Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu left the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan with experiences that were worlds apart. And for Liu, it meant that overnight she turned from prodigy to a superstar. That does come with a lot of perks, but the attention, pressure, and exposure are a different kind of test. And for Ilia Malinin, watching his teammate navigate all of it up close has left a lasting impression.

So much so that the 21-year-old figure skater named Liu as the one he’s most proud of during the Stars On Ice tour. 

“Alysa Liu,” Malinin told the New York Post. “I’m very proud of her because of everything she’s had to deal with after the Olympics. She’s a huge name in skating now and is the inspiration for all of us.”

And that doesn’t come as a surprise, because while the hype has died down somewhat, the entire world now knows Alysa Liu’s story. A teenage figure skating prodigy won national championships before she turned 15 and competed at the Olympics at 17. Then, out of nowhere, Liu announced her retirement, leaving the sport completely.

Part of it was likely the burnout and pressure of competing, but another part may have been due to Chinese state surveillance. Her father revealed that both he and Liu were being watched by Chinese spies, a claim later proven true. According to Wired, two people with connections to China were indeed watching Arthur and Alysa Liu.

One even falsely claimed he was a member of the US Olympic Committee and needed copies of his and Alysa’s passports. It scared Arthur, and he got in touch with the police as well as the U.S. State Department. Things became so serious that the then-teenager had to be protected by the State Department during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

And while Liu was enjoying retirement, Ilia Malinin had just started making a name for himself. At age 17, he performed a routine that included five quadruple jumps. It was a move that many considered impossible to perform at a competitive level. But the teenager did it effortlessly, changing the way fans and critics viewed it.

While Malinin was hitting his stride in 2024 with a stunning 14-gold-medal streak, the stage was set for a dramatic reunion as Liu made her own celebrated comeback that same year. She quickly re-established her dominance, capturing both the 2025 World Championship and an Olympic gold medal in a remarkable 18-month span.

But it was her love for figure skating, reflected in her routines and attitude, that made her famous. So famous that by the time she landed in the US, hundreds of fans were waiting for her. To make matters worse, a few even chased her to her car. It forced Liu to make a request, via Instagram, asking fans not to do that. 

Unfortunately, that didn’t work as photographers and fans alike continued to invade her personal space. In fact, Liu detailed another incident that took place in Japan when she arrived for the Stars On Ice tour. From the moment she arrived, the Olympian saw fans swarm her hotel, asking for autographs.

For Alysa Liu, that has become a part of being a celebrity in the 2020s. But luckily for her, during the Stars On Ice tour, her fellow co-stars and figure skaters have helped protect her.

Alysa Liu reveals how fellow figure skaters have protected her

Few expected Alysa Liu’s fame to blow up the way it did during the Winter Olympics. In fact, even Liu herself probably didn’t expect her popularity to hit the stratosphere. If anything, many expected Ilia Malinin to reach those heights, but Liu’s story struck the right chord. It meant that the 20-year-old has been forced to deal with more than her fair share of fan trouble.

But during the Winter Olympics, Amber Glenn acted as a de facto ‘mother’ figure for her.  In fact, their closeness and relationship even went mildly viral during the Olympics. However, Glenn hasn’t stopped, as the 26-year-old has apparently continued in that role.

“And they all protect me in a way, especially Amber,” Liu revealed. “She’s been so protective. She saved me out of a sticky situation in Japan, where Isabeau we were arm-in-arm being followed by men, and they kept stopping in front of us, and Amber literally was like, “Get back.” She’s mama bear.”

It hasn’t just been Glenn helping Liu deal with the fan pressure, but the other figure skaters as well. Because for Alysa Liu, their mere presence has helped her feel safer and freer. So much so that it has reflected in her skating, but that changes the moment she returns home.

“I mean, I feel normal now because I’m with the rest of the skaters,” Liu explained. “But when I was home, it was kind of like, ‘Whoa, everybody knows me,’ and I was like, ‘I can’t really go do the stuff I normally do anymore.” So that sucks, in a way. But I guess that’s the price I’ve got to pay.”

She added, “I get to be with skaters, and they don’t treat me any differently because we’ve all known each other for so many years. Right now, it’s nice to have some normalcy.”

And as Malinin watches it all unfold from up close, it’s clear Liu’s presence has changed the energy of the tour. For someone who only returned to skating two years ago, she’s already the one everyone is looking up to, including the reigning world champion.