Liu’s Golden Triumph Highlights Women’s Free Skate at 2025 World Championships

Alysa Liu © Instagram / fs.skatingstan

The women’s free skate at the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships on Friday night was a dazzling display of resilience, artistry, and history-making performances, with Alysa Liu of the United States stealing the show. In front of a sold-out TD Garden crowd, the 19-year-old delivered a spellbinding program to claim the world title, marking the first time an American woman has done so since Kimmie Meissner in 2006. As the championship unfolded on March 28, 2025, the night showcased not just Liu’s improbable comeback but also the fierce competition among the world’s top skaters vying for the podium.

A Comeback for the Ages

Entering the free skate in first place after Wednesday’s short program, Liu faced immense pressure to hold off Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, a three-time defending champion aiming to make history with a fourth consecutive title. Skating to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” Liu radiated confidence in a shimmering gold dress. She landed seven triple jumps—three in combination—with high-velocity step sequences and fluid transitions that brought the 17,850 fans to their feet. Her free skate score of 148.39, a season best by nearly 17 points, propelled her to a total of 222.97, securing gold.

“I don’t know how to process this,” Liu said, still breathless in the kiss-and-cry area alongside coaches Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali. “What the hell?” Her disbelief was palpable, a reflection of a journey that saw her retire in 2022 at age 16, only to return last year after rediscovering her love for the sport on a ski trip. Liu’s victory capped a remarkable season, following a second-place finish at the U.S. Championships in January.

Sakamoto’s Silver Lining

Sakamoto, who started the night in fifth after a shaky short program (71.03), mounted a fierce comeback in her bid to match American Carol Heiss’s four-title streak from the 1950s and ‘60s. Dressed in black, she channeled the showmanship of “All That Jazz” from Chicago, landing two triple Lutzes and feeding off the crowd’s energy. Her free skate scored 147.00—tops of the night—but a two-footed landing on an early combination left her just shy of Liu at 217.98 overall, earning silver.

“Kaori fought with everything she had,” her coach said post-performance. “She’s a champion, and this silver is a testament to her power and grace.” Sakamoto’s podium finish kept Japan’s streak alive, though her quest for a historic fourth title fell short.

Chiba Secures Bronze

Japan’s Mone Chiba, second after the short program with 73.44, delivered a composed and elegant free skate to claim bronze with 215.24. Her program featured a clean triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, though minor errors on two triples kept her from challenging the top two. At 19, Chiba’s first world championship medal underscored her growing maturity, capping a breakout season. “I’m so happy to be here with Kaori and Alysa,” she said, smiling beside her compatriots on the podium.

American Depth Shines

The U.S. showcased unprecedented depth, placing three women in the top five for the first time since 2001. Isabeau Levito, the 2024 world silver medalist, overcame a fall on her opening triple flip-triple toe combination in her balletic “Liebestraum” program. The 18-year-old rallied to land every subsequent jump, scoring 138.00 in the free skate for a total of 209.84, finishing fourth. “After that fall, I just wanted it to be over,” Levito admitted. “But I’m proud I kept going.”

Reigning U.S. champion Amber Glenn rounded out the top five with 205.65. Her free skate opened with a triple Axel—a rare feat in women’s skating—but a step-out on a later jump kept her from the podium. “I’ve been battling fatigue and some off-ice challenges,” Glenn said, referencing her undefeated season capped by December’s Grand Prix Final win. “Fifth at worlds is still a huge honor.”

A Night of Drama and Legacy

The absence of Russian skaters, banned since 2022 due to the invasion of Ukraine, opened the field, but the competition was no less fierce. Liu’s triumph ended a 19-year drought for American women at worlds, a drought that had stretched through four Olympic cycles without a medal. Her teammates’ strong showings signal a resurgence for U.S. women’s skating ahead of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, where Liu, Levito, and Glenn could vie to end a 24-year Olympic gold drought since Sarah Hughes in 2002.

As Liu spun into her final layback pose, the TD Garden erupted, a white-hot wall of sound celebrating not just a victory but a story of redemption. “I’m not going to lie, this is an insane story,” Liu said, laughing. “I don’t know how I came back to be world champion.” For the roaring Boston crowd—and a nation watching—Friday night was proof that sometimes, the most unexpected comebacks write the greatest chapters in history.

The championships conclude Saturday with the free dance and men’s free skate, where the U.S. aims to continue its dominance after winning three of four disciplines so far. But for now, the women’s free skate stands as the unforgettable highlight of 2025’s worlds—a night where Liu’s golden glow lit the way.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer