With her signature hair and just being her unapologetic self, figure skating Olympic gold medalist from the Milan Winter Games, Alysa Liu, returned home to thousands of cheering fans and a key to the city.
“I want to thank you all so much for showing up and showing out. This is crazy!” Liu told the crowd.
“We love to see Oakland people shine. And we love to represent our people. So yeah, I took off work today to come represent and celebrate one of our winners,” say Maymunah Rashid, an Oakland resident.
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“We have a young sister who has shown us what it means to live life with excellence, beauty, on her own terms!” East Bay Congresswoman Lateefah Simon told the crowd.
Congresswoman Simon called Liu an “American hero.”
Born in Oakland, she trained in Oakland, and she’s an alumni of the Oakland School for the Arts. Hundreds of students from the school were in the crowd.
“This gives them inspiration that they can achieve whatever they put their minds too,” says Steven Ward with the Oakland School of the Arts.
MORE: Oakland’s Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu inspires young athletes at her local ice rink
Before the rally, Liu, who won two gold medals in Milan, spoke at a press conference with Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, where she talked about her newfound popularity.
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“It’s been crazy how much visibility I have right now. Would never have expected that, especially from a figure skater. You know, like, we don’t really blow up like that,” said Liu.
She also reflected on not just being an Olympic champion, but being an Asian-American athlete and role model.
“I mean representation matters so much. Like, we don’t really realize it but having one person sometimes is kind of all you need sometime. I am always so grateful and honored that I can be that for some people,” said Liu.
On stage, there were lion dances to honor her Asian heritage and performances from Oakland celebrities like Grammy-winning artist Kehlani, all to honor who some call a woman who represents Oakland’s future.
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FROM THE ARCHIVE: Oakland’s Alysa Liu was making history at 13 and had Olympic dreams
ABC7 News reporter Lyanne Melendez spoke with Oakland’s own Alysa Liu in 2019 when she was just 13, and thinking about her future Olympic dreams.
Liu got a lot of praise for her hard work and determination.
“I wish I had the voice that you have as a young athlete coming up to be able to step back sometimes when I was burnt out or working too hard. But for you to do that. And then come back and win the worlds. And then come back and win an Olympic medal. That’s crazy!” says Andre Ward, and Oakland native and 2004 Olympic Boxing gold medalist.
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Also on stage was another Bay Area figure skating gold medalist, 1992 champ Kristi Yamaguchi. She called Alysa Liu “a gamer” and a woman who competed with “genuine sportsmanship.”
Since arriving back from the Olympics, a billboard congratulating her has popped up and she’s been spotted all around the Bay Area.
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