Alysa Liu Is Untouchable | Defector

"When athletes are said to thrive under pressure, that generally does not mean that they do not feel it. Rather, the common understanding is that athletes, or at least the great ones, are capable of taking pressure and turning it into fuel. That thermodynamic process is a part of the incomprehensible psychology necessary to reach the pinnacle of competitive athletic greatness. What better source is there for relentless motivation than wanting something so badly, or having something to prove?"

"Alysa Liu has no need for any of that nonsense. Where ordinary-or even extraordinary-athletes might be fueled by pressure, she simply doesn't feel any, ever. She thrives because she is immune. It was always understood that Liu could win gold at the Olympics, but with her technical content, she would need other skaters-say, Kaori Sakamoto, Ami Nakai, and Amber Glenn-to make errors. That assumption, however, always took one thing for granted: Of course Liu herself would never falter."

"And of course she would never falter! Listening to Liu, it's so easy to forget the broader narrative of there not having been an Olympic women's singles figure-skating medalist from the United States since Sasha Cohen won silver in 2006. A storyline can overwhelm a skater, but Liu is untouched by externalities. She takes an artist's pleasure in sharing her work with a broader audience,"

Alysa Liu performs with apparent immunity to pressure, treating competition as personal expression rather than external obligation. Her technical difficulty made her a clear Olympic medal contender, often relying on others' mistakes to secure victory, yet she herself rarely falters. Liu displays profound self-possession and artistic pleasure in presenting her skating, prioritizing internal standards over narratives about national medal droughts. She executed a high-stakes performance under intense circumstances and won gold without visible wavering. Her success reflects intense training and an inner composure that radiates on the ice.

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