The 4-foot-7 teen from Northern California stole the show Friday night in Detroit, breezing through a free skate that included two triple axels and dethroning 2018 winner Bradie Tennell.
DETROIT — Alysa Liu was already a phenom. Now she’s a national champion at age 13.
Liu stole the show Friday night, breezing through a free skate that included two triple axels and dethroning 2018 winner Bradie Tennell at the U. S. Figure Skating Championships. Liu became the youngest winner of an individual title at this event, and after her score was posted, she put her hands over her face, overcome with emotion.
“I was just happy that I beat my personal record, and I did a clean long program,” Liu said.
Liu, from Richmond in Northern California, had already landed a triple axel in the short program Thursday, and she was in second place behind Tennell entering Friday. Tennell fell during her long program, and Liu, skating immediately after, seized the opportunity. Her first triple axel was in combination with a double toe loop. Then she landed another triple axel, and by the time she finished her performance – set to “Witches of Eastwick” by John Williams – she was beaming.
Tara Lipinski was the youngest women’s champion at nationals after winning at age 14 in 1997, and Scott Allen also was 14 when he won in 1964. Now a commentator with NBC, Lipinski was there Friday when her record fell.
“Records are made to be broken,” Lipinski said afterward.
