Alysa Liu, who give up skating at 16, didn’t “want” a gold medal, she advised reporters in Milan—she had already discovered pleasure.
The now-20-year-old from California, who received the primary particular person Olympic gold in girls’s determine skating for the U.S. after 24 years, didn’t should be the champion. She says she was simply thrilled to carry out.
“I don’t want this [medal],” Liu said proper after profitable, stuffed with pleasure, whereas cheering on her rivals. “However what I wanted was the stage and I obtained that, so I used to be all good. It doesn’t matter what occurred.”
Liu isn’t feigning enthusiasm for the cameras. You may really feel it radiating from her physique when watching her skate—which she did, flawlessly, when performing to Donna Summer season’s “MacArthur Park” this week within the lengthy program routine that finally received her first place.
“That’s what I’m f—ing speaking about!” she could possibly be heard saying as she skated off the ice, realizing she’d simply completed one thing magical. Later, standing on the rostrum, she adorably jumped for pleasure, squealed, and hugged her rivals. It felt like she was sharing her vibrant mild with them, and everybody watching within the viewers, and at house.
The second was really particular. Primarily, as a result of one factor was made crystal clear: Liu got here to the Olympics for the love of the game—not for a chunk of bronze, silver, or gold {hardware}.
It goes with out saying that the majority athletes love their sport. However additionally they wish to win. Nonetheless, Liu’s journey has been totally different from that of most younger athletes, in additional methods than one.
Simply 4 years in the past, the skater give up, citing burnout after a sixth-place end on the Beijing Winter Video games. Burnout simply comes with the territory if you’re knowledgeable athlete. Nonetheless, Liu targeted on herself—on being a teen—and discovering pleasure outdoors the rink.
“I used to be going to concert events, which I by no means might have completed earlier than,” she advised NBC Sports. “I additionally obtained my driver’s license. I did an entire 12 months at school. I went on trip for the primary time. I went snowboarding. I went snowboarding. I obtained to take action many various issues that I by no means would have completed had I stayed within the sport.”
The step again was essential for saving the Olympian’s psychological well being. But it surely’s additionally doubtless what saved her from quitting skating perpetually, as a result of she was capable of put money into herself in different methods—and easily be a child for some time.
On the finish of the day, Liu returned to competing as a result of she loves skating an excessive amount of to remain away. Considered one of her coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo, even tried to speak her out of it, however her spirit was unstoppable. “Alysa is totally different. We all know she wasn’t right here to win a medal. She was right here to skate and to get pleasure from it,” stated DiGuglielmo, who coaches Liu alongside Massimo Scali, per NBC.
“These titles are enormous, however I don’t need them to overshadow who I’m and what I do and what I’m all about,” Liu said. “Successful isn’t all that, and neither is dropping.”
