Figure skater Alysa Liu celebrated in hometown of Oakland after Olympic gold medal win
American figure skater Alysa Liu received a hometown hero's welcome in Oakland, California, Thursday, three weeks after winning Olympic gold.
Liu, who became the first American woman to win the gold medal in figure skating since 2002 at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, was celebrated with a rally in front of Oakland City Hall.
"We've got a lot of soul here," Liu said Thursday about her hometown, where she started figure skating at age 5 at a rink just one block from City Hall.
Liu watched from the stage and joined in the celebration as singers and dancers performed and fellow Oakland-born celebrities and elected officials spoke to the crowd.
One of the opening singers, current "American Idol" contestant Abayomi, sang Donna Summers' "MacArthur Park Suite," which Liu performed her gold medal-winning free skate to at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Feb. 19.
Local Bay Area athletes boxer Andre Ward, who won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, who won the gold at the 1992 Winter Olympics, also attended the rally to support Liu.
"You've shown the world that being yourself is your greatest strength, Yamaguchi said to Liu in her remarks.
In addition to the in-person accolades, Liu also received video messages of support Thursday from fellow Olympic figure skater Brian Boitano, also an Oakland area native, and Golden State Warriors' star Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr.
Along with Thursday's rally, the Bay Area is also celebrating Liu's Olympic success with a billboard congratulating her, according to San Francisco ABC station KGO-TV.
Liu, who at age 13 made history as the youngest woman to win a U.S. Championship title, came out of retirement to compete in the Milan-Cortina Games.
In addition to her individual gold medal, Liu also took home a gold in the team figure skating event in Milan.
Shortly after the Olympics, Liu announced she would not compete in the International Skating Union Figure Skating World Championship at the end of March.
"As some of y'all already know, I withdrew from Worlds," she wrote in a since-expired Instagram story. "There's been a lot of exciting things happening since my return from Milan, so I'm taking some time for that. I will be cheering everyone on from afar -- see y'all next season!!"
