Alysa Liu won the women’s event at the Budapest Trophy, marking her comeback to international figure skating following a two-year retirement. Despite difficulties in her free skate, where she placed second, her strong score in the short program secured her victory with a total of 192.77 points ahead of Kimmy Repond from Switzerland.

Alysa Liu marked her return to international figure skating with a victory at the Budapest Trophy held on October 13, despite encountering challenges during her free skate performance. The United States figure skater, now 19 years old, is competing in her first season since retiring following her participation in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. During the women’s free skate, set to the music of Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” Liu initially showcased her skills with a clean opening triple flip. However, her inexperience from not competing for two years began to show as she under-rotated a triple toe loop and received negative grade of execution marks on her triple loop. The judges also noted issues with her combination of a triple Lutz, single Euler, and triple Salchow, with the Lutz being deemed a quarter rotation short and the Salchow downgraded. Furthermore, Liu’s final jump, a double Axel, also landed under-rotated, culminating in a free skate score of 123.94 points, which placed her second behind Kimmy Repond of Switzerland, who scored 124.05. Nevertheless, Liu’s outstanding performance in the short program secured her overall win with a total of 192.77 points, narrowly ahead of Repond, who finished with 190.09 points.

Alysa Liu’s return to competitive figure skating follows a two-year hiatus after her retirement post the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. The Budapest Trophy is part of the ISU Challenger Series, an important event for skaters looking to build their competitive rankings and gain experience prior to larger championships. Liu, as a prominent skater in the U.S., possesses a commendable reputation in the sport, having previously achieved significant accolades. Her performance in Budapest indicates both her enduring talent and the challenges associated with returning to the sport after a long break.

In summary, Alysa Liu’s victory at the Budapest Trophy represents a commendable comeback tofigure skating after a two-year retirement. Despite experiencing some difficulties with her free skate performance, she leveraged her strong short program to secure the overall title. Liu’s journey reflects both the challenges faced by athletes returning to competition and her resilience in overcoming them to achieve success.

Original Source: olympics.com

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