Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu’s father, Arthur Liu, has been her biggest supporter since she began her ice skating career.
Alysa began ice skating at a young age and turned professional when she was a teen. At age 16, she competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics, where she came in sixth place. After taking some time off from the sport, she returned to compete at the 2026 games in Milan Cortina and earned two Olympic gold medals. (Alysa first won gold in a team event to open up the 2026 Winter Olympics and later clinched the women’s single skating medal too.)
Arthur has remained by his daughter’s side throughout her career. Alyssa is Arthur’s eldest daughter. He is also father to daughter Selena and triplets Julia, Justin and Joshua. Arthur welcomed his five children via two surrogate mothers and anonymous egg donors.
“I had always wanted to have kids and I was already 40,” Arthur told the San Francisco Chronicle in a January 2019 interview.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Arthur:
Arthur Liu Immigrated to the U.S. From China
Arthur Liu was born in the small mountain village, Mingxing, in China’s Sichuan Province, per NBC Sports. He was one of six children. Arthur earned a spot in a boarding school in Chongqing. He went on to further his education by getting a bachelor’s and master’s degree while in China.
In 1989, Arthur participated in the Tiananmen Square protests. Following his involvement in the movement, Arthur immigrated to the United States and settled down in Northern California.
Arthur Liu Is a Lawyer
After immigrating to the United States, Arthur Liu studied law at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. He became a lawyer and founded his own practice, Inter-Pacific Law Group Inc.
Arthur Liu Introduced Alyssa Liu to Ice Skating
Arthur Liu brought Alysa Liu to her first ice skating lesson when she was 5 years old. That first solo lesson led to a group lesson with coach Laura Lipetsky. Lipetsky ended up giving Alysa a skills test, and after seeing her performance, the coach asked Arthur if Alysa wanted to give private lessons a try.
“I spared no money, no time,” Arthur said of getting Alysa into ice skating in the 2026 60 Minutes special. “I just saw the talent.”
In addition to supporting Alysa with her skating lessons and taking her to competitions, Arthur participated in his daughter’s training aspects by watching her practices and tracking the speed of her jumps with a radar gun.
Arthur Liu Got Help From His Mom to Raise His Kids
As a single father of five kids, Arthur Liu had some extra help from his mother. According to NBC News, Arthur’s mom came from China to the United States to assist in parental duties amid Alysa’s ice skating training. She remained with her grandchildren before returning to China in 2016.
Alysa Liu Did Not Consult Her Dad During Her Brief Retirement
When Alysa Liu announced she was retiring from ice skating in April 2022, she did not talk to Arthur Liu before making the decision.
“I didn’t really ask [my dad’s] opinion when I decided to retire. After all, it’s my life,” she told the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that her dad was “supportive” of her decision.
When Alysa decided to make her return in 2026, she shared that her dad is less involved with her skating career.
“He’s a great father, I just didn’t want him to be as invested in it as he was before,” she told 60 Minutes.
In the same interview, Arthur confessed he was “a little bit” hurt by Alysa’s decision but remains supportive of his daughter.
