In one of the most improbable comebacks in the history of figure skating, Alysa Liu of the United States, who quit the sport after the 2022 Beijing Olympics, reclaimed her career on her own joyous terms and won the gold medal in the women’s competition on Thursday at the Milan-Cortina Games.
After finishing third in the short program, Liu rose to the top of the medal podium while skating freely, ebulliently, inured to any pressure, performing with technical precision and bright artistry. Her winning score of 226.79 points was her personal best in the most important competition of her young life.