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Liu danced her way to the top of the podium in the free skate, surging from third place behind Japan’s Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto after last Tuesday’s short programme.

Liu, the reigning world champion, scored 150.20 for a career-best overall total of 226.79 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, denying Sakomoto a fairytale triumph in her final competition.

The 20-year-old put the U.S. women back on top of the podium in the women’s singles event for the first time since Sarah Hughes took gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

It is a second gold for Liu in Italy after she helped the U.S. capture the team event.

“I was so calm when I started. I have this breathing technique that I use throughout this program, and I was just making sure to lock in on that, be as smooth as I can and look out into the crowd during all my transitions,” Liu said.

“I did that, and I felt everyone’s energy. I felt my energy. I feel good, I feel confident and I put it all out there.”

The daughter of a Chinese political refugee, Liu started skating at the age of five with her life consumed by the sport as a child.

The Californian won her first senior U.S. title aged 13, landing a rare triple axel jump and breaking Tara Lipinski’s record to become the youngest national champion.

For her first Olympic Games four years ago Liu’s preparation was disrupted by Covid. After testing positive she missed the U.S. trials but was still selected for the Beijing Games where she finished sixth.

The following month, in the absence of Russian skaters she won the bronze medal at the 2022 world championships, giving the United States its first world medal in the women’s event since 2016.