The United States is heading into the Olympic year with its most decorated and deepest pool of figure skaters in decades. If ever.

BOSTON — Alysa Liu is the first U.S. women’s singles figure skater to win a world title in 19 years, capping a comeback season after a two-year retirement. Liu, 19, had the top short program and free skate scores for 222.97 total points. She prevailed over three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan by 4.99. Mone Chiba of Japan earned bronze.

Ilia Malinin of Team USA is atop the leaderboard at the 2025 world figure skating championships after a dominant short program.

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.

Americans Madison Chock and Evan Bates claimed gold at the World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday to become the first team in 28 years to capture three consecutive world ice dance titles.

Day 3 of the 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships came to an end on Friday, with some hardware handed out. U.S. skater Alysa Liu wrapped up a stellar free skate performance, earning a gold medal and becoming the first American women's figure skating world champion since 2006.

“Let’s get this party started!” That was Ilia Malinin’s message to the ticketholders on the Hub Vision screen before he took the ice at TD Garden on Thursday afternoon. The men’s short program at the World Figure Skating Championships had been underway for five and a half hours and more than three dozen competitors already had skated.

Alysa Liu never expected to win the world championships. After all, the 19-year-old figure skater retired from the sport three years ago, only returning to training again a year ago and international competition six months ago.