{"id":185362,"date":"2026-02-20T00:49:20","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T00:49:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/185362\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T00:49:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T00:49:20","slug":"oaklands-alysa-liu-wins-gold-and-everyone-wants-in-on-the-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/185362\/","title":{"rendered":"Oakland\u2019s Alysa Liu wins gold, and everyone wants in on the celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want more ways to catch up on the latest in Bay Area sports? Sign up for the <\/a>Section 415 email newsletter here<\/a> and subscribe to the \u201cSection 415\u201d podcast <\/a>wherever you listen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Four years ago, Oakland\u2019s Alysa Liu announced her retirement from figure skating with an Instagram post proclaiming she was \u201cfinally done with her goals\u201d in the sport.<\/p>\n

So much for that.<\/p>\n

1 day ago<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

5 days ago<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Tuesday, Feb. 10<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

Homeschooled through the California Connections Academy, Liu became the youngest national champion ever when she won the 2019 women\u2019s singles title as a 13-year-old. She nearly missed the 2022 Olympics in Beijing due to a positive Covid-19 test at the U.S. championships but was able to compete and finished eighth in the short program.<\/p>\n

When Liu abruptly retired at 16 in April 2022, she wrote on social media, in a post that has since been deleted, \u201cThis skating thing has taught me a lot more about life than I anticipated. I\u2019m really glad I skated.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nearly two years later, U.S. figure skating issued a press release announcing Liu\u2019s return to the ice. On Thursday, she delivered a performance that had everyone \u2014 and everything \u2014 eager to say they knew her when.<\/p>\n

A day before the event, Oakland\u2019s Marshawn Lynch appeared on NBC and told Liu to \u201cBring that [gold] back to The Town, man. Town business. Show \u2019em what you talking about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even before her gold medal, Liu had drawn plenty of attention at the Olympics, as her unique hairstyle and frenulum piercing generated headlines in outlets that don\u2019t traditionally cover sports. Liu said her stripey hairstyle (opens in new tab)<\/a> was inspired by a desire to \u201ckind of want to be a tree.\u201d She told reporters she gave herself the frenulum piercing, with the help of her sister, who held open her lip.<\/p>\n

No matter what Liu does next, there\u2019s one look she\u2019ll always be associated with: a gold medal around her neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n