FIGURE SKATING
Liu comes out of retirement to give USA first Women’s World title in 19 years
28 Mar 2025
Alysa Liu (USA) came out of retirement to give the USA their first Women’s ISU World Figure Skating title in 19 years, in what was a spectacular night of figure skating at the sold-out TD Garden. The 13,000 spectators in the venue, plus the millions in front of their TV or computer screens, experienced all the sport has to offer at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025: the excitement, the drama, the beauty.
Liu (USA) wins 'unreal' gold
Alysa Liu (USA) was 16 when she called it quits after winning the bronze medal at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2022. Now she is 19 and the new ISU World Champion, crowned on home ice in Boston, the first USA woman to win the title since Kimmie Meissner in 2006.
Three-time ISU World Champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan staged a remarkable comeback to claim the silver medal, while her teammate Mone Chiba earned bronze, her first ISU World medal.
It is a story to remember for Liu, who led after the Short Program and had to skate last.
Alysa Liu (USA) set personal bests for her Short Program, Free Skating and total score at the ISU World Championships in Boston © ISU
When she took the ice, her competitors already had delivered great performances and there was no room for error.
Liu kept her nerve and delivered a flawless performance to “MacArthur Park Suite” by Donna Summer, reeling off seven triples and difficult spins and footwork. The crowd grew louder and louder with each element, rising as one for a standing ovation as it ended. Liu set personal bests for Free Skating with 148.39 points and total score with 222.97 points.
Liu was seven months old when Meissner won the title.
“I have never regretted anything in my life. Every decision I've made, I'm so glad I did. It really brought me to this moment,” Liu said.
“That was the best performance I've laid down all season, even my practice programs have not been that good. I really thought if I did clean skates I'd be hopefully Top 10, definitely not first. This moment is so unreal, that's the only word I can use to describe it. I still have to process it to be honest.
“Coming into this, or any competition, I don't think about placements. It's not my goal to win or even get a medal, it's always just good to get two good programs. And today I just happened to win.”
Sakamoto was fifth in the Short Program after making an error in her combination, but she was determined to fight back. And she did.
Three-time World Champion Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) climbed to the second step of the podium on Friday, after finishing fifth in Wednesday's Short Program © ISU
The two-time Olympic medalist nailed her fast-paced program to “All That Jazz”, landing five clean triple jumps to score 146.95 points. With 217.98 points, she pulled up to second to add a silver medal to her three gold.
It was an emotional night for the Japanese Champion.
“I was nervous, more than you can imagine, even before I entered the venue, but I was still able to perform and fight, despite all of those feelings,” Sakamoto said.
“Then I had to sit in the leader's chair and watch the remaining four people skate in front of me, and I was so emotional. I was crying. Alysa won, I cried again, and then I was feeling a bit frustrated that I wish it was me, then I started crying again. So there's just a lot of emotions piling up inside of me.”
Chiba delivered another excellent performance to “Ariana Concerto”, completing beautiful spins and five clean triple jumps. However, the Salchow was wobbly and under-rotated, and she also under-rotated a triple Lutz.
Mone Chiba (JPN) set a season's best in Free Skating on Friday to take bronze at the ISU World Championships in Boston © ISU
Chiba nevertheless set a season's best of 141.80 points, but with a total score of 215.24 she slipped to third from second.
“I had no idea. I could not imagine that I would be on the podium, and I'm really happy about this bronze medal,” Chiba said. “I think during the Short, I was able to not let myself get too sort of overwhelmed by the atmosphere, and I think I could use the cheers from the audience as a source of strength for myself.
“I think that was a good takeaway, probably my biggest takeaway from this competition. I want to make sure that I will never forget that. Every single competition moving forward, I want to make sure that even if I am nervous, I want to make sure to enjoy myself.”
Isabeau Levito (USA), the 2024 ISU World silver medalist who missed most of the season due to injury, turned in a strong Free Skating as well, but she finished fourth after falling on her triple flip-triple toe combination (209.84 points).
Isabeau Levito (USA) slipped to fourth overall after finishing third in Wednesday's Short Program © ISU
ISU Grand Prix Final Champion Amber Glenn (USA) came back from a faulty Short Program that left her in ninth place, landing her trademark triple Axel to pull up to fifth (205.65 points). The 2018 ISU World silver medalist Wakaba Higuchi (JPN) was sixth (204.58 points), while 2024 ISU World bronze medalist Chaeyeon Kim (KOR) settled for 10th (194.16 points).
Road to Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games
The 2025 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Boston will serve as the primary qualification event for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. The first quota places will be allocated during the World Championships in Boston and the remaining ones at the Olympic Qualifying competition in Beijing (CHN) from September 17-21, 2025 (read more here).
What and when
The schedule of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 is as follows:
Wednesday, March 26: Women’s & Pairs Short Programs
Thursday, March 27: Men’s Short Program & Pairs Free Skating
Friday, March, 28: Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, March 29: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, March 30: Exhibition Gala & ISU Figure Skating Awards
A total of 190 Skaters representing 42 countries have been entered for the Championships: 39 Men, 33 Women, 23 Pairs and 36 Ice Dance couples. Boston hosts the ISU World Championships for the second time after 2016 and this the 14th time that the USA are hosting the event.
For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025 and the official event website of the Championships. Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating.
Where to watch the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2025:
The ISU World Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news.
Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.
