More than a thousand boisterous fans packed Frank Ogawa Plaza on Thursday as Oakland celebrated hometown Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu.
When Mayor Barbara Lee presented the 20-year-old figure skater with the key to the city, she reminded the crowd: “She trained right here in Oakland, at the Oakland Ice Center. Her father and family work here in Chinatown, and they’re here today.”
As Liu took the stage, with her signature black-and-gold-striped hair and dressed in a simple black top and gray pants, she looked out over the crowd and said, “This is crazy!”
Liu, a gold medalist at last month’s Winter Olympics in Milan, continued: “I love Oakland! I’ve been here all my life. … I could not be more proud to represent Oakland on the big stage, the Olympics. I want to thank you all for the love and support.”
Live press conference @oakland City Hall with @Olympics figure-akating gold medalist Alysa Liu. @OakTribNews @EastBayTimes @mercnews pic.twitter.com/EJ8hLRV9bt
— Tyska (@Tyska) March 12, 2026
The rally for Liu got underway at noon in Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza, with Bay Area star athletes from Steph Curry to Kristi Yamaguchi joining in the celebration, along with East Bay hip-hop stars G-Eazy, P-Lo and Jwalt and throngs of local fans.
In a video statement, Golden State Warriors star Curry, who won a gold medal for basketball at the 2024 Summer Olympics, said: “From one gold medal winner to another, congratulations.”
Yamaguchi, the Fremont-raised winner of an Olympic figure-skating gold medal in 1992, took the stage to say, “Every time I’ve watched Alysa skate there’s always been a giant smile on my face, and I’m glad the world got to see that as well.
“Believe me, she is a gamer; she knows how to compete,” Yamaguchi continued. “But greatness is not about medals, it’s about character, respect and love for the sport.”
Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, center, speaks about Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu, left, as Oakland’s undefeated world champion boxer and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, right center, and Oakland-born radio and television host Sway Calloway look on during Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman in 24 years to win Olympic gold in figure skating. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
During a press conference ahead of the rally, Liu pondered the unique level of global fame she’s achieved since dazzling the world with her gorgeous, joy-filled free skate at the Olympics, a performance that Lee said was “fearless, focused and fully herself.”
Throughout Thursday’s event, Liu was praised for having courage, confidence and self-awareness to step away from her sport four years ago because the single-minded focus on training had made it impossible for her to just enjoy life as a teenager. She returned to the sport in 2024 with what she felt was a healthier outlook.
Now that she’s back home, the sports phenom admitted that she’s had to deal with being recognized whenever she goes out. “Every time I’m out, someone recognizes me … but most people have been really respectful, so I’ve been grateful for that,” Liu said.
“I’ve been trying to cover my hair, but people know me by my face, too, and that’s weird!” she said, laughing. “I’m like, ‘You’re only supposed to know me by my hair!’”
Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu holds up her Olympic medals as she acknowledges the crowd during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Liu responded to questions about what it meant to grow up in the East Bay, raised by her attorney father. “I like to think my environment did shape me, because this is such a great place,” she said.
She also offered a message to young people who see her as a role model and want to follow in her footsteps. “It will take a lot of grit, determination and willpower,” Liu said. “But my generation already has a lot of willpower, so I don’t think I need to give them advice. They already have it.”
During the rally, the athlete received congratulations from a slate of local luminaries, including video messages from Warriors Coach Steve Kerr and 1988 Olympic figure skating gold medalist Brian Boitano, who’s from Sunnyvale. San Francisco’s Andre Ward, who won the Olympic gold medal for light heavyweight boxing in 2004, appeared on stage with Yamaguchi to congratulate her.
To Liu’s great delight, her favorite Oakland-raised artist, Grammy-winning R&B singer Kehlani closed out the celebration. Like Liu, Kehlani is an alumna of the Oakland School of the Arts. At one point, the singer called her back on stage, saying, “Can you all make some noise for my GOAT?”
.@kehlani performs during the Alysa Liu @Olympics gold medal celebration in @oakland. @OakTribNews @EastBayTimes @mercnews pic.twitter.com/hGSR6Zv98w
— Tyska (@Tyska) March 12, 2026
Abayomi Lewis, an “American Idol” finalist who is a current student at the school, welcomed Liu and everyone else to the rally with a powerful vocal solo of “MacArthur Park,” the Donna Summer song that the skater chose for her gold-medal-winning free skate.
Jackie Downing, an Alameda resident who arrived more than two hours early for the rally, finds Liu inspiring. “She is marching to the beat of her own drummer, and just seems like a force for positivity and spreading joy,” Downing said. “She’s a great representative of Oakland and an inspiration for the Bay Area.”
Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu dances with TURFinc during a celebratory rally at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The program also included an entertainment lineup that celebrated the Bay Area’s diverse culture, including artists from TURFInc, who got Liu, a self-described hip-hop fan, to join their Bay Area-style street-dancing circle. U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu’s lion dancers honored Liu’s Chinese heritage; her father, Arthur Liu, was a Chinese dissident who came to America following that government’s crackdown on Tiananmen Square protesters.
Since winning the gold medal, Liu has enjoyed her times back in the Bay Area, dropping by a favorite Italian restaurant, Trabocco Kitchen and Cocktails in Alameda. Meanwhile, Fentons Creamery in Oakland created a new ice cream flavor in her honor, and Children’s Fairyland temporarily rebranded itself “Children’s FairyLiu.”
While Liu has decided to withdraw from the world championships later this month in Prague, Bay Area fans will get the opportunity to see her hit the ice May 17. She joins fellow American stars Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito as headliners for the annual Stars on Ice, which takes place at SAP Center.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee waves a towel rally before presenting the Key to the City of Oakland to Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Attendees cheer during Alysa Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Valkyries president Jess Smith, center, and mascot Violet present the Golden State Warriors and Golden State Valkeries jerseys to Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
People cheer during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Two-time Grammy winner, Oakland artist and Oakland School of the Arts alumna,
Kehlani, performs as Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu looks on during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
A large crowd gathers for a rally and celebration of Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Ellie Fenno, 11, of San Francisco, hoists a sign during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Oakland School for the Arts student Abayomi Lewis sings “MacArthur Park” — the song Olympic gold-medal figure skater Alysa Liu performed to at the Olympics — during Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman in 24 years to win Olympic gold in figure skating. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Daisy Johnston, of Oakland, and Naturelle Heminger, of Berkeley, from left, cheer during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu, left, reacts during a Q&A session with Oakland-born radio and television host Sway Calloway as part of her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman in 24 years to win Olympic gold in figure skating. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
People cheer during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Congresswoman Lateefah Simon speaks during Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Golden State Valkyries mascot Violet, left, greets Savannah Shange, center, and her daughter Harriet Shange-Watkins, 11, of Oakland, during the start of Alicia Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The mother and daughter made the wigs in honor of Olympian gold medallist Alysa Liu. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu dances with TURFinc during a celebratory rally at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
People applaud during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Attendees wear wigs matching Alysa Liu’s hairstyle during the Alysa Liu Celebration Rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman in 24 years to win Olympic gold in figure skating. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu, middle, dances as TURFinc Dancers perform during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
People shield themselves from the sun with posters during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
People display their signs during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Harriet Shange-Watkins, 11, and her mother, Savannah Shange of Oakland, have their picture taken with Golden State Valkyries mascot Violet before the start of Alysa Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The mother and daughter made the wigs in honor of Olympian gold medallist Alysa Liu. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Olympic figure skating gold medalist Alysa Liu speaks during a press conference at Oakland City Hall before a celebratory rally in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
People display their signs during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu and traditional dragon dancers from Oakland Chinatown perform a celebratory dance honoring Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu as part of her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
People cheer during a celebration for Olympic double gold medal figure skater Alysa Liu at City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Both Kehlani and Liu went to Oakland School for the Arts. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Attendees cheer with their hands up during Alysa Liu’s celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman in 24 years to win Olympic gold in figure skating. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
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Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee waves a towel rally before presenting the Key to the City of Oakland to Olympic gold medalist figure skater Alysa Liu during her celebration rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. Liu became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in the figure skating category in 24 years. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)