Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu has withdrawn from the world championships later this month, sparking fans’ concern at her packed schedule since winning gold at Milan-Cortina.
Liu won two gold medals at the 2026 Games and has made near-daily TV appearances since, turning up on the likes of Good Morning America, as well as fronting magazines and speaking out in hundreds of interviews.
Having previously retired from the sport citing burn-out, fans have raised concerns for her wellbeing after her decision to pull out of her upcoming competition.
‘I really hope she’s looking out for herself,’ one fan wrote on social media, while another added: ‘She’s been doing too much recently.’
A third noted she was ‘unusual’, writing: ‘A young woman and an elite athlete with her head screwed on straight.’
Liu would have performed alongside Olympic teammates Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito when worlds begin March 24 at O2 Arena in Prague.
Alysa Liu has become a fan favorite in the weeks since she won two golds at Milan-Cortina
She has been doing the rounds and appearing on TV shows across America in the past weeks
Bradie Tennell was the first alternate but declined, so Sarah Everhardt will take Liu’s place on the U.S. team.
The 20-year-old Liu, who retired after the 2022 Beijing Games only to launch a triumphant comeback two years later, became the first American woman since Kimmie Meissner in 2006 to win the world title last year in Boston.
She followed up with the first Olympic gold medal for a U.S. woman since Sarah Hughes in 2002 when she stood atop the podium last month at the Milan Cortina Games.
Liu actually came away with two gold medals from Italy; she joined Glenn in helping the U.S. defend its Olympic team title.
Days after appearing in Teen Vogue, she has pulled out of the world championships
Liu takes the crowd’s applause during her appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
She has already retired from the sport once, in part due to burnout she was struggling with
Liu has quickly become a star, not only because of her success but also because of her attitude and style. Once burned out by the sport, she returned with a fresh, happy-go-lucky outlook, and that positive vibe served her well amid the pressure of the Winter Games.
And with her distinctive streaked haircut, which is supposed to mimic growth rings on a tree, and prominent frenulum piercing, Liu has eschewed the ‘ice princess’ style of yesteryear for a look that has been embraced by the alt, punk and emo crowd.
It is common for Olympic athletes to skip the following world championships. The season is long enough with the first events taking place in early fall, and many choose to begin their offseason early after the stress of performing at the Winter Games.
Among those who also have withdrawn from worlds are Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, the Olympic pairs champions from Japan; Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, the pairs team that helped earn team bronze for host Italy; and Loena Hendrickx of Belgium, who has endured a season marked by injuries and finished 14th in the women’s event at the Milan Cortina Games.
