Olympic figure skating champion Alysa Liu is asking fans to respect her privacy after a frightening encounter at an airport that left the young athlete shaken.
The 20-year-old gold medalist took to Instagram on Thursday to describe what she said was an uncomfortable and alarming situation involving fans waiting for her after a flight.
“So I land at the airport, & there’s a crowd waiting at the exit with cameras & things for me to sign,” Liu wrote in a post shared to her Instagram Story. “All up in my personal space.”
What began as a typical celebrity encounter quickly escalated, according to Liu.
“Someone chased me to my car bruh,” she wrote. “Please do not do that to me,” adding a crying emoji.
The incident prompted Liu to issue a public plea for boundaries as her fame continues to grow following her remarkable Olympic comeback.
Liu, who first rose to prominence as a teenage skating prodigy, competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, where she finished sixth in the women’s singles competition.
Just months later, she shocked the skating world by announcing her retirement from the sport at the age of 16.
At the time, Liu cited burnout and the intense pressure of elite competition as factors in her decision to step away from the ice.
But the break from competition ultimately paved the way for one of the most dramatic comebacks in recent Olympic history.
In June 2024, Liu announced she was returning to competitive skating — this time on her own terms.
The decision paid off in spectacular fashion.
At this year’s Winter Olympics, Liu captured two gold medals: one in the team event and another in the individual competition.
Her victory came after a stunning free skate performance set to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park.”
After finishing third in the short program with a score of 76.59, Liu delivered a season-best score of 150.20 in the free skate, securing the gold medal and completing her remarkable return to the sport.
Her comeback story has quickly become one of the most talked-about narratives in international sports.
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Several high-profile athletes have praised Liu for the way she handled burnout and returned to competition with a renewed sense of joy.
World No. 1 tennis player Iga Swiatek recently spoke about Liu while preparing for the Indian Wells tournament.
“I think overall what happened in figure skating was super interesting, from a psychological point of view,” Swiatek said.
She added that Liu’s comeback was deeply inspiring.
“I saw Liu winning when actually she had some troubles, like before she was burned out and she had to stop, and now she seems like everything she does, she does to have fun and to really show her amazing skills in a way that makes her happy.”
Tennis star Coco Gauff also said she could relate to Liu’s experience as a young athlete suddenly thrust into the spotlight.
“I think her whole story was super inspiring,” Gauff said, noting parallels with her own early success when she qualified for Wimbledon at just 15 years old.
