Alysa Liu Boyfriend & Family History: She Opened Up About Dating
Figure skater Alysa Liu retired at the age of 16 from the sport but mounted a comeback in the 2026 Olympics. She won a gold medal.
That has many fans wondering about her family life. Does she have a boyfriend? Is she dating? In September, Liu, who is now in college, made rare comments about her personal life in an interview with Cosmopolitan. In that interview, she made it clear that dating is simply not her priority, nor is having a boyfriend. Liu is close to her father, Arthur Liu, who raised five kids via a surrogate. She appears to focus primarily on her friends and family.
Alysa Liu Revealed That She Hasn't 'Felt the Need' to Get a Boyfriend or Date
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Liu made it clear in the interview that she is happy without a relationship at the moment.
"Oh my God, this is, like, the first time I’ve talked about this. 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," she told Cosmopolitan.
"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," she added.
"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."
Alysa Liu's Father, Arthur Liu, Was a Single Dad
Liu had a unique upbringing. She was raised by "a single father, Arthur Liu," who started her skating at the age of 5.
Her dad is a lawyer who fled China at age 25 "due to his involvement in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests," People reported. He relocated to the Bay Area and started a law firm.
Arthur Liu had Alysa and her four younger siblings "via surrogacy using anonymous egg donors," People reported.
Alysa Liu Describes Herself as a 'Very Social Person'
Despite the lack of a boyfriend, Liu appears to have a very busy and happy social life.
"I’m a very social person. I love making friends. Last time, I was training way too much, and I didn’t really spend too much time with my fellow Team USA members. Connections with people—that’s the most important thing in life. It overrides everything," Liu told Cosmopolitan.
Asked why she retired after the 2022 Olympic Games, Liu said, "There was nothing more I wanted than to just be with my friends and my family, and skating had nothing to do with that at that point."
“I really do like to skate, so I can’t see myself stopping anytime soon, which is so crazy to say because I didn’t think this way for so long,” Alysa added to Cosmopolitan. “So many people ask me if I am going to retire after this year, and I really thought about their question. I cannot imagine not skating in a year. I can’t imagine next year being off the ice.”
She also explained to Cosmopolitan why she returned to competition, saying, "I went through a whole year of school, and during winter break, I went skiing and I realized school was hard, but it was not challenging enough for me. I got into other things, like fashion, but I never went to the gym. Skating gave me something to be strong for. I love having willpower."