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After Alysa Liu touched down in the U.S. following her golden experience at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, the figure skater revealed how the spotlight has continued to follow her.
Alysa Liu Makes History With Gold Medal Win at 2026 Olympics
Alysa Liu isn't skating around this experience.
After the figure skater celebrated her Olympic victories with a Tonight Show appearance—she walked away from the 2026 Winter Games in Milan with two gold medals—she shared insight into a concerning incident at an airport.
"So I land at the airport & there's a crowd waiting at the exit with cameras & things for me to sign," Alysa shared in a March 4 Instagram Story. "All up in my personal space. Someone chased me to my car bruh."
She concluded her message with a plea, adding, "Please do not do that to me."
The 20-year-old's presence since returning from Milan has been anything but subtle. Indeed, Delta flight attendants applauded Alysa—who became the first U.S. women's skater to win a singles gold since Sarah Hughes in 2002—with an announcement on the loudspeaker when she arrived at San Francisco International Airport earlier this week.
After walking through gold streamers that covered the gate exit, she was greeted with gifts from airport staff and applause from the crowd in the terminal.
And the celebrations didn't stop there. In fact, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee revealed the city itself will be celebrating Alysa, who trained for the Winter Games at the Oakland Ice Center.
"The City of Oakland is planning a community-wide celebration to honor Olympic gold medalist and Oakland's hometown hero Alysa Liu," the city of Oakland's Instagram announced Feb. 24. "Alysa represents the heart, grit, resilience, and joy of Oakland."
"Her achievement has filled our city with pride," the announcement continued, although details have not been confirmed, "and we are coordinating with her team now to finalize a date so the community can celebrate her together."
Alysa Liu/Instagram
But for Alysa, the spotlight has been an adjustment since returning to figure skating after her four-year hiatus.
"I want my life to stay as similar as possible every way and no one has thought that it would," she told E! News in February, "but I'm really going to try to keep my peace because I like my life. I don't want it to be too chaotic. I want it to stay calm and peaceful and chill."
As for what protecting her peace means?
"Honestly, I would say privacy," she admitted. "Privacy for sure. Privacy is a big one."
As Alysa navigates her new normal, keep reading to learn more about the many athletes who changed the game at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Johannes Høsflot Klæbo
The Norwegian cross-country skier earned six gold medals at the 2026 Olympics, bringing his career total to 11 and making him the most-awarded gold medalist in Winter Games history.
Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Jordan Stolz
The American speed skater didn't just earn gold in the men's 1000m, he also set a new Olympic record with a time of 1:06.28.
(Days later, he set yet another Olympic speed skating record.)
Hu Huhu/Xinhua via Getty Images
Pinheiro Braathen
The ski racer danced his way into the history books when he won Olympic gold. Not only did the medal mark Brazil's first Winter Games medal in history, but it was also the first for all of South America.
Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Chloe Kim
With her silver medal win in the women's snowboarding halfpipe, the Team USA athelete became the first woman to win three consecutive medals in the event.
She also became the first female snowboarder to land a cab double 1080 in an Olympic halfpipe final.
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Laila Edwards
The 22-year-old is the first Black woman to play for Team USA women's hockey at the Olympics.
Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Regina Martínez Lorenzo
The cross-country skier is the first woman to represent Mexico in the sport at the Olympics.
François-Xavier MARIT / AFP via Getty Images
Cory Thiesse & Korey Dropkin
The Americans earned the Unites States' first medal in mixed doubles curling with their silver medal finish.
Al Bello/Getty Images
Nicole Burger
The skeleton athlete is the first South African woman to represent her country in the event at the Olympics.
Federica Vanzetta/Nordic Focus/Getty Images
Ben Ogden
The Team USA cross-country skier ended a 50-year medal drought for the United States in the men’s sprint classical race when he picked up a silver medal.
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