The Million-Dollar Medal: Alysa Liu’s Olympic Journey

Alysa Liu © Pinterest

As the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan showcase the world’s most elite figure skaters, a startling figure has emerged regarding the financial reality behind the scenes. Arthur Liu, father of 2025 World Champion Alysa Liu, recently estimated that the total cost of his daughter’s training has reached between $500,000 and $1 million.

While the average American family spent roughly $1,016 on their child’s primary sport in 2024, according to The Aspen Institute, the path to an Olympic podium requires a vastly different financial scale. For an athlete like Alysa, who began her career as a child prodigy and is now a 20-year-old veteran, the investment reflects over a decade of elite-level requirements.

Where the Money Goes

At the elite level, figure skating is one of the most expensive sports in the world. The six-to-seven-figure price tag mentioned by Liu’s father covers a wide range of essential professional services:

• Coaching Fees: Top-tier Olympic coaches often charge high hourly rates for private lessons, plus travel expenses for competitions.
• Ice Time: Unlike team sports that may have dedicated facilities, skaters often pay for private ice sessions to practice choreography and high-stakes jumps.
• Travel and Logistics: International competition schedules require constant global travel for the athlete, their family, and their coaching team.
• Equipment and Maintenance: Custom-fitted boots and high-performance blades can cost thousands of dollars and must be replaced frequently due to the extreme physical force of quadruple jumps.
• Choreography and Costumes: Custom-made Olympic dresses, often adorned with crystals, can cost several thousand dollars each, alongside fees for world-class choreographers.

A Rare Investment

Arthur Liu noted that he “spared no money and no time” on his daughter’s development. This level of spending is rare; data shows that while many parents make sacrifices for extracurriculars, only a tiny fraction reach the million-dollar threshold. However, for those aiming for World and Olympic titles, these costs are often viewed as a necessary prerequisite to compete against the world’s best.

Source: article by Megan Sauer on cnbc.com, published January 26, 2026.

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By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer