Olympic champion Alysa Liu will sit out the 2026-27 figure skating season, she said on Instagram on Monday evening.
"While people are announcing programs, imma (sic) take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season," Liu wrote.
"I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It's important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth."
Liu added that she's going to take the time to "recalibrate, fine-tune things."
The 21-year-old figure skater from the United States dazzled the world at the Milan/Cortina Olympics in February with her free skating presentation. Her performance to Donna Summer's "MacArthur Park Suite" earned her the gold medal and standing ovation from the audience.
In an interview to broadcaster NBC, Liu said she plans to continue training during her break and work on her craft - "overall artistry, spins, jumps, everything."
This is not the first break Liu takes in her career. In 2022, at the age of 16, she retired from figure skating, saying back then that she "was so into skating that I really didn't do much else." She made her comeback in the 2024-25 season.
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