Alysa Liu wasn’t trying to win a medal in the women’s figure skating free skate at the Winter Olympics, but yet, she earned gold.
Liu, who has staged one of the most incredible Olympic comebacks after retiring from her sport and returning two years later, performed simply for herself, but she did it with the whole world watching.
“I’m only here because I like it,” she told reporters ahead of her skate.
That mentality may have been what brought Liu to the top of the standings — her effortless performance filled with joy and ease unmatched by any other skater on Olympic ice.
“The joy, the passion, and she’s figured out how to compete without carrying the weight of it,” Olympic gold medalist and Tara Lipinski said during the performance. “So loose and completely herself out there… that’s a secret every athlete wants to solve.”
The 20-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area, who had walked away from the sport after the Beijing Games four years ago only to launch a remarkable comeback, finished with a career-best 226.79 points.
Her score secured the U.S.’ first women’s figure skating medal in 20 years — and then some.
The U.S. has not had a woman medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006. It has not had a gold since Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
“I’ve never seen a comeback like it and I’ve never seen someone withstand pressure like Alysa Liu,” Lipinski said.
Watch below:
Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old.
Liu’s blond-and-brunette striped hair, prominent frenulum piercing and nonconformist aura have made her a hero of the alt, punk and emo crowd.
Liu’s free skate performance rocked the standings, leaving the crowd roaring and on its feet. She jumped with excitement as she exited the ice.
“That was so good,” she said as she awaited her score.
“She really couldn’t have done better,” Lipinski said.
The performance upstaged Japanese rivals Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai, who entered the free skate atop the standings.
Nakai and Sakamoto, skating right behind her, each made a mistake on a combination sequence, and that made the difference in the medals.
Sakamoto had 224.90 points to earn a silver to go with her bronze from Beijing. Nakai finished third with 219.16 points.
Where to watch women’s figure skating at the Olympics?
The medal event will re-air at 7 p.m. CT and 8:30 p.m. CT.
WATCH: Winter Olympics Primetime
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