Arriving in her hometown like the U.S. Olympic hero she is, Alysa Liu on Thursday made the post-victory swirl sound both glamourous and somewhat normal.
If there’s been one surprise for the 20-year-old since winning gold in the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February, it’s how famous she’s become — and how fast.
“It’s been crazy how much visibility I have right now,” she said. “Would never have expected that, especially from a figure skater, you know, we don’t really blow up like that.”
Her coping mechanism is decidedly low‑tech.
“It’s really just staying offline,” she said. “Not interested on things I see about me. Clearing my feed. So yeah, my feed is not of me, so I feel normal.”
Alysa Liu speaks to the media during a news conference celebrating her Olympic success at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Thursday. Thousands gathered to honor Liu after her gold medal in women’s figure skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
She hasn’t even been home a full day, she noted, but life in Oakland already feels different.
“Every time I’m out, someone recognizes me,” she said. “So my daily routine is a little bit different, but most people have been really respectful.”
Still sporting her now-famous, black-and-blonde striped hairstyle, she joked that disguises don’t work particularly well anymore.
“I’ve been trying to cover my hair, but people know me by my face too, and that’s weird,” she laughed. “I’m like, you’re only supposed to know me by my hair.”
Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu dances and take the stage with TurfInc Dancers during a rally celebrating her at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Thursday. Thousands came out to honor Liu for her success at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Liu sat down with local and national media at City Hall for a news conference and then went outside the hall to greet thousands of wildly enthusiastic fans for a packed, sun‑splashed rally in downtown Oakland.
Liu won the gold medal in the Women’s Singles figure skating event, as well as taking gold in the team event. Originally from Oakland, she became the first American woman to win individual figure skating gold in 24 years.
Answering questions, Liu said she wanted to skate at the world championships this year — really wanted to.
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee introduces Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu during a rally at the Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Thursday. Thousands came out to honor Liu for her gold medal in Women’s Ice Skating at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
“Not just because I like to compete,” she said, “but also because so many people are doing worlds, and (it’s) probably going to be a lot of their last competitions, and so I want to be there just like final goodbye and stuff like that.”
Then reality — and adulthood — cut in.
“There’s so many commitments I have and activities that are overlapping with worlds,” she said, “Also, I don’t have much time training, so I was like, ‘I can’t, I can’t be doing worlds.’ I don’t think I would be able to put out my best performance.”
Tammy Mah Ung, Kenny Jong and April Salazar cheer during a celebration rally or Alysa Liu at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Thursday. Thousands came out to honor Liu for her Gold Medal in Women’s Ice Skating at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Suddenly a global star, Liu is trying to make big-girl decisions while keeping her sanity.
“I got to show my programs already on the biggest stage, so I feel satisfied with that,” she said.
Liu knows that for many fans — especially Asian American kids — she’s become more than an athlete.
“Representation matters so much,” she said. “We don’t really realize it, but having one person is kind of all you need sometimes. So I’m always so grateful and just honored that I could be that for some people, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Liu, who is half Chinese and grew up in a fully Chinese household, lit up when asked about her background.
A member of a crowd of thousands holds a picture of Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu during a celebration in her honor at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland on Thursday. PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
“I love being half Chinese, and both my parents are actually full Chinese, so raised in a complete Chinese household,” she said. “It shaped a lot of who I am today. And, I mean, I love it. Come on, the food’s so good. And I love the parties — Chinese parties, guys, they’re really good. We’re big on family, which I love. So it’s definitely a positive.”
Before her Olympic title, Liu walked away from elite competition for roughly two years — a move that has since been framed as part of a broader conversation about athletes needing breaks for their mental health.
“Taking breaks are really important,” she said. “But for me, it wasn’t even really a break. It was just shifting and doing something different, which I think is equally as important.”
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 3:30 PM.
The Sacramento Bee
David Caraccio is a video producer for The Sacramento Bee who was born and raised in Sacramento. He is a graduate of San Diego State University and a longtime journalist who has worked for newspapers as a reporter, editor, page designer and digital content producer.