Alysa Liu never expected to win the world championships. After all, the 19-year-old figure skater retired from the sport three years ago, only returning to training again a year ago and international competition six months ago.

But on Friday, almost three years after retiring from the sport, Liu became the first American woman for 19 years to win a figure skating world title.

“Even yesterday I didn’t expect this,” she told reporters afterwards, referencing her lead after Wednesday’s short program. “I didn’t have expectations coming in. I never have expectations coming into competitions anymore. It’s more so what I can put out performance-wise and I really met my expectations on that part today.”

Skating to “MacArthur Park Suite” by Donna Summer, Liu produced a flawless, fluent free skate that was greeted by a transfixed crowd who clapped and cheered every jump she landed.

Liu recorded the best scores in both the short program and free skate.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

In the end, she finished with a total of 222.97 points across both the short program and free skate, almost five full points ahead of Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto in second place.

“It means so much to me,” she said afterwards. “Everything that I’ve been through, my last skating experience, my time away and this time around I’m so happy, I’m mostly glad I could put out two of my best performances.”

Liu made history in 2019 as the youngest person to win an individual title at the US figure skating championships, aged just 13. She won again the following year, seemingly destined to become one of the biggest stars in her sport.

But having competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and medaled at the world championships a few weeks later, Liu announced that she was retiring from figure skating at the age of 16. At the time, she explained that she was “satisfied” with her career, “done” with her goals and ready to be “moving on with my life.”

Two of her compatriots – Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn – finished fourth and fifth respectively, completing an exceptional week for the female US figure skaters.

Meanwhile, the US’ Ilia Malinin leads the men’s world championships after the short program. He will attempt to defend his lead in the free skate on Saturday