Alysa Liu delivers the US its first women’s figure skating world championship in nearly 2 decades

BOSTON (AP) — Alysa Liu became the first American women’s figure skating world champion in nearly two decades Friday night, dethroning three-time defending champion Kaori Sakamoto with a brilliant free skate that earned her a standing ovation inside TD Garden.

With her gold dress shimmering in the lights, Liu landed all of her jumping passes to a rendition of “MacArthur Park” by Boston native Donna Summer, and finished with 222.97 points to culminate a remarkable comeback from a two-year retirement.