Alysa Liu, a 20-year-old figure skater born in Clovis, is bringing Olympic history to the Central Valley by securing a gold medal in the figure skating team short program event.

Liu helped Team USA top the standings against Japan and Italy in one of the closest events since its debut in 2014.

Her achievements — some of the latest in a string of superior international performances — have sparked excitement and pride across Fresno County.

She was destined to be a star, becoming the youngest-ever U.S. women’s national champion after she won her first title at age 13 in 2019, after landing a triple axel. Soon after, at age 14, she became the youngest skater to win two senior national titles and the first female figure skater to land a quadruple jump in an international competition.

Liu now resides in the Bay Area near Oakland and has collected more than half a million followers on her Instagram.

With the 2026 Winter Olympics fully underway, Liu still has two more chances to compete for more gold on Feb. 17 and 19 on the international stage.