Among the many performances at this year’s Winter Olympics, American figure skater Alysa Liu was one of the few who stole the show. The 20-year-old Olympic athlete made waves with her skating routine and eccentric personality within interviews and amongst other athletes. It wasn’t hard for a large portion of the internet to fall in love with her stage presence.
On apps like TikTok and Instagram, fan edits and commentary of her performance and her appearance are in no shortage to find. Its large in part to how vastly she deviates from the beauty standards of professional settings within sports competitions.
While sports like hockey place little value on the appearance of their athletes while performing, figure skating is among the few sports where an athlete’s appearance is key. It is understandable that figure skating also suffers from a large swath of toxic beauty practices, similar to ballet; athletes are expected to look like perfection, poised, with hair out of place.
What makes Alysa Liu different is her temperament and authenticity. Liu remains unapologetically herself, and that is reflected in her performance and her sense of style. She is among the many who are setting the stage for a new generation of athletes who are encouraging less of that high-strung and rigid training. Athletes should be encouraged to incorporate their authentic selves within their athletic persona, to have more control over their own lives, and not just perform to win, but also because of their love for their respective sport.
