Alysa Liu was given a hero's welcome in Oakland to celebrate her success in the Milano Cortina 2026 in front of more than 4,000 fans, along with the mayor, Barbara Lee.

Frank Ogawa Plaza was absolutely packed since Thursday morning, as fans reached earlier for the scheduled event to catch a glimpse of the hometown hero.

Mayor Barbara Lee presented Liu with a key to the city, which was shaped like an oak tree made by artists from West Oakland. Liu is one of the few Oakland natives who has the privilege of owning the key.

"I love Oakland, I've been here all my life," Liu said, pointing to the nearby Oakland Ice Center where she trains. "I could not be more proud to represent Oakland out on the big stage at the Olympics."

Talking about Liu, Mayor Lee quipped that the Olympic gold medalist represents the best the city has to offer. "The determination, her creativity, and yes, her courage. She is fearless, she is focused, and she is fully herself. She grew up here in our town and now the world, the entire world, knows her name." Lee said.

Liu became the first US women's ice skater in 24 years to win the individual gold in women's figure skating competition in the Winter Olympics 2026. Her second gold medal in the team event made her Milano Cortina campaign historical.

While Liu's family used to move around the Bay Area often, she still considers herself to have been born and raised here. She attended the Oakland School for the Arts, and the Oakland Ice Center was her training ground in her initial years as a skater.

“Oakland is so creative. We got a lot of soul here, and there’s so many people that are so inspiring. We’re so grounded. My friend group here is just the best. And I love, I love this place.” Liu said during a rapid-fire Q&A round with Sway Calloway.

The event also featured the who's who of the Bay Area, including gold medal winners Kristi Yamaguchi for figure skating and Andre Ward for boxing. Oakland musician and recent Grammy winner Kehlani was also present to close the rally alongside G-Eazy with their performance.

Steph Curry Invites Alysa Liu to a Warriors Game after Olympics Win

The celebrations do not seem to be stopping for Alysa Liu post her historic victory in Milan-Cortina. On her return to Oakland, the biggest Bay Area athlete, Stephen Curry, had a special message for Liu ahead of her outdoor celebration rally.

"Alysa, congratulations on your gold medal achievement, representing not only the United States, but the Bay Area, Oakland. Super proud. Congratulations. You did that." Curry said.

"From one gold medal winner to another, just want to say keep doing your thing. Keep representing the Bay, and we love you. Peace." Curry added, knowing how tough it is to secure gold in the Olympics following his iconic performance in the 2024 Paris Olympics final against France.

Alysa Liu has also received a personal invitation from the Warriors legend to attend one of their games with her entire family at Chase Center in San Francisco.

This news was first reported on March 11 by Marcus Thompson II of the New York Times.

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Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Souvik Roy