Alysa Liu's return to the top of the figure skating world is complete. After securing two gold medals in Milan-Cortina, the 20-year-old phenom is opening up about the unique mindset that fueled her historic victory.

“I love pushing myself. There's this thing called the aMCC in your brain, and it's where you say willpower resides. I love doing stuff that I really don't want to do, really hard things. I get a kick out of it, and that's where I'm happy.” Liu said to Teen Vogue.

From featuring on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to meeting Daniel Radcliffe, the 20-year-old isn't overwhelmed, now touring in New York City as the cover of the latest Teen Vogue issue.

But this success did not happen overnight. Liu has been preparing to reach the top since she was 13, when she became the youngest national champion. At the Beijing 2022 Olympics, she won the bronze medal and decided to quit for the time being, partly due to COVID-19 regulations.

A ski trip and a familiar adrenaline rush helped Liu to come back to the ice rink on her own terms, and, in hindsight, it was probably the best decision of her life.

Liu breezed past her competition in the free skate while styling a two-toned halo hairstyle accompanied by a smiley piercing, and a dress which perfectly matched the colour of her medals.

When asked about her plans after the historic victory, the 20-year-old revealed her love for Chinese food and how important her friends are in an outside world that can often feel chaotic.

"I pick hanging out with my friends over a session, and if that makes me a worse skater, so be it, I don't care. I will jeopardize whatever.” The Olympic Gold medalist said.

Zara Larsson on Alysa Liu Using Her Song in the Olympics

Alysa Liu's final Olympic-gala skate was performed to "Stateside" by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson, due to the song's lyrics catching her feelings of the American dream.

“[When I heard the song,] I was like, I have to skate to some of those lyrics. So many people are living out their dream here at the Olympics, and it's only worth it if everyone can be here with me.” Liu said.

Both artists were proud to be involved in the historic moment, especially Larsson, who believes this moment to be better than any other time her songs have been featured on a chart.

“Being a part of culture and history, like I got to be with Alysa, is way more impactful to me personally than any chart position. I felt so proud, not only because she won gold, but because she looked so joyful."

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Joy Bassy

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar