Within the past few weeks, you may have seen a smiley figure skater in either a glittery gold or a puffy, ball gown-like dress dominating your For You page. That woman is none other than Alysa Liu, the women’s figure skating gold medalist at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortana, Italy. While her winning gold is impressive, it’s Alysa Liu’s bold, spunky personality and unique hair that is catching the world’s attention.
Many people online have said that Liu will be a huge inspiration for many young girls, and it’s not hard to see why; she breaks the mold and all expectations for what we as a society picture a female figure skater to be. She is also a huge inspiration to alternative teens, with her distinct hair and her lip frenulum piercing- also called a “smiley” piercing- which she and her sister did themselves at home. Due to her joyous nature and constant smile, her smiley piercing is always visible. Liu is also the first Asian-American gold medalist in women’s figure skating singles since Kristi Yamaguchi won in 1992.
Alysa Liu is ethnically half Chinese and half white. This will inspire many young Asian-American children and teens, and show them that they too can reach their dreams, especially considering the call for more representation of minorities in the media within the past few years. Alysa is also extremely humble; she prefers to focus on how much she is enjoying performing her art rather than placing on the podium.
After the Beijing Olympics, at only 16 years old, Liu retired from ice skating due to massive stress. But she decided to return to ice skating after two years- this time on her own terms. She now makes her own schedule, picks her own music and costumes, eats what she wants, and drives herself. Her strategy clearly worked, considering the last American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating was Sarah Hughes at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, making Liu the first American woman in 24 years to win a gold medal in figure skating.
Alysa’s impact has even extended to Lake Park. Maggie Messamore (LP ‘26) said, “Alysa Liu is my biggest role model, especially since our stories are similar. Last year, I had to take a break for my mental health, just like she did, and now I skate for the love of the sport again!” Maggie said.
“Also, seeing her out there having so much fun is so [enjoyable] to watch! It’s so refreshing to see a skater having FUN and skating with so much love in a sport that feeds off of competition. I 100% believe she earned that gold medal and she is truly so inspiring to the skating community and athletes in general.”
Daniel Karbowski (LP ‘28) is one of Alysa’s newest fans, having heard of her through her newfound success.
“Alysa Liu is a role model to us all – you need to keep a good balance in life! Who wouldn’t wanna be someone as purely joyful as her?” Daniel said. “I hope her story inspires other athletes and regular people like you and me to balance their life. Everyone’s gotta find something they’re as passionate about as she is, you know?”
“Beautiful” sports like ballet, gymnastics, and ice skating have all been known to prioritize performance over the athlete’s mental health, contributing greatly to their reputation as rigorous and strict. Often, the coaches are abusive and force the athletes to train for long hours and starve themselves to be thin. While Alysa is certainly not the first skater to challenge the skating norms, she is the newest.
By looking at her hair, one can tell she shines like a diamond. Alysa really lets her personality pour through her both on and off the ice. Even though she won gold, she just wanted to have fun and pursue her art.
Compared to many other skaters (who are under immense pressure to place on the podium), Alysa is so much more relaxed simply because she is in control. Hopefully, Liu’s refusal to be pushed around will bring light to how bad the conditions for high-level figure skating are.
Alysa’s unconventional hair has captivated the attention of the public. It is rare to see alternative styles in “graceful” sports such as ice skating. Female ice skaters must be perfect and polished, prim and proper, with not a hair out of place, so to see Alysa break the mold with her striped hair and show her personality certainly catches everyone’s attention. However, many people do not know that there is meaning behind the raccoon-like hairstyle she has. Each “halo” in her hair represents a year of her accomplishments. She started by dying her hair herself, but the bleach did not make her hair as light as she wanted, so she saw a professional. She has also described herself as “a tree,” with her hair acting like rings on a tree to count the passing years. As of the Olympics, she has three rings.
Alysa Liu’s goofy personality and individuality send a strong message: take her as she is or not at all. She is living proof that one does not have to sacrifice yourself in order to reach the top. Even though she takes her sport seriously, she has found a way to make it her own and bring whimsy and joy to a competitive space. From this point on, the world will know the name of a beautiful young and authentic skater; one who captivates everyone who lays their eyes on her and shines in bright golden rays: Alysa Liu.
