By Louis Chan, AsAmNews National Correspondent
The selection committee announced Saturday that Alysa Liu will join silver medalist Karen Chen and gold medalist Mariah Bell on the U.S. Women Figure Skating Olympic Team.
The selection of Liu was really the only one in doubt as she had to pull out of the finals for the national championship due to a positive COVID test.
However, the committee selected her for the bulk of her work over the past year. Analysts consider her the best shot for the U.S. to medal in the Olympics and to challenge the powerful Russian team which could conceivably sweep the medal competition.
This will be Liu’s first Olympics at just the age of 16. Bell has competed for nine U.S. championships. This is the first time she has won and this will be her first Olympics at age 25. She is the oldest ever to win the gold in this competition in 95 years.
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This will be Chen’s second Olympics.
“This honestly means so much to me. After 2018, I really did consider leaving my sport,” she said to NBC. “The key (to staying) was my love and passion for the sport.
Bell said she is proof that you can achieve your dreams at any age.
Liu is in quarantine and did not appear at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville where the announcement was made
Chen reluctantly offered this advice when asked what she would tell her two teammates and newcomers to the Olympics.
“It’s such a dream to be on the team,” she said. “I’m happy to go again and to embrace the moment.”
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