Alysa Liu completed the first day of the figure skating team competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics by performing the women's short program for the United States on Friday, February 6.
Liu, who retired after the 2022 Beijing Olympics before returning to the sport two years later dominated the program qualifier with a score of 74.90.
"I feel hyped. I feel really good right now. Until I watch the performance [back], it's all good," Liu told reporters as per PEOPLE.
She added, "People ask me about my mindset, which I'm really proud of. It took a lot to get here, and so I'm glad that I can share it on a global stage."
Liu's program, performed to the song Promise by Laufey featured seven key technical moves including double axel, triple flip, combination spin with a change of foot, triple Lutz and triple loop, flying camel spin, step sequence and layback spin.
Her teammates including IIlia Malinin, AMber Glenn, Ellie Kam, Danny O'Shea and Andrew Torgashev watched her performance.
Out of all the competitors, only Japan's Kaori Sakamota scored higher, earning 78.88.
"I thought I skated really well for my first performance at this Olympics. I was my usual self. I was nervous like I always am but it wasn’t to a point where my legs were shaking," Sakamoto told Olympics.com.
Finishing third in the segment, Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann scored a personal best of 71.62 on home ice.
With the team event nearly halfway complete, Team USA sits in first place in the standings with 25 points. Japan is second with 23 points and Italy is in third with 22.
