Alysa Liu's stunning return leads figure skating World Championships
Alona Yadav | Mar 29, 2025, 01:05 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Alysa Liu, a 19-year-old from California, leads at the World Figure Skating Championships after an exceptional short program. Liu, who retired at 16, is making a remarkable comeback and could become the first American women's world champion since 2006. The championships also honored victims of a recent plane crash, emphasizing the sport's resilience.
In a breathtaking display of resilience and talent, Alysa Liu has taken a surprising lead at the World Figure Skating Championships, potentially rewriting her own athletic narrative just three years after stepping away from the sport.
The 19-year-old California native currently stands atop the women's singles competition after delivering an exceptional short program that scored 74.58 points—her highest-ever international short program score. If Liu maintains her lead, she could become the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Liu's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. After retiring at just 16, having already made history as the youngest individual title winner at the US Figure Skating Championships, she returned to the sport with renewed passion and purpose.
"I think that I have good intuition, and I have learned to trust it," Liu said. "Others told me that I was making a mistake, but I knew that I was doing what was right for me."
Her performance included a remarkable triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz, showcasing the skills that once made her a prodigy in the skating world. Japan's Mone Chiba follows closely in second place with 73.44 points, with Isabeau Levito in third.
The championships have also been marked by a poignant tribute to the figure skating community's recent tragedy—a plane crash that claimed the lives of 67 people, including 11 young skaters. A video montage and emotional addresses honored those lost, underscoring the sport's deep sense of community and resilience.
The women's singles competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, with Liu positioned to potentially complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in figure skating history.
The 19-year-old California native currently stands atop the women's singles competition after delivering an exceptional short program that scored 74.58 points—her highest-ever international short program score. If Liu maintains her lead, she could become the first American women's figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Liu's journey is nothing short of extraordinary. After retiring at just 16, having already made history as the youngest individual title winner at the US Figure Skating Championships, she returned to the sport with renewed passion and purpose.
"I think that I have good intuition, and I have learned to trust it," Liu said. "Others told me that I was making a mistake, but I knew that I was doing what was right for me."
Her performance included a remarkable triple flip-triple toe loop combination and a triple Lutz, showcasing the skills that once made her a prodigy in the skating world. Japan's Mone Chiba follows closely in second place with 73.44 points, with Isabeau Levito in third.
The championships have also been marked by a poignant tribute to the figure skating community's recent tragedy—a plane crash that claimed the lives of 67 people, including 11 young skaters. A video montage and emotional addresses honored those lost, underscoring the sport's deep sense of community and resilience.
The women's singles competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, with Liu positioned to potentially complete one of the most remarkable comebacks in figure skating history.