logo
Alysa Liu delivers the US its first women's figure skating world championship in nearly 2 decades

Alysa Liu delivers the US its first women's figure skating world championship in nearly 2 decades

Chicago Tribune29-03-2025

BOSTON — Alysa Liu became the first American women's figure skating world champion in nearly two decades Friday night, dethroning three-time defending champion Kaori Sakamoto with a brilliant free skate that earned her a standing ovation at TD Garden.
With her gold dress shimmering in the lights, Liu landed all of her jumping passes to a rendition of 'MacArthur Park' by Boston native Donna Summer, and finished with 222.97 points to culminate a remarkable comeback from a two-year retirement.
As the 19-year-old Liu's score was read, the sellout crowd roared and her coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, pulled her into a hug. Moments later, Sakamoto came over and squeezed her tightly, as if Japan's hero was passing Liu the torch as the first world champion from the U.S. since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium in 2006.
'What the hell?' Liu asked in disbelief. 'I don't know. I don't know how to process this.'
Sakamoto finished with 217.98 points to add a silver medal to her three previous golds. Her Japanese teammate, Mone Chiba, was third with 215.24 points while Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn gave the Americans three of the top five.
Liu was once considered the sport's rising star, the youngest-ever U.S. champ when she triumphed at age 13 in 2019, and then defended her title the following year. She fulfilled a childhood ambition by qualifying for the Olympics, finishing sixth at the 2022 Beijing Games, and earned a bronze medal at the world championships that year.
Then she stepped away. Liu decided that skating had become less joy and more of a job, and she wanted to focus on being a normal student. It wasn't until she went on a skiing trip and felt the rush of competition — albit a much different way, and with far lower stakes — that she began to think about a comeback. And early last year, she made it official on social media.
The road was bumpy, to be sure, but a big step was her second-place finish to Glenn at the U.S. championships.
She took the last step up on the podium Friday night.
Earlier in the night, American ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates built a big cushion as they chase their third consecutive title, scoring a season-best 90.18 points for their rhythm dance to lead Canadian rivals Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
Gilles and Poirier scored 86.44 points to their dance, set to music from The Beach Boys. They held the lead only long enough for the U.S. duo to finish their 'tour of the decades' program, which earned them a raucous ovation inside TD Garden.
The International Skating Union chose the theme this season of social dances and styles of the 1950's, 60's and 70's. But while some skaters picked one — the Watusi, the Madison or disco — Chock and Bates threw it all into their rollicking showcase.
'It was probably the most fun I've had thus far on competitive ice in a performance, maybe ever,' Chock said. 'It was really a joy to perform in front of a home crowd and share that excitement with Evan. It was the best.'
Now, Chock and Bates will try to finish off the first three-peat since Russia's Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov in the 1990s.
'That's a tough amount of points to catch up on,' Poirier admitted, 'but we also know that sport is really unpredictable.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton says she is "deeply sorry" for DUI arrest in West Virginia
Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton says she is "deeply sorry" for DUI arrest in West Virginia

CBS News

timean hour ago

  • CBS News

Olympic legend Mary Lou Retton says she is "deeply sorry" for DUI arrest in West Virginia

American gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton on Tuesday entered a no contest plea to driving under the influence stemming from a May traffic stop in her hometown of Fairmont. A Marion County judge fined her $100, consistent with sentencing guidelines for first-time, non-aggravated offenses, her attorney Edmund J. Rollo said in a statement. In a statement released through her attorney, the 57-year-old Retton said she took full responsibility for her actions. "What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses," she said. "To my family, friends and my fans: I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry. I am determined to learn and grow from this experience, and I am committed to making positive changes in my life. I truly appreciate your concern, encouragement and continued support." Fairmont police stopped Retton on May 17 following a report about a person in a Porsche driving erratically. According to the criminal complaint, Retton smelled of alcohol and was slurring her words, and she failed a field sobriety test. Officers also reported observing a container of wine in the passenger seat. Retton was 16 when she became the first American female gymnast to win the all-around at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She also won two silver and two bronze medals to help bring gymnastics into the mainstream in the United States. In 2023, Retton's family disclosed she was recuperating from a rare form of pneumonia that landed her in intensive care. Doctors found her oxygen levels dangerously low. Her medical team considered putting her on a ventilator as her condition worsened. Retton went on oxygen treatment and, after weeks in the hospital, improved enough to be sent home. At the time, Retton's daughter, McKenna Kelley, said her mother was uninsured and asked for donations to support her medical treatment. More than $459,000 was raised.

Iowa baseball star earns Perfect Game All-American honors
Iowa baseball star earns Perfect Game All-American honors

USA Today

time2 hours ago

  • USA Today

Iowa baseball star earns Perfect Game All-American honors

Iowa baseball star earns Perfect Game All-American honors After a stellar junior campaign with the Hawkeyes, Iowa baseball ace pitcher Cade Obermueller has been named a Perfect Game third-team All-American. The left-hander is the Hawkeyes' first All-American honoree since Brody Brecht and Keaton Anthony earned it in 2023. The Iowa City, Iowa native earned the third-team All-America distinction after going 5-3 with a 3.02 ERA in 15 starts. He posted five quality starts and fanned 117 batters over 83.1 innings. His 117 punchouts rank second all-time in program history for strikeouts in a season. The highlight of Obermueller's 2024-25 season was his complete-game performance at Northwestern on March 4. In that game, he recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts while giving up only one hit, one run, and one base-on-balls in a 12-1 Hawkeyes run-rule win. Obermueller's third-team All-American honors add to his growing list of accomplishments from the past season, which now includes a 2025 All-Big Ten Tournament team and an ABCA/Rawlings NCAA All-Midwest Region first-team selection. While Obermueller could be in line for more honors following the conclusion of the 2025 College World Series later this month, a potential return for his senior season with the Hawkeyes could be vital to the program's success as they hope to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store