The 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have concluded, and athletes have returned to their respective countries after two weeks filled with tremendous moments and memorable events.
One of the most notable performances for Team USA came from 20-year-old figure skater Alysa Liu, who was already widely popular but emerged as an icon by the time the Games wrapped up, bringing home gold in both the team event and the women’s free skate final.
She went two-for-two, and this week an exciting announcement was made in her honor. The city of Oakland — where Liu is from — revealed it will hold a celebration rally on March 12 to welcome her back
“Alysa Liu is Oakland – her drive, her brilliance, her joy,” said Mayor Lee. “Watching her claim gold for our city and our country filled every Oaklander with pride, and we are overjoyed to welcome her home.”
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The president and CEO of Visit Oakland also spoke about honoring Alysa Liu and her remarkable accomplishments, while noting that she has made her love for Oakland very clear throughout the entire process.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Alysa Liu’s incredible accomplishments and proud that she is showing her love for Oakland on a global stage,” said Peter Gamez, president and CEO of Visit Oakland. “These powerful moments have a positive impact on our tourism economy, which is extremely important to the success of our city. When one of Oakland’s own shines bright, they illuminate The Town and showcase the spirit of our community.”
Alysa Liu’s success was about more than just what she accomplished for the city of Oakland — it also represented a major moment for U.S. women’s figure skating as a whole. Her gold medal in the singles event made her the first American woman to win Olympic gold in figure skating in 24 years, and she doesn’t appear ready to be done anytime soon.
Liu was also asked about potentially competing in the 2030 Winter Olympics, when she’ll be 24 years old, and she made it clear that her intention is to return to the Games representing both Oakland and the United States.
“Yeah, I mean, I like France,” Liu said. “So yeah, I would like to.”
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