Alysa Liu won not only the Olympic gold medal in Milan but also the hearts of everyone who watched her prance across the ice with a smile on her face.
Her energy and presence on the ice were uplifting and full of joy to anyone who witnessed it, as many noted how carefree and passionately she performed in comparison to her competitors. This change in atmosphere for the young performer stemmed not from a mere increase of maturity since her last Olympic appearance, but instead from something far more deeply rooted within the depths of herself.
The very essence that Liu brought to the ice is the representation of what it means to be true to yourself when doing the things you love.
Following the dramatic turnout of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Liu announced in April of that same year that she would be retiring from the world of professional figure skating to pursue a normal life away from the spotlight. This decision weighed heavily upon her most recent experiences, as her coaches were pushing her past her breaking point.
Harsh diets, long hours, uncomfortable dances, and an overall lack of passion. These are just some of the harsh standards that Liu’s coaches forced upon her that restricted her performance and took a toll on her mental health.
Large industries such as the performing arts and various competitive sports are often interlaced with the outdated idea that athletes/performers should sacrifice their physical or mental well-being to achieve the highest score or perform to the best of their abilities. Many high-stakes coaches fail to recognize that those they coach are still people, often teenagers, who need to find a balance of work in their lives to have the best state of mind and performance. This has its toll on athletes and performers, creating an environment which many find unsuitable and suffocating, reaching a point of burnout before they unlock their “true potential” they have been striving towards in an unhealthy and obsessive state, fueled by the greed of their coaches and corporations.
It is standards like these that result in intense burnout from young stars, having spent so long trying to be what everyone wants them to be while forgetting to be true to themselves.
Nearly two years after her retirement, Liu returned to the world of figure skating with a new set of rules for herself. She got new coaches who respected her as a person, she took a hand in the creative design of her programs, and most importantly, she prioritised her own well-being and comfort over anything else.
The brief hiatus from the professional setting proved to be a time for Liu to rediscover her love of ice skating, and many athletes have found this experience relatable. The occurrence where this is a revitalization of affection towards a specific activity after taking a short time off often allows performers or athletes to come back stronger, as Freshman Alexandria Belan said, “I think taking a break at 16 was able to help her appreciate the sport more.”
This change shocked the world, as it broke so many of the standards that the industry had been built upon and finally showcased an athlete who stood up for themselves and their mental health despite what some of the award-winning coaches may have had to say about it.
As a young performer, it took an unfathomable amount of courage for Liu to take her well-being into her own hands and defy those standards, but it surely paid off in her most recent triumph of gold. Liu’s performance conveys an image of a girl who truly loves what she is doing, being able to perform from the heart because she found the courage to break the standard and find her way back into loving the sport.
Liu’s groundbreaking comeback and outstanding results show how so many industries have prioritized scores over safety, building that unhealthy environment that must be changed in earnest. Many athletes are finding it in themselves to break these standards, paving the way for future generations to share their art and passion in an environment that sees them as more than a vessel of competition.
Normalizing this prioritization of the performers’ or athletes’ well-being could change the future of these industries, and the tearing down of harmful standards would create a better environment for everyone involved. Prioritising oneself is an important step towards a healthy change in society, as Freshman Esma Castellanos said, “I definitely believe people should stand up for their mental health as much as their physical health, especially because someone’s mindset can drastically affect their performance. Unfortunately, there is so much stigma around improving one’s mental health, so standing up for your own boundaries and health can be inspiring for others to reach out.”
This brutal reality that so many young experts face can be broken down by the reality that their health and well being is more important than one performance, and the realization that sometimes it takes some time and distance away from something to realize how much you really love it.