The City of Oakland is holding a celebration rally for “hometown hero” and two-time Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu on Thursday.<\/p>\n
At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Liu became the first U.S. woman in 24 years to win an individual gold medal in figure skating<\/a>. She also won gold in the team figure skating event.<\/p>\n Liu, who grew up in Oakland, trained at the Oakland Ice Center and became the youngest women’s champion in history at the age of 13, before suddenly retiring following the 2022 Olympics. \u00a0<\/p>\n “This rally is a celebration not just of an extraordinary champion, but of everything our community represents: grit, excellence, and the belief that Oakland always punches above its weight,” said Mayor Barbara Lee when the rally was announced last wek.<\/p>\n Where and when is the celebration rally for Alysa Liu?<\/p>\n The Welcome Home Celebration Rally will be held at Frank Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall and is scheduled to begin at noon. Doors will open at 9 a.m. The rally is expected to end at 1:30 p.m.<\/p>\n “At Alysa’s request, she chose not to have a parade. Instead, she asked for a celebration that shines a light on Oakland’s vibrant community and talented local artists,” said a statement from Visit Oakland, which is helping organize the rally.<\/p>\n Do I need a ticket?<\/p>\n It is a free event, but requires a valid ticket for entry.\u00a0<\/p>\n Will Alysa Liu be speaking at the event?<\/p>\n As part of the rally, Liu will be addressing the crowd, organizers said. <\/p>\n How can I watch?<\/p>\n CBS News Bay Area will provide streaming coverage of the rally on our website<\/a>, Paramount+, Pluto, and on the free CBS News app. Coverage begins at 11 a.m.<\/p>\n