Every Olympic cycle, there always seems to be one athlete that receives a meteoric rise in fame on social media. Previous years have seen snowboarding princess Chloe Kim or gymnast Suni Lee have unprecedented surges in popularity, but this year it was figure skater Alysa Liu that stole America’s heart.

Alysa Liu was born in Clovis, California and was raised by her father, Arthur in the Bay Area. Her father first took her to the Oakland Ice Center when she was just five years old and it wasn’t long before she began skating with professional coaches. At just age seven, she was already competing at a national level.

Prior to 2026, Liu had already won a total of two gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals from various national and international competitions, although none from the Olympics. This was already an accomplished career and Liu had been retired from skating for three years, having wanted to leave on her own terms. However, on March 1. 2024, she announced on social media that she was making a return. 

America loves a comeback and Liu hit the ice running, winning three gold medals including one at the 2025 World Championships in Boston. Expectations for her performance at the Olympics were at an all-- time high, and she didn’t disappoint. 

Liu took home gold medals for both the singles and team events, skating in her short program to the song “Promise” by Laufey. Following her impressive wins she skated to “Stateside” by Pinkpantheress and Zara Larson for her Olympic gala performance. 

Liu and her rise to internet fame can be explained in two words: she’s iconic. First her look makes her stand out: she has distinctive bleached strips in her “halo hair” and a “smiley” or frenulum piercing on the inside of her upper lip. 

Another reason Liu connects with the younger generation is her candidness on camera. She’s not afraid to say how she’s really feeling. After her Olympic performance she approached the camera emphatically and shouted, “That’s what I’m fucking talking about!” — A very American celebration that quickly went viral on social media.

The most important reason she connects with the younger generation is that she represents them. In all of Liu’s programs she has skated to artists who are extremely popular with her generation such as Laufey, Lady Gaga and Zara Larson. Her love of anime has been brought up in many of her interviews. Every part of Alysa Liu’s character is something that her generation can relate to, and she represents them in stride.