--- title: Alysa Liu Gives Interview About Giving Medal to Her Dad description: Alysa Liu, 13, is the youngest women's figure skating champ after taking home top honors at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championship. canonical: https://time.com/5515376/alysa-liu-interview/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2019-01-29T17:01:13.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:10.716Z og:title: Youngest U.S. Women's Figure Skating Champ on That Medal Moment og:description: It's the sweetest og:url: https://time.com/5515376/alysa-liu-interview/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt34365131265a8905/698944278fd2ee10a835dacc/alysa-liu-youngest-us-figure-skating-champion-2019.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Day 3 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Youngest U.S. Women's Figure Skating Champ on That Medal Moment twitter:description: It's the sweetest twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt34365131265a8905/698944278fd2ee10a835dacc/alysa-liu-youngest-us-figure-skating-champion-2019.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Youngest U.S. Women's Figure Skating Champ Ever Gave Her Medal to Her Dad for the Sweetest Reason ## Video: See the Top Olympic Skaters Compete on the Ice as Adorable Kids Before They Were Famous [Watch (HLS stream): See the Top Olympic Skaters Compete on the Ice as Adorable Kids Before They Were Famous](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/L7J0iukL.m3u8) (2:09)  _Published 2018-02-08. Before you watch the 2018 Winter Olympics skaters throw it down on the ice, first, some adorable videos of them skating as little tykes._  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 29, 2019 5:01 PM UTC  DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 24: Alysa Liu competes in the championship ladies short program during the 2019 Geico U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 24: Alysa Liu competes in the championship ladies short program during the 2019 Geico U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Gregory Shamus—Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 29, 2019 5:01 PM UTC [Alysa Liu](http://time.com/5513883/alysa-liu-figure-skating-wins-national-championship/) made history on Friday when she clinched first place for women at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championship in Detroit, Michigan as the youngest winner ever at the age of 13. Liu’s astounding performance included landing two triple axels during her free skate, making her the first American woman to make two. She also landed a triple axel in her short program, becoming only the fourth American woman to do so in competition (the first was [Tonya Harding in 1991](http://time.com/5048328/tonya-harding-nancy-kerrigan-now/), followed by Kimmie Meissner in 2005 and most recently, [Mirai Nagasu at the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018](http://time.com/5143981/mirai-nagasu-olympic-team-figure-skating/)). The Northern California skater broke the record previously held by Tara Lipinski as the youngest U.S. women’s champion, when she won at age 14 in 1997\. According to [_the Today Show_](https://www.today.com/news/figure-skating-champion-alysa-liu-sets-sights-olympics-2022-t147584), Lipinski, who was a commentator for the event, told Liu: “I’m so proud of you, records are meant to be broken and I’m so happy you broke the record.” Liu, who stands at 4′ 7″, needed help to climb onto the 2-foot tall first place podium, where she received her gold medal. Following the ceremony, she gave her medal to her father, Arthur Liu, as thanks for his help in helping her achieve her victory. “He just helps me so much bringing me to the rink every day, and I think he puts in a lot of effort and he deserves it,” Liu said during an appearance on the _Today_ Show. While at 13 Liu is too young to compete internationally on the senior level, she’ll be 16 and well within eligibility for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. She’ll definitely be one to watch, as the U.S. hasn’t won an Olympic medal for women’s figure skating since 2006. 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