey stars.
Fellow American gold medalist Amber Glenn also declined the White House visit along with Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik. Her schedule since Milan helps explain why another full competitive season could be draining.
Glenn and Liu both won medals and declined White House invites -Credit:Getty
Liu attended the Met Gala, appeared at Paris Fashion Week for Louis Vuitton, walked the ESPYs red carpet, and won Best Breakthrough Athlete.
She also shared moments with Taylor Swift, appeared in a Laufey music video, and popped up on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Liu has been featured in interviews with Rolling Stone, 60 Minutes, Allure, US Figure Skating and more.
Her Instagram exploded from around 300,000 hardcore ice skating fans to more than seven million after the Olympics, turning an already decorated skater into one of Team USA's biggest breakout personalities.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
