She retired at age 16. She has come back at age 19 and now leads after the short program at her first nationals in three years.Liu tallied 76.36 points, taking a 5.13-point edge over fellow two-time U.

Alysa Liu, back from retirement at age 19, sits in first place after the women's short program at U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday in Wichita, Kan.

In return to the ice at the U.S. championships, the 19-year-old wins Thursday’s short program and offers hope for 2026 Olympics.