Alysa Liu, who walked away from figure skating at age 16 and returned last year, won the 2025 world championship on Friday.

Liu, 19, leapfrogged three-time defending world champion Kaori Sakamoto of Japan to win the gold with a total score of 222.97. Mone Chiba, who is also from Japan, took bronze, while Americans Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

After the Americans' showing Friday, for the first time since 2002, when Michelle Kwan was reigning world champ, an American woman will be favored going into the Olympic Games.