American figure skater Alysa Liu, still just 18 years old, has announced she will return to the sport after two years off.
The two time US champion and 2022 Olympian last competed at the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships, where she earned bronze.
At 12 Liu became the youngest skater ever to land a triple Axel in international competition, and at 13 she became the youngest US champion in history.
She placed seventh at the Beijing Olympics and was upgraded to sixth after Kamila Valieva’s disqualification for doping.
“It was good for me to take time off from skating,” said Liu, who at 16 left the sport, saying she had accomplished her goals.
“I am beyond excited to begin skating again with my newly found perspective.”
A statement released by U.S. Figure Skating said only that Liu “aims to compete in the upcoming 2024-25 season” with no mention made of the 2026 Olympics.
U.S. Figure Skating Senior Director of Athlete High Performance Justin Dillon said, “We are very excited about Alysa’s return. We look forward to supporting Alysa in her career as she seeks to build on the success she has already achieved in recent seasons.”