Before Alysa Liu even touched down in Oakland, the tributes were pouring in from her famous neighbors. The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and coach Steve Kerr praised her for her Olympic gold medals, and it set the stage for a homecoming that would far exceed the usual ceremonial welcome.

As Good Morning America reported on X, the celebration reached its zenith when Liu received the key to the city from Oakland’s mayor, Barbara Lee, in front of a jubilant crowd at Frank Ogawa Plaza.

Well, the response from her hometown was staggering as around 7,000 people scooped up free tickets for the downtown rally. Their attendance clearly showcased how proud they were of the 20-year-old figure skater who won not one, but two Olympic golds in Milan.

And when Liu took the stage, she was visibly moved, stating, “I love Oakland. I’ve been here all my life. I literally walked here every day to get to the city center for lunch. I could not be more proud to represent Oakland on the big stage, the Olympics. I want to thank you all for the love and support.”

The event was less a formal ceremony and more of a vibrant street festival. Alysa Liu’s amazing energy and personality were on full display as she danced with a local hip-hop group, the Fremont High School Drumline, genuinely having a really good time. Throughout the afternoon, she was simply on fire with everybody, greeting fans and soaking in the atmosphere.

The program itself was a love letter to Oakland’s diverse culture, featuring the U.S. Shaolin Kung Fu traditional dragon dancers to honor her Chinese heritage and performances from TURFInc, the Bay Area’s signature hip-hop street dancers.

Apart from her figure skating feats, Liu has captured the world’s attention with her charming nature. But what exactly did the two Golden State Warriors members say about her?

“Alysa, I just want to say congratulations. That was so incredible to watch. The whole Bay Area is so proud of you, and everybody with the Warriors was watching and pulling for you, and so excited. So thanks for representing the Bay and making us all proud,” Kerr congratulated the 20-year-old figure skater for her accolades in Milan.

Similarly, Curry carried a warm response, stating, “Alysa, congratulations on your gold medal achievement representing not only the United States but the Bay Area, Oakland. Super proud. Congratulations. You did that from one gold medal winner to another. Just want to say keep doing your thing. Keep representing the Bay, and we love you. Peace.”

And the figure skater has received much more praise from every corner out there.

Alysa Liu got the love she deserves

For someone like Alysa Liu, who left skating after the Beijing Games and came back to the sport with a performance that was enough to set a benchmark for others, it is something straight out of a fairy tale. However, she is the author of her journey, and she received the honor through the hard work she put in during practice.

After her gold-medal free skate in Milan, fellow Team USA figure skater Amber Glenn embraced her, stating, “I’m so proud of you.”

Sarah Hughes, the last American woman to win individual Olympic gold before Liu, delivered a heartfelt message on her social media, stating, “Huge congrats to OLYMPIC CHAMPION @alysaxliu !!! ⛸️🥇🇺🇸⛸️🥇🇺🇸⛸️🥇🇺🇸. Thrilled and honored and grateful to be here in person to pass the most recent American Women’s Olympic Champion in Figure Skating title to you!! 👏👏👏”

So, on a bright afternoon in Oakland, the city celebrated not just a champion, but a young woman who has remained fully and unapologetically herself. And the fans are already excited to see more of her skills on the ice.