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Andrew McNicol

Associated Press

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympian and world championship bronze medallist Alysa Liu is retiring from competitive figure skating at age 16.
Considered the future of US women’s skating and already a two-time national champion, Liu posted her decision on Instagram on Saturday.
“I’m here to announce that I am retiring from skating,” Liu wrote.
“I started skating when I was 5 so that’s about 11 years on the ice and it’s been an insane 11 years. a lot of good and a lot of bad but yk that’s just how it is. I’ve made so many friends, and so so sooo many good memories that I’ll have for the rest of my life.

“I honestly never thought I would’ve accomplished as much as I did LMAOO I’m so happy. I feel so satisfied with how my skating career has gone. now that I’m finally done with my goals in skating I’m going to be moving on with my life.
“I’m probably just gonna spend all my spare time with my family and friends; and I’m also going to study. But this skating thing has taught me a lot more about life than I anticipated. I’m really glad I skated.”




















View this post on Instagram























A post shared by alysa (@alysaxliu)



And skated better than any American woman at such a young age.
Using the triple axel that few US women have landed successfully, Liu won her first national title in 2019 at the record-breaking age of 13, and repeated it the following year. She was too young to compete internationally on the senior level, however, and remained a force as a junior, getting comfortable with quadruple jumps as well.
But she lost to Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell at the last two national championships, making the Olympic team despite having to withdraw from the trials in January when Liu tested positive for Covid-19.


Liu, of Richmond, California, recovered in time to skate in the Beijing Games, where she landed seven triple jumps in her free skate to finish seventh overall.
She then came in third behind Kaori Sakamoto of Japan and Loena Hendrickx of Belgium in a watered-down world championships with the Russian skaters not taking part. It was the first medal at the worlds for a US woman since Ashley Wagner in 2016.
As rumours swirl over the reason for her decision or whether she will return to the ice in future, fans were well-aware that Liu was prepared to retire having reiterated so many times in an Instagram live stream the previous day.

Retired US two-time Olympic medallist Michelle Kwan left a message on Liu’s post, saying, “Congrats Alysa! Always cheering for you and excited for your next chapter.”
US teammates Mariah Bell and Laurie Hernandez also sent their congratulations, while French figure skater Maé-Bérénice Méité said she will “miss [your] brightness and joyful spirit in competitions”.
In March, the Associated Press reported that Liu’s father Arthur – a former political refugee – said the pair were among those targeted in a spying operation that the US Justice Department alleges was ordered by the Chinese government.




















View this post on Instagram























A post shared by alysa (@alysaxliu)



The elder Liu said he was contacted by the FBI in October last year and warned about a scheme just as his daughter was preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games.


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The two-time US champion says she is ‘so satisfied’ with her career, is congratulated by retired trailblazer Michelle Kwan
‘I honestly never thought I would’ve accomplished as much as I did LMAOO I’m so happy,’ Liu writes on Instagram



The two-time US champion says she is ‘so satisfied’ with her career, before being congratulated by retired trailblazer Michelle Kwan and other teammates.
