Bay Area’s Alysa Liu takes surprise lead at figure skating world championships, capping her sensational return to the sport

Almost three years after stepping away from the sport, American figure skater Alysa Liu is on the verge of winning a world championship title in stunning and unlikely fashion.

The 19-year-old Liu, who had retired from figure skating after claiming a bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, placed first in the short program at this year’s event in Boston with a score of 74.58 points.

Should she take the title, Liu would became the first American women’s figure skating world champion since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.