The figure skating exhibition gala for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics took place on Saturday, February 21, at the Milan Ice Skating Arena.

The gala is a celebratory event held after the official Olympic competitions, where star athletes from various sports showcase their unique styles without the pressure of scores or judges. It is, quite literally, a festival for the athletes.

The finale of the gala was graced by Alysa Liu, the 20-year-old American athlete who won the gold medal in women's singles just two days prior.

Being the last performer in the gala signifies that she was the most anticipated act of the night.

And Liu exceeded those expectations in a completely different way. She debuted a new program set to 'Stateside' by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson. The athlete who had wowed the audience with Donna Summer's 'MacArthur Park Suite' during the competition presented a completely different vibe at the gala.

First, let's lay out the facts. Liu scored a career-high total of 226.79 points in the free skate on February 19, clinching the gold medal. She came from third place in the short program to take the lead in the free skate.

She surpassed silver medalist Sakamoto Kaori (224.90) and bronze medalist Nakai Ami. This marks the first time in 24 years that an American woman has won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating since Sarah Hughes in Salt Lake City in 2002. In terms of individual medals, it is the first medal in a personal event in 20 years since Sasha Cohen won silver in Torino in 2006.

When combined with the team event gold medal, Liu now has two gold medals from this Olympics. By the numbers, this is already an incredible achievement.

However, what caught my attention more was the gala. This is because the competition shows 'what has been achieved,' while the gala reveals 'what state the athlete is in right now.'

This athlete became the national champion in the U.S. at the age of 13. She was a prodigy who became the first American female skater to land a quad jump in competition. She finished sixth at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and announced her retirement shortly after, at just 16 or 17 years old.

She had been away from the ice for over two years. Then she made her comeback in 2024. To borrow her own words, "Round Two." This time, she intends to do it differently. Instead of fixating on results, she wants to skate in her own way, as she desires.

After her return, she won the World Championships in 2025. And now, the Olympic gold medal in 2026. The story is so neat that it almost feels unreal.

The Olympic gala is an event featuring over 40 top-level athletes. Without the tension of competition, the athletes show completely different sides of themselves. In this gala, Kazakhstan's Shaidorov performed kung fu fighting in a panda costume, and Italy's Conti and Macii danced the Macarena with the audience. France's Adam Siao Him Fa did a backflip in an outfit painted with Van Gogh's artwork.

In this setting, Liu chose PinkPantheress's 'Stateside.' It's Gen Z pop. This is a modern and light vibe, completely different from the classic drama of Donna Summer used in the competition. The choice of this music itself is a statement: "I am enjoying myself right now."

Liu herself mentioned in an interview before the gala that she had prepared a new program, would wear a new dress, and was excited to be back on a big stage once again. Even just two days after winning the gold medal, she was full of energy. This was not the demeanor of an athlete who had retired due to burnout.

Honestly, this story resonates with me because I've seen the same pattern too many times in America. Starting with praise, achieving wildly, and then burning out completely at some point.

What I've learned is that the difference between those who return from burnout and those who do not ultimately lies in the reset of motivation. It's a matter of whether someone who was driven by external rewards (scores, medals, promotions, salaries) can switch to internal motivation (fun, growth, self-expression).

Liu has done exactly that. "I really don't feel nervous. I don't feel the pressure. There's nothing holding me down or holding me back." This was said after the short program before winning the gold medal. The fact that this was said on the Olympic stage is evidence that the source of her motivation has completely changed.

What was the result? A career-best score and an Olympic gold medal. Ironically, the best results came when she let go of the need for results.

The gold medal will remain as a record. But what fans remember is not the record.

The image of a 20-year-old athlete moving freely to PinkPantheress on the ice in Milan.

Two years ago, she let everything go, returned in her own way, stood at the top, and enjoyed it.

That was the true highlight of this gala.