Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu has withdrawn from the world championships later this month, a widely expected decision for the defending titleholder following her historic gold medal performance at the Milan Cortina Games.
Liu’s victory last month marked the first Olympic gold medal by an American woman in more than two decades, since Sarah Hughes stood atop the podium in 2002.
The 20-year-old had already reclaimed the world title in Boston last year—the first for a U.S. woman since Kimmie Meissner in 2006—capping a remarkable comeback after retiring following the 2022 Beijing Games.
The world championships are set to begin March 24 at Prague’s O2 Arena. Liu would have competed alongside Olympic teammates Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito.
Bradie Tennell, the first alternate, declined the spot, clearing the way for Sarah Everhardt to join the U.S. team in Liu’s place.
Liu’s withdrawal, while unsurprising given the grueling Olympic season, officially closes a triumphant chapter that saw her return from retirement to capture both world and Olympic gold within a 13-month span.
By James Kisoo
