While several athletes have broken into the mainstream after the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, there’s a strong case to be made that Team USA figure skating superstar Alysa Liu is now the biggest star of them all.
This is because Liu became the first Team USA women’s figure skater to earn a medal since 2006 after her captivating performance during the singles free skate event last week. What’s more, after Liu received a score of 226.79 and won a gold medal, she became the first USA women’s figure skater to get a gold medal since 2002.
The 20-year-old Liu’s platform has skyrocketed in the wake of this Olympic success (she also won a gold medal for the USA in the figure skating team event), to the point where she now has over 6 million followers on Instagram as opposed to having less than 1 million before the Olympics began.
This has also increased interest in Liu’s personal life. She addressed her love life situation during an interview with Cosmopolitan that was initially published on January 7 by saying, That’s a whole other thing that I’m not feeling right now. I have so much love in my life already, and I have so many amazing people, I just haven’t felt the need to look for more or look elsewhere. I really love myself. And my standards are quite high, too. But also, my schedule, especially since starting to skate again, is pretty hectic.
“If I were to date someone, we’d each have to make tons of sacrifices. It’s just not worth it at this point to build something. I think when it comes, it will. I love being single, I really do. I do see myself being single for a long time. Especially right now, I choose friendships over relationships any day,” Liu added.
Alysa Liu’s Back Tattoo Reveal Turns Heads After Olympics
This new platform brings an additional layer of scrutiny for Liu, particularly regarding her personal appearance.
This became clear on February 26, when a photo of Liu’s tattoo on her lower back surfaced on social media. The tattoo was initially seen in a TikTok video of Liu dancing in the past, but is now making waves after a clearer photo of it has emerged.
It’s unclear what this tattoo is, but some are suggesting that it’s a Baphomet, which is a controversial occult symbol. But that is merely speculation at this point.
Baphomet is an occult figure that represents the reconciliation of opposites. It is popularized by the goat-headed “Sabbatic Goat”. While often confused as a Satanic figure, Baphomet serves as a symbol of balance and in modern contexts can also be a sign of individual liberty and rebellion against dogma, as per the Britannica Encyclopedia.
