In return to the ice at the U.S. championships, the 19-year-old wins Thursday’s short program and offers hope for 2026 Olympics.

Alysa Liu won her first senior U.S. figure skating title at age 13. She retired at age 16. She has come back at age 19 and now leads after the short program at her first nationals in three years. Liu tallied 76.

Alysa Liu, back from retirement at age 19, sits in first place after the women's short program at U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday in Wichita, Kan. Liu was the bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships before stepping away from the sport.

That new version of Liu was plain in her 2 minutes, 50 seconds of sensitive skating to the Laufey song, “Promise,” which tells a love story similar to that of her relationship with the sport. There is a breakup with the promise of no future contact, until the realization that the love still is there.

Alysa Liu returned after two years away from figure skating to take the lead after the short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Liu walked away from the sport in 2022 decided to mount a comeback because she missed the thrill of competition.

U.S. Figure Skating Championships continued with the Women's Short Program as well as the Pairs' Short Program in Wichita, Kansas on

U.S. Figure Skating Championships results for the men's, women's, pairs' and ice dance events in Wichita, Kansas.

Back at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for the first time in three years following a two-year retirement, Alysa Liu scored 76.36 points to lead after the short program ahead of Bradie Tennell and Amber Glenn.

For the first time in its 111-year history, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships are coming to Kansas. The best figure skaters in the country will

Sarah Everhardt is fourth after the first day of the Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas. The Haymarket resident and Battlefield High School senior recorded a score of 70.72 in the short program.

Here’s everything locals need to know about the rare chance to watch future Olympians compete right here in Wichita.