Ice skater Alysa Liu, the daughter of a Chinese dissident and political refugee, became the “first American female singles figure skater to win a gold medal in 24 years”
Team USA made sports history after winning an astounding 12 gold medals in Milan – a national record for the Winter Olympics games. “The historic Games was achieved through a number of American droughts coming to an end,” HuffPost reported. And, Olympic champions with direct immigrant roots helped make those wins possible.
Alysa Liu became the “first American female singles figure skater to win a gold medal in 24 years,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported, “and the first to win a medal of any color since 2006, when she was just 6 months old.” Liu is the daughter of Arthur Liu, a Chinese dissident who helped organize pro-democracy demonstrations after the Tiananmen Square massacre and eventually became a political refugee, resettling in the Bay Area, Forbes reported.
Liu’s victory at the Milan games cements her place among an elite class of iconic champions. “Eight American women have earned skating’s top honor. Three of them — Peggy Fleming, Kristi Yamaguchi and now Liu — are from the Bay Area, and two, Yamaguchi and Liu, are from the East Bay,” the San Francisco Chronicle continued. In Oakland, where Liu trained, her presence “looms large” as younger generations now cite her as an inspiration, The San Francisco Standard said.
“One girl, Abby P., 11, of Alameda, characterized Liu’s performance as ‘graceful,’ and ‘elegant,’” the report said. “‘I feel passionate — it makes me want to skate more!’ she said. ‘An Olympian was skating here, and I’m skating here too! She’s the celebrity of this place!’”
Figure skater Ilia Malinin, the son of Uzbek immigrants, “delivered a must-win free skate” that helped break a tie and win gold for the American figure skating team, USA Today reported. “The Americans jumped for joy on the podium as they were announced the Olympic champions and received their gold medals. The crowd roars for every name, with a big ovation for Malinin.”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said Malinin “began skating at age six, inspired by his parents, Tatyana Malinina and Roman Skornyakov, both former Olympic figure skaters for Uzbekistan.” They moved to the U.S. in 1998 “because their practice conditions in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, had deteriorated,” People reported. “Two years later, they tied the knot in January 2000.” Since then, they have called the United States their home.
“I like America very much,” Malinina said in 2002. “It was difficult to come to America, but easy to stay.”
There is simply no celebrating Milan – or any Olympic games, for that matter – without also celebrating the immigrant roots of Team USA. Just look at the numbers. “When examining individual athletes’ profiles, approximately 3.0% of athletes competing on Team USA are foreign-born and another 13.5% are children of immigrant parents(s),” the Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) at George Mason University said. “Combined, nearly 17% of Team USA has direct immigrant ties.”
A number of athletes who competed, such as Vadym Kolesnik, are themselves naturalized immigrants. The Ukrainian-American ice dancer placed fifth in Milan – a “stunning” Olympic debut, NBC Olympics reported. Kolesnik became an American citizen just this past August. “Today I was sworn in as a US citizen after nine years of living in and representing America,” Kolesnik wrote in an Instagram post following his naturalization ceremony. “This journey has been amazing and I am so grateful for everyone who has helped me get here.”
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And we’re grateful Kolesnik and all of our immigrant athletes are here. During a time when the federal government is actively “othering” immigrants, the Olympics games are a regular reminder that individuals who make their home here only make us a more prosperous, stronger, and joyous country, no matter who they are or what skills they possess.
Beyond “medals and achievement, the Olympics shine a light on how talent and opportunity transcend borders,” IIR Assistant Director Marissa Kiss and IIR Founding Director Jim Witte wrote in a recent op-ed. “This global competition is built not just on a diversity of athletes across nations, but within them — and few delegations demonstrate it more clearly than Team USA.”
Congratulations to all Team USA athletes for a job well done representing the United States in Milan. We’re proud of you.
