Yapping About Alysa Liu's 2026 Olympics

(as a dude who loves watching figure skating)

Written and edited by

Chris Smith

Published on

February 23, 2026

Updated on

February 23, 2026

Part of the

Chill Discussion Series

Introduction

As I write this, the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games are just now coming to a close, and figure skating has claimed its glory over me (but that's for a later time). I was severely behind on most of it, but yesterday night and this morning was my chance to catch up on it all with my mom (who also loves figure skating). So essentially, this Random Rambling is just a chance for me to write down my thoughts on my favorite performance from this year's wave of skating programs — Alysa Liu's fan-favorite Free Program.

Context: What Have I Watched?

A couple months or so ago, my mom and I started watching through all the old programs from Team Tutberidze (Russia/Russian Olympic Comittee) at Beijing 2022, Test Skates, and other performances. I personally loved the technically-challenging Alexndra Trusova, but Kamila Valieva's performances were unlike any other. Also, don't downplay Shcherbakova — her skating deserves a place among the Top Three that I entered this year's Olympics with. On my own, I also watched a video essay series on the drama surrounding Eteri Tutberidze's team, so there's that (go watch these if you wanna know more!). Here are some of the great performances I remember:

More Context: What Did I Enter With?

My friend Logan followed the figure skating events this year, and despite that being surprising to me, he offered some really insightful comments that may or may not have influenced my perception:

Alysa Liu's performance was looser and more fun than any other
Unlike many skaters (who normally try to attempt jumps at the start before they tire out), she spaced jumps throughout

Let's see if he was right:

More Context: What Did I Enter With?

My friend Logan followed the figure skating events this year, and despite that being surprising to me, he offered some really insightful comments that may or may not have influenced my perception:

Alysa Liu's performance was looser and more fun than any other
Unlike many skaters (who normally try to attempt jumps at the start before they tire out), she spaced jumps throughout

Let's see if he was right:

Reflections After Watching This and Some More
(and Nakai's Free, Sakamoto's Short, and Liu's Short)

So... yeah, he was definitely right. I've seen technical skill and artistry together (see Valieva above), but never have I been so lucky to see the two intersect quite like this program.

Liu is noticeably less tense, and as the commentator stated in the video above, that looseness enabled her to jump higher than most
Jumps! They were balanced, and not all of them were the flashiest, but they did what they needed to and more
Music! Alysa's choice of MacArthur Park (1978) was an excellent track, and she adds so many little touches to the beat of Donna Summer's vocals that the entire performance was animated. It's like she's not just skating — she's dancing, she's smiling, she's happy

I really like this one comment I found under that video above:

Even Better: Alysa's Creative Autonomy

One more thing that I think just takes her performance to another level is the creative autonomy that she possessed throughout it all. This isn't her being pushed by performance — Liu retired at 16 after Beijing 2022 due to how much skating took over her life. She's here for the love of the art, for the sake of doing something awesome. I haven't watched the 60 Minutes interview that talks more about this, but I can confidently quote the New York Times, with a lead columnist writing that:

"she’d wear what she wants. Dance to the music she wants. Eat what she wants. Take breaks when she wants."

-Marcus Thompson II, New York Times

That's power. Tha's inspiring. That's what we need in the world.

Compare all of that to what we can find from that video essay series I mentioned earlier (go watch these too, even in the background — they are captivating).

Conclusion

Hands-down, this was th ebest skating program I've seen. Period. It's just overflowing with confidence and fun while combining technical expertise that only Alysa Liu could show. If you made it this far and haven't watched it yet, what are you doing?? WATCH IT!

Citations and Links
(by order of appearance in semi-MLA)

[1] “Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics - Latest News, Schedules & Result.” Olympics.com, 2025, https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[2] “Olympic Figure Skating | Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.” Olympics.com, 2025, https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/sports/figure-skating. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[3] “Alysa LIU - Olympic Figure Skating Athlete | Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics.” Olympics.com, 2026, https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026/results/athlete-details/24749. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[4] Olympics. “Alexandra Trusova’s #Beijing2022 Free Program!” YouTube, 22 Feb. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=wthEgbXlaMM. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[5] Olympics. “Alexandra Trusova’s #Beijing2022 Short Program!” YouTube, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH67_XoDy3k. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[6] NBC Sports. “Valieva Breaks Her Own Record with Incredible Short Program at European Championships | NBC Sports.” YouTube, 13 Jan. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFuxhi45ZbM. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[7] Olympics. “Alysa Liu Wins the Olympic Gold Medal for the United States.” YouTube, 20 Feb. 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVmCfiFjoVE. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[8] 60 Minutes. “Alysa Liu: The 60 Minutes Interview.” YouTube, 4 Jan. 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O3HLPWatuU. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[9] Thompson II, Marcus. “Alysa Liu’s Olympic Run Came with Terms. Her Choreographer Helps Her Express Them.” The New York Times, 19 Feb. 2026, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7055443/2026/02/19/alysa-liu-figure-skating-winter-olympics/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[10] La, Paola. “Beginners Guide to Team Tutberidze (Drama).” YouTube, 8 Nov. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydLDPmuevKg. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.

[11] La, Paola. “Beginners Guide to Team Tutberidze Part 2: The Doping Boogaloo.” YouTube, 23 June 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpRn9dscgp0. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.