In Boston, the air was electric at TD Garden as Alysa Liu dazzled the audience with her radiant performance and shimmering golden dress. The 19-year-old skater from Clovis, California, marked a triumphant return to figure skating, capturing the world title and breaking a nearly two-decade American drought in the women’s division. Liu’s awe-inspiring free skate to a rendition of “MacArthur Park” by Boston’s own Donna Summer was met with a standing ovation, culminating in a historic scoring of 222.97 points. For Liu, this moment was monumental given her journey from stepping away from the sport to reclaiming her passion. “It means so much to me and everything I’ve been through,” Liu expressed, her happiness palpable.
With her coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali by her side in the kiss-and-cry area, Liu was soon joined by the outgoing champion Kaori Sakamoto, who passed on the mantle with a heartfelt embrace. Sakamoto, who captured the silver with 217.98 points, gracefully acknowledged Liu’s remarkable achievement as if symbolically handing over the torch to the first American to claim the world championship crown since Kimmie Meissner back in 2006. “What the hell?” Liu remarked in utter disbelief, still trying to digest the enormity of her accomplishment.
Following close, Japanese skater Mone Chiba secured third place with 215.24 points, and fellow Americans Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn rounded out the top five. “We are all so strong and such fighters,” Levito proudly stated, celebrating the triumph of her American compatriots. Liu’s story is one of redemption and rediscovery. Once hailed as a prodigy, she became the youngest-ever U.S. champion at 13, successfully defending her title the following year. After achieving her Olympic dream by finishing sixth at the 2022 Beijing Games and bronze at the world championships, Liu felt skating had transformed into more of a chore than a passion, prompting her to embrace normalcy and college life. A skiing trip rekindled her competitive spirit and nudged her back to the ice.
With a cryptic social media post, Liu announced her return early last year. Despite facing challenges in the demanding world of figure skating, her impressive silver finish at the U.S. championships was a turning point, paving the way for her ultimate victory. “I didn’t expect this,” Liu confessed. “My focus is on performance, and I’m thrilled that I met my expectations.” For Sakamoto, Liu’s resilience was a testament to her character. “Her cheerfulness and kindness have brought her to the top,” Sakamoto admired.
Meanwhile, U.S. ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates lit up the ice with a commanding lead as they seek their third consecutive title. Their rhythm dance, scored at a personal best of 90.18 points, set a high bar against Canadian competitors Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier. Gilles and Poirier’s routine, inspired by The Beach Boys, had its moment before the American duo’s energetic “tour of the decades” routine brought the audience to their feet. The theme tapped into dances from the ’50s to ’70s, and Chock and Bates seamlessly incorporated a variety of styles into their performance.
“It was probably the most fun I’ve ever had in a competition,” Chock exclaimed, thrilled by the home crowd’s energy. As they aim for a three-peat, akin to Russia’s Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov in the 1990s, Poirier acknowledges the challenge but relishes the unpredictability of the sport. “Sport is really unpredictable,” he admitted. The excitement remains high as the pair looks to etch their names in history.