How Alysa Liu Modified into a 2026 Olympics Vogue Icon—Including Piercing Her Possess Frenulum
Group USA figure skater Alysa Liu has no longer handiest captivated followers on the 2026 Olympics with her skating abilities, but also with her type decisions, alongside with her upper gum piercing and striped coiffure.
If trendsetting changed into once an Olympic sport, Alysa Liu would rob home the gold.
Certainly, the Group USA figure skater has no longer handiest made her heed on the ice on the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, but also in the type division with her irregular strategy of expressing herself.
“Someone known as my type ‘different’ and I’d bear in mind that,” Alysa outlined in an interview with Milwaukee, Wisc., NBC affiliate TMJ4 News on Jan. 26. “I fancy type plenty.”
The 20-365 days-used—who received a gold medal in the figure skating workforce event—has lately captivated audiences due to her frenulum piercing in her mouth. The frenulum is the tissue that connects the lips to the gums, but for the reason that ring has been so prominent when Alysa smiles, many assumed she had gem stones on her teeth.
Because it appears, the Olympic athlete gave herself the mouth piercing moderately of over two years ago.
“I had my sister prolong my lip,” she suggested TMJ4 News, “and I changed into once taking a watch in the mirror, and I had my piercing needle and yeah, simply attach it through.”
To boot to her piercing, followers beget also been mesmerized by Alysa’s courageous coiffure after she hit the ice on Feb. 8, showing off her unlit brunette locks, horizontal platinum blonde stripes and “halos” around her head.
As Alysa attach it right through her TMJ4 interview, “You know the strategy trees beget rings for their age? I belief every 365 days I’m gonna add a brand original halo around my hair. It’s been two years so I beget two [and] blooming soon I’ll beget a brand original stripe.”
Even supposing her most in type stripe changed into once carried out on her beget, the ice skater—who retired from the game in 2022, sooner than making her expert comeback two years later—did name on St. Louis-based hairstylist Kelsey Miller to reduction with bleaching her hair to the correct coloration of blonde.
“This changed into once surely a truly irregular worry for me,” Kelsey shared in an Allure interview published Feb. 6. “It changed into once fun to shake it up and manufacture one thing I don't fundamentally manufacture.”
After a total of 5 hours, Kelsey changed into once in a draw to transform Alysa's favorite stripes—a subtle ginger coloration towards her brown hair—to more of a “milk tea coloration.”
“We started slack her head and took it your total potential through,” Kelsey outlined. “Your hair is undoubtedly your identification. It ought to enable you to with your confidence.”
For more on Alysa and the the relaxation of Group USA, protect reading…
Mikaela Shiffrin, Alpine Snowboarding
Shiffrin is also a three-time Olympic medalist, however the 30-365 days-used skier is requesting redemption heading into her fourth Olympics after her disappointing results on the 2022 Beijing Video games and a upsetting crash in November 2024, whereby she suffered a puncture to her abdomen that required surgical operation to restore.
“I truly feel very attentive to your total things that also can happen that I will't quiz,” Shiffrin suggested TIME in December. “I know totally that we also can manufacture the entirety suitable on paper and it could perhaps well also no longer find yourself with a medal. But I truly feel truly connected with my coaches, with the workforce, with each person around me, and that's building in a type that, no matter comes up, we'll be in a draw to tackle it collectively. That's the most productive I will manufacture.”
Shiffrin's make stronger workforce has lengthy included Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, but now she's engaged to her fellow Alpine specialist.
“He's definite, he's telling me, 'Honest be unsleeping, it's going to be OK,'” she suggested Olympics.com. “And especially final season, there were some moments the attach I truly questioned why I changed into once in search of to return and if that changed into once too worthy, too soon, if it's no longer that that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well assume of. And he changed into once cherish, ‘Hiya, you already know your self greater. You're attempting your hardest. If it doesn't work, that's also OK.’”
Lindsey Vonn, Alpine Snowboarding
Tormented by knee injuries, Vonn retired from rivals in 2019 after competing in five Iciness Olympics, winning gold in downhill and bronze in Massive-G in 2010 and alongside with one more bronze in downhill in 2018.
But after undergoing a lifestyles-altering partial suitable knee-change in 2024 that left her free from ache for the first time since her first knee surgical operation in 2013, she felt that familiar want for escape.
“Board calls are nice, but they’re no longer truly the an analogous as downhill,” the 41-365 days-used suggested NBC News in December. “And investing is gargantuan, but it’s also no longer the an analogous. I constructed a gargantuan lifestyles out of doorways of skiing, but there also can no longer ever be the relaxation cherish skiing, and I completely realize that, and I’m cosy with that. But I’m surely going to thrill in this final bit of adrenaline, because I received’t get it serve.”
When Vonn crashed right through a Jan. 30 World Cup escape in Switzerland and needed to be airlifted off the mountain, that also can beget spelled curtains for her comeback.
However the historic athlete, who beforehand said she changed into once “willing to probability the entirety,” declared herself fit ample to compete in the females's downhill Feb. 8 no matter struggling a ruptured left ACL.
“I’m no longer letting this traipse through my fingers,” she said at a Feb. 3 press convention. “I’m no longer crying. My head is excessive, I’m standing immense and I’m going to manufacture my most productive.”
Sadly, Vonn crashed on escape day and sustained a fancy tibia rupture that required just a few surgeries.
Jessie Diggins, Sinful-Nation Snowboarding
The most decorated immoral-nation skier in U.S. history, Diggins is competing in her fourth and final Olympics.
And the Afton, Minn., native is headed to Italy with a draw.
“I get to establish who I’m racing for on daily foundation, and how I are in search of to are residing up to my values,” the 34-365 days-used wrote on Instagram Jan. 31. “For each person out there caring for others, preserving their neighbors, and meeting other people with fancy—each step is for you. YOU are the ones who assemble me proud to elevate the flag, and I am hoping I will bring you joy over these subsequent few weeks.”
On the opposite hand, once she retires, she suggested NPR's All Things Idea about, “I'm simply excited to in actuality manufacture moderately so a lot of gardening and most of all be home with my husband and beget that time collectively.”
Jordan Stulz, Velocity Skating
Stolz made his Olympics debut at 17 in Beijing and, while he performed a long way from the podium four years ago, he's a favorite to dominate in the five hundred, 1,000, and 1,500-meter events, besides to in the mass initiating (a 16-lap, 6,400-meter escape), on the Milan Cortina Video games.
“If I will beget supreme races, I guess I beget the most productive chances out of assorted other people to procure gold,” the 21-365 days-used suggested the Associated Press in January. Requested how he handled the burden of expectations, he replied, “As lengthy as nothing gets in the potential, then I could perhaps also peaceful be elegant. I’ve had moderately so a lot of excessive-force races, I guess that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well also notify, so I don’t assume that’s that enormous of a disaster.”
Stolz received a gold medal in the boys's 100m event on Feb. 11, surroundings an Olympic yarn with a time of 1:06.28.
Erin Jackson, Velocity Skating
As the first Sunless American lady to procure a medal in escape skating—and the first Sunless lady to procure a particular person gold medal on the Iciness Olympics—four years ago in Beijing, 500-meter champion Jackson is returning to the 2026 Video games as a flag bearer in the Feb. 6 Opening Ceremony, sharing the honor with bobsledder Frank Del Duca.
“Being chosen to portray the US on the world stage is a gargantuan honor,” the 33-365 days-used from Ocala, Fla., said in a statement. “It's a moment that shows a long way bigger than one particular person—it represents my household, my teammates, my living of starting attach, and each person across the nation who believes in the energy of sport.”
And while she isn't calling it a profession simply yet, Jackson's put up-retirement plans encompass starting her beget organization to reduction younger Sunless athletes pursue their escape skating dreams.
“I guess representation is gargantuan most important because it helps to hit upon any individual cherish you reaching one thing, and we haven’t fundamentally had that in winter sports, and escape skating, namely,” she suggested NBC Olympics. “I truly rob on the accountability with satisfaction of being a face that others can watch to and most likely get out and take a look at the sports. I are in search of to manufacture no matter I will to assemble the magic happen for others.”
Chloe Kim, Snowboarding
A bit torn labrum, suffered in January when she dislocated her shoulder while practicing in Switzerland, wasn't going to quit Kim from competing in her fourth Olympics, the attach she has the probability to procure her third gold medal in females's halfpipe.
“Obviously, I'm truly upset that I will’t snowboard till suitable sooner than the Olympics, which is going to be onerous,” the 25-365 days-used from Torrance, Calif., said in a Jan. 13 video. “I haven't gotten nearly the amount of reps I’d've loved, but that's OK.”
She predicted a “blooming chill” lead-up to the 2026 Video games, telling NBC Olympics Jan 22, “I'm home suitable now, and I'll be heading out to Europe early subsequent week to get just a few days of practicing in sooner than we head over to Milan, and then I'll be there for the big day.”
And once she changed into once there, she'd be fired up and prepared to head—simply cherish each person else.
“I guess the abilities as a total, it's truly onerous to portray,” Kim, who's been snowboarding since she changed into once 4, said, “but I truly feel cherish all of us make of transform into peak variations of ourselves.”
Crimson Gerard, Snowboarding
Gerard changed into once 17 when he received his sole gold in slopestyle on the 2018 Video games in Pyeongchang, but he's the 2-time defending X Video games champ and is hoping to bring those winning vibes to his third Olympics.
“I peaceful truly feel younger and I peaceful truly feel truly, truly wholesome,” the 25-365 days-used, who's first and vital from Ohio and is now based in Colorado, suggested Folks in January. “But it has been truly cool being on Group USA since I changed into once 13 or no matter…and [now] being unquestionably among the older athletes, being in a draw to give some wisdom to the younger athletes.”
As for competing on the world's biggest stage, Gerard said, “I simply are attempting to affirm myself when the Olympics are coming around, it's the an analogous as your total moderately just a few competitions. I mean, yeah, it's moderately just a few. It's on a bigger scale, and worthy more other people watching and all that. But when it truly comes down to the snowboarding, it's the an analogous accurate thing. So, in the event that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well make of attach your blinders on and simply alarm about what you received to manufacture and take care of it the an analogous as you’ve got all of your lifestyles, that's what I continuously are attempting to manufacture.”
Alex Ferreira, Freestyle Snowboarding
The 31-365 days-used halfpipe specialist is competing in his third Olympics and is taking a watch to spherical out his 2018 silver and 2022 bronze with his first gold medal.
“I guess that is the 365 days I will procure gold because, one, I'm coming into the games wholesome for the first time,” Ferreira, who changed into once born in Aspen, Colo., and learned to ski on the local membership the usage of secondhand gear, suggested the Day by day Say. “And both of those times prior, I changed into once going into the games injured. The main one, I had broken my collarbone just a few weeks sooner than, and then the 2nd one, I had sprained my ankle. Love, three weeks sooner than, so this time I'm wholesome, this time I'm moderately of bit older, I'm worthy more focused, laser-focused.”
And besides to to his sister Lourdes and athlete fogeys Marcelo, a passe expert soccer participant from Argentina, and Colleen, who changed into once a aggressive relay racer, he's received rescue dog Brandy shoring up his nook.
“The object I fancy most about Brandy is that she's no longer counting medals,” Ferreira, an ambassador for Nulo pet food, said in an interview for the emblem. “She's simply wagging her tail after I get home, so she's there for me—the correct, the heinous, the horrifying, the entirety—and I completely want her.”
Ferreira received a silver medal on the boys's freestyle skiing slopestyle event on Feb. 10.
Alex Hall, Freestyle Snowboarding
Hall is headed to his third Olympics because the reigning gold medalist in slopestyle—rocketing to original heights four years after ending 16th in the event in the 2018 Video games.
To boot to a that that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well assume of repeat in slopestyle, the mellow 27-365 days-used—”I received to manufacture it once,” he suggested The Athletic of winning gold, which he keeps in his sock drawer. “If I get to manufacture it again, that’d be improbable”—is also taking a watch to make stronger on an eighth-living 2022 enact in Mountainous Air.
“Having the Olympics serve in Europe will be thrilling, skiing on suitable snow optimistically, and around big mountains, which we haven’t had these past two Olympics,” Hall—who lives in Utah but changed into once born in Alaska and grew up in Zurich, the attach his fogeys are college professors—suggested POWDER journal in October 2025. “For me personally, it’s also blooming cool because my mom is Italian. She’s from Bologna and her total side of the household peaceful lives suitable in the metropolis. A bunch of them are developing for the Olympics, so that could be blooming sweet.”
Jaelin Kauf, Freestyle Snowboarding
Competing in her third Olympics, the 29-365 days-used moguls expert intends to make stronger on her silver showing in Beijing.
And he or she knows the attach to flip for advice about the entirety from practicing to guidelines on how to tackle the force of international rivals.
Mother Patti Sherman-Kauf received two titles on the World Educated Moguls Tour—and competed while pregnant with her daughter—while dad Scott Kauf received five. And after her affluent particular person days were over, Patti switched to skicross and earned three X Video games bronze medals.
When Jaelin changed into once born, “she didn't cherish to be rocked, cherish most infants,” Patti suggested NBC Olympics. “She loved to be bounced.”
Mute, Jaelin “wasn't continuously sold on affluent particular person skiing itself,” she admitted to Teton Gravity Compare in November 2025. “I’d rob a powder day over bumps any time. But I guess that seeing and lustrous how my fogeys made a lifestyles as expert skiers made me perceive it changed into once a probability. Now not each person grows up seeing that as a right profession path, or is supported in that path, but I continuously knew that I will be.”
Moreover on Group Jaelin is her two-time Olympian boyfriend, retired moguls skier Bradley Wilson, and his bronze medal-winning older brother Bryon Wilson, who occurs to be Kauf's coach.
Kauf received a silver medal in females's freestyle skiing moguls on Feb. 11.
Kaillie Humphries, Bobsled
Humphries' toddle has had more twists than a bobsled escape.
Born in Calgary, the 40-365 days-used received gold on the 2010 and 2014 Iciness Olympics, and then a bronze in 2018, competing in two-lady bobsled for Group Canada.
She then alarmed the carrying world when she announced in 2019 that she changed into once leaving the Canadian nationwide workforce after 16 years, alleging she feared for her security amid what had became a toxic surroundings sooner than the 2018 Olympics.
Humphries joined the U.S. workforce in 2019, but suggested the AP on the time that she changed into once Canadian and “no longer giving up one for the moderately just a few.”
“My feelings for Canada don't reduce, but I will fancy one thing else simply as worthy,” she outlined. “And I've been residing in the U.S. for four years. I fancy an American. I married one. Then moderately just a few alternatives arose and we uncover ourselves in cases in lifestyles the attach now we want to assemble decisions and decisions.”
Humphries changed into an American citizen in 2021—then received gold in the inaugural monobob (i.e. one-particular person) on the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Her fifth Olympics will be her first as a mom, having welcomed son Aulden with husband Travis Armbruster in June 2024.
“We’ve continuously been suggested, ‘In case you’ve got a baby, your body also can no longer ever be the an analogous, you’re by no method gonna get serve on the podium, you’re going to alternate physically and mentally, so whenever you happen to’ve got a baby, your sport profession is carried out,'” Humphries suggested The Athletic in January. “And that changed into once suitable for a truly lengthy time. But we’re proving that now, in the event you cherish to beget both, that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well beget both.”
Elana Meyers Taylor, Bobsled
Bobsledding has became “me time” for the now-five-time Olympian since she and husband Nic Taylor welcomed son Nico in 2020 and then son Noah in 2022. Nico has Down syndrome and both children are deaf, the latter due to a gene mutation that both fogeys beget, which they didn't know till after Nico changed into once born.
And no matter lifestyles at home being busier than ever, Meyers Taylor changed into once provocative for her children to hit upon her at work.
“They’re gonna face challenges that I will’t even comprehend,” the 41-365 days-used suggested The Athletic. “I favor them to hit upon that, no matter obstacles, that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well protect pursuing your dream. I favor them to hit upon me with medals around my neck. But I also want them to hit upon me get knocked down, get serve up and war.”
While she has five medals from her four outdated Olympics, four from two-lady bobsled and the silver she received ending 2nd to Humphries in monobob in 2022, Meyers Taylor is peaceful in search of her first gold.
Mystique Ro, Skeleton
There's a definite badassery constructed right into a sport that entails hurtling headfirst on a miniature sled down a twisty observe at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour.
But Ro, the first American to medal in skeleton in 12 years on the IBSF World Championships in 2025, admittedly didn't assume it changed into once for her firstly.
“The coach walks me to the road, lets me rush, and all of a surprising, it’s going so posthaste, that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well no longer hit upon the relaxation, that it’s worthwhile to perhaps well no longer job the relaxation,” she suggested The Athletic in December, recalling her first taste of the game in 2016 after being suggested she changed into once too diminutive for bobsledding. “I get to the underside, and it’s cherish, ‘I’m carried out, bye! I’m no longer doing that s–t again!’”
But after paying consideration to ample other people rave about how cool it changed into once, she tried it again.
A decade later, the Virginia native is in her first Olympics, prepared to compete personally and in the blended (co-ed) workforce event, which is making its debut on the 2026 Video games.
When she's no longer practicing and touring, Ro—who's the 2nd-oldest of 11 siblings, alongside with a twin sister who's 14 minutes younger—works as a tour manual on the Lake Placid Olympic Middle, unquestionably one of numerous athletes in decrease-profile sports who dietary supplements her financial institution account with a day job.
“I work there, I prepare there, I are residing and breathe that surroundings your total time,” she outlined. “And tourists fancy it because you’ve got an athlete strolling you around the ability, supplying you with their irregular viewpoint. It’s truly cool, but it’s no longer going to quilt the entirety I favor to manufacture this sport.”
Ilia Malinin, Prefer Skating
Born to fogeys who were both Uzbekistani figure skating champions, Malinin took up the game when he changed into once 6—despite the proven truth that on the time he most smartly-preferred taking half in soccer out of doorways in his Virginia living of starting attach in desire to prepare in a frigid arena.
When he changed into once 17, he changed into the first and—to this level—handiest skater to successfully land a truly rotated quadruple axel in international rivals, on the 2022 CS U.S. World Traditional.
Malinin, dubbed the “Quad God,” has performed the feat just a few times since and is the U.S. men's most productive shot at repeating in particular person gold in 2026, since “Quad King” Nathan Chen opted now to now not compete in the Milan Cortina Video games.
On the opposite hand, four years after he changed into once disregarded for a impart on Group USA, the 20-365 days-used is allowing for giving himself the most productive shot at a solid showing.
“After I rush to competitions, I don't assume the medals,” Malinin said on USA At the moment's Milan Magic video podcast. “I continuously assume the efficiency and concept what I favor to manufacture, what my job is as a skater. Loads of the times, I prepare myself totally so that I will rush on the ice and lisp to the most productive of my ability. And naturally, in the event you’ve got a stunning skate, I'm assumed that the medals can come with you, as nicely.”
He and his U.S. figure skating teammates clinched the gold medal in the groups event on Feb. 8.
Alysa Liu, Prefer Skating
Liu hung up her skates in 2022 after the Beijing Olympics and World Championships, the attach she received bronze.
“I started after I changed into once 5 and I fundamentally didn't quit till 16, and I changed into once homeschooled my total lifestyles,” Liu suggested NBC News in January, reflecting on her resolution to retire at 17. “And I'm a truly social particular person. I crave human connection. And I changed into once residing on my beget for so a lot of years, no household, no chums around, enthusiastic about the sake of practicing.”
Moreover, she continued, “I didn't even opt my beget capabilities, cherish other people attach me in clothes that I didn't are in search of to position on, I changed into once actually simply cherish a dress-up doll and I didn't are in search of to manufacture it, but I felt cherish I had to manufacture my responsibility of going to the Olympics for my younger self.”
She enrolled at UCLA in the fall of 2023 and loved having a favorite lifestyles. But a January skiing time out fired up her aggressive side, and he or she declared herself serve in the game in March 2024. The 20-365 days-used from Clovis, Calif., went on to procure gold on the World Championships in 2025 and is hoping to end the U.S. females's 20-365 days particular person medal drought—preferably with more gold—on the 2026 Video games.
When she takes the ice now, “it's completely for myself,” Liu outlined. “Yeah, it's blooming cool.”
Liu and her U.S. figure skating teammates clinched the gold medal in the groups event on Feb. 8.
Madison Chock & Evan Bates, Ice Dancing
The longtime companions are competing of their fourth Olympics, but first since getting married in June 2024.
“I guess it simply truly solidified our commitment to every moderately just a few and our commitment to our craft,” Chock suggested E! News in December. “We already had the type of deep realizing and bond through skating, but since we've been married, I truly truly feel cherish we simply rob the entirety on as companions and champion every moderately just a few on and off the ice in no matter endeavor we're pursuing.”
While they shared a workforce gold medal with the the relaxation of the U.S. figure skating workforce in Beijing in 2022, the three-time world champions are peaceful in search of their first Olympic medal as a pair.
“We're working onerous and been striking in the hours and striking in the work,” Bates suggested E!,” “but we're so grateful for everyday and for the chance.”
And despite the proven truth that the 36-365 days-used and Chock, 33, haven't said whether this could perhaps also be their final Olympics or no longer, they know they're getting nearer to their big finale.
“We’ve tried to no longer get too emotional, simply with the nostalgia of this event and the 15-365 days toddle that we’ve been on,” Bates suggested NBC Olympics in January on the 2026 Prevagen U.S. Prefer Skating Championships, the attach they went on to procure gold. “The splendid payback is to skate nicely, but we are also in search of to simply delight in that moment, because it’s fleeting and it could perhaps well also totally be the final.”
The couple received the gold medal in the figure skating groups event on Feb. 8, besides to a silver in the ice dance rivals.
Hilary Knight, Hockey
The U.S. females's nationwide workforce historic, who received gold in 2018, has confirmed that Milan Cortina will be her fifth and final Olympics—which is able to present the 36-365 days-used the yarn for so a lot of Olympic appearances by any American hockey participant, man or lady.
And while Knight would cherish to skate off with one more gold medal, she suggested At the moment.com, “Half our roster, perchance worthy more, has by no method been to the Olympics. That's a huge deal, so making definite each person appears to be cosy and in a draw to play up to their suitable possible. We now beget some improbable gamers, and if we're going to get them to play your total potential up to paunchy scale cherish that, that's going to be elite for our efficiency.”
The University of Wisconsin alum has performed right through, and her most in type home ice is in Washington, the attach she's the Seattle Torrent's megastar forward. But home-home is in Salt Lake City, the attach she offered a condo with partner Brittany Bowe, who is the oldest member of the U.S. escape skating workforce and is also competing in her fourth and final Olympics simply weeks sooner than her Thirty eighth birthday Feb. 24.
“As prime-tier athletes, you truly know what that particular person also can want, whether it's make stronger or impart,” Knight suggested NBC Olympics in June 2025. “And I guess both of us being at a excessive stage for a blooming very lengthy time helps us realize one one more.”
Cory Thiesse & Korey Dropkin, Curling
The blended doubles companions, who joined forces rapidly after the 2022 Beijing Video games, is competing of their first Olympics collectively after ending in fifth living on the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. To boot to their ability and onerous work, they've credited their complementary personalities for their success, which involves a 2023 world championship.
“We simply work so nicely collectively. All of us know guidelines on how to protect loose and protect in the affirm moment,” Dropkin, 30, suggested journalists sooner than the Milan Cortina Video games. “We fit so nicely collectively personality-lifelike. There's any person that's termed us lately as 'the serene and the fire'. Cory's received that serene, confident, stoic personality on the ice. I bring that fiery, passionate energy. The 2 mix truly nicely collectively.”
He and Thiesse—who's been married to Sam Thiesse since June 2022—are based in Duluth, Minn., the attach they both beget day jobs to finance their curling dreams.
Dropkin is a realtor, while Thiesse works as a lab tech for an organization that exams mercury ranges in wastewater. “I truly feel grateful that I beget a job that pays the bills while I rush compete in curling,” she suggested Duluth's ABC 10. “Right here’s what we’ve been dreaming of since we were miniature children.”
The pair received a silver medal in the blended doubles event on Feb. 10.
Source credit : eonline.com
