Alysa Liu: “ The way Zagitova jumped in Pyeongchang-2018 is simply unbelievable ”
Two-time US champion - about her admiration of Zagitova and Shcherbakova, fast food before the competition and the desire to skate at least till 20 years of age.
Looking at the half-empty stands of the Tondiraba Arena in Tallinn, it was difficult to get rid of the impression that the World Championship among juniors is a pleasant prelude to the main tournament of the season - the senior World Championship. However, the coronavirus roaming the planet made its own corrections and forced ISU to cancel the tournament, like almost all sports competitions around the world. Then it became clear - the juniors were lucky to have been identify their strongest. And the final point of the women's competitions in the 2019/20 season was the bright performances of the 13-year-old Champion Kamila Valiyeva, Silver medalist Dar'ya Usachyova and the subject of our interview, Alysa Liu, who won the Bronze medal.
Although the 14-year-old American, who, among other things, owns cascades with a quadruple Lutz and a triple Axel, could potentially compete with Valiyeva, in fact, their confrontation did not happen. After the short program, Alysa was only in fourth, despite the unique cascade of “triple Axel - triple Toeloop”, and in terms of total points she became third, losing to Usachyova, who does not own ultra-si. A cursory glance at the protocols is enough to understand the reason - under rotations at the most valuable jumps, lower bonus points for the quality of the elements and lesser rewards in the components. At the same time, the cheerfully smiling skater herself admitted this after the end of the competition.
“ I think this season was successful for me, ” said Liu. “ I've learned a lot and understood what to work on. What exactly? I think everything - by jumping, spinning and sliding. ”
- Tell us, how is your regular training day?
“ I get up two hours before training. Then I go to training, and during the break most of the time I spend chatting with friends or doing homework. But still I talk more with friends (laughs). Sometimes we have rather long breaks and we manage to go shopping, although more often we don’t buy something, but just look at the windows. It also happens that we walk around the city in search of new places where you can eat. Plus, twice a week we have classes outside the ice. I’m a home-based online school student, I like physical education lessons most of all, because I know the most about this subject. Teachers trust us, you only need to do the tasks that they ask.
Trainer mom and figure skating dad
Alysa was born with the help of a surrogate mother. In addition to Alysa, father Arthur Liu raises four more daughters - 12-year-old Selena and nine-year-old triplets Justin, Julia and Joshua. Therefore, the words spoken by Liu about her coach Laura Lipetsky acquire a special meaning. Moreover, at competitions Lipetsky almost never for a second leaves the pupil unattended, watching from afar even the draws and press conferences with her charge participating.
“ My coach Laura Lipetsky is like a mom to me, because we usually see her every day and work a lot together, including outside the ice, ” Liu admitted.
“ I like to train under her guidance. Laura is my first coach, we have been working together for 9-10 years. My father always goes with me to competitions, I know that there are figure skating mothers, and I have a figure skating dad. He always supports me. Sometimes he even offers something, but his suggestions are not always good, so usually I trust myself. ”
- It’s no secret that there are no skaters of your level in your skating rink, but when you come to competitions it’s different. What are the pros and cons of the lack of rivals in the group?
“ The disadvantage is that I do not have enough competition, but there is a plus - I can feel more relaxed, no one overtakes me (smiles). At competitions like the Junior Grand Prix Final and the World Championships, a lot of spectators come, we never have that much at our rink. ”
Kwan and Shcherbakova as motivators
- How do you usually manage to find motivation?
“ I am motivated by myself and other athletes, such as Aleksandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova, who perform quadruple jumps. Michelle Kwan from the past is very inspiring, and now it is Shcherbakova. Michelle won an incredible number of World Championships, skated for a very long time and worked a lot, and Shcherbakova I admire because of her amazing triple jumps and skating. She has the “full package” (full skill set).
I watched the Olympics in Sochi-2014 and Pyeongchang-2018 and I want to say that the technical level in single skating has grown incredibly. How Alina Zagitova jumped in Pyeongchang-2018 with all the jumps in the second half of the program is very difficult and simply incredible. DoI think about winning the Olympic medal? Of course, I dream to get there, but how everything can turn out, I cannot even imagine. ”
- Now is the time of constant increase of difficulty in women's single skating - quadruple jumps and triple axels. If you try to imagine to what age you plan to skate?
“ This is a rather complicated question, I don’t know, we'll see. It is possible perhaps up to 30 years or something like that, but at least until 20. Until the Olympics in Milan-2026? Maybe. ”
McDonald's before the starts
- What do you like most about figure skating?
“ Presenting my programs, watching the performances of other skaters, this slight excitement before the competition, this is the worst feeling, but at the same time it is an amazing feeling. When you are supported, you skate out your program well, and then you feel happy. At each competition, I receive gifts from fans, and I admit that I had never imagined before that someone would give me something. ”
- In terms of nutrition, you have to limit yourself?
“ I have no diet, and I have never been filled out. While I eat everything I want. ”
- Can you even go to McDonald's?
“ Yes, three hours before the competition I usually go there (laughs). ”
- How would you characterise yourself?
“ A little crazy, not annoying, but noisy. I have quiet friends, but I'm certainly not like that - I usually talk a lot. ”
(c) Екатерина Беспалова
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From:
https://www.sport-express.ru/figure...ob-aline-zagitovoy-anne-scherbakovoy-1652831/
Would not be mad if she is kept it for next season. 
Then she will have some professional comptition to make her better. 
