Figure Skater Alysa Liu Discusses Monumental Comeback After World Championship Win

Alysa Liu’s comeback story appears to already be one for the ages! The 19-year-old took home a World Figure Skating Championship title on Friday after announcing a return to competition only a year ago from retirement. The Olympian, who was youngest woman ever to win a U.S. Championship title at 13, had initially retired from skating when she was just 16 years old. The figure skater’s 2025 world championship win is also significant for another reason, as it places her as the first American woman to win a world championship figure skating title in nearly two decades. Speaking with the “TODAY” show on March 31 alongside men’s world champion Ilia Malinin, the 19-year-old discussed her return to the ice. “It was actually harder to come back than it was to leave. I had my retirement planned out a year in advance, but I did think a lot about whether I really wanted to come back or not, just because, I wanted to do what was right for me and for my future. But I think I definitely made the right choice,” she revealed. Plus, Malinin shared what it felt like to be a back-to-back world champion. “I feel a lot more relieved. You know, being able to come back and to defend my title, it really means a lot to me. I really put all the hours and all the effort into just try this, and I’m really glad and so happy for my skate,” he said.