USA figure skater Alysa Liu has had to acclimate to the spotlight very quickly after she won two gold medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Liu became the first USA women's figure skater to capture an individual gold medal since 2002. But it's not just her world-class figure skating that has won her the admiration and adoration of the United States.
Liu also has an eccentric and affable personality that is depicted in her unique appearance. She has a frenulum piercing that she calls her "smiley" and has halo rings colored into her hair (and adds a new halo each year) because she wanted to be more like a tree.
Given the newfound fascination with Liu, there has been a lot of interest in her upbringing. And Liu's background is just as interesting as what she has accomplished on the ice.
Liu's father, Arthur, chose to have five children (with Alysa being the oldest) via surrogacy using anonymous egg donors.
Arthur (who stole the show with his celebration after Alysa won her individual gold medal) said that he intentionally chose Caucasian egg donors for his children because he “felt his children would benefit from a diverse gene pool" and a multicultural upbringing, per a 2019 interview withSports Illustrated that has since been republished elsewhere.
Alysa Liu's Stance on Father's 'Backbone' Speaks Volumes
Arthur Liu has dealt with his own adversity, as he was forced to flee his home country of China because of his role in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
Liu spoke to how her father's own story has impacted her upbringing and personality during a March 4 interview with Teen Vogue, where she said, “My father has a backbone, and so I have it too. He is independent, and he speaks up, and he raised us to do the same."
She later added, “We even talk back to him,” referring to how she and her four younger siblings interact with Arthur, “but that's his fault. He raised us that way. So he's proud of that, and I am too.”
It will be cool to see how the 20-year-old Liu's stardom continues to grow, especially because she said in another recent interview that she intends to compete in the 2030 Winter Olympics, so long as her body holds up and she makes the USA figure skating squad.
And her father, Arthur, will surely be there with her when that time arrives.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/athlete-lifestyle as Alysa Liu’s ‘Backbone’ Comment About Dad Arthur Turns Heads.
