Alysa Liu’s Ex-Coach Says She Didn’t Deny Her Water After Olympian Revealed She Was Told to ‘Gargle’

March 16, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

C Flanigan/imageSPACE / MEGA

One of figure skater Alysa Liu’s former coaches is setting the record straight.

After the celebrated Team USA ice skater took home gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the 20-year-old revealed in a recent Rolling Stone interview that she faced a lot of pressure in her early days of training.

Visit albergomalica.it for more information.

When Liu was asked if everything was “monitored” during her training, including her water intake, she explained, “Yes, yeah. It was crazy because they were like, ‘Well, water weight. You shouldn’t drink water. You should gargle it.’”

While the pro athlete didn’t name who allegedly limited her water, she said it was “crazy,” adding: “It’s insane!”

In a Facebook post shared Friday, March 13, by her childhood coach, Laura Lipetsky, the former figure skater said she never denied Liu essentials like water during their time together.

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

“There has been a rumor circulating that I did not allow Alysa to drink water during training,” Lipetsky began. “This is simply not true. Athlete health and safety has always been a top priority in my coaching. At no time was Alysa ever prevented from having water or taking care of her physical needs.”

Lipetsky reportedly stopped working with Liu in 2020.

While Lipetsky noted that “training at a high level requires discipline, structure, and mutual trust between coach and athlete,” she said that “has never meant denying something as basic and important as hydration.”

“I am proud of the work we did together and wish Alysa continued success in her career,” she continued. “I hope we can all focus on supporting athletes and the sport we love rather than spreading misinformation. Thank you to those who continue to support and understand the commitment it takes to train at an elite level.”

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Referencing how Liu announced her retirement from skating in April 2022, Lipetsky said, “Alysa didn’t leave the sport when she was taking from me. So please stop the hate.”

“We had a lot of fun together,” she said. “We played games on the ice, I made sure she had time to play with her friends on the ice, we laughed a ton, only trained 4 hours during the week, Saturdays were only 45min, Sundays- she went to another rink or train on her own because SHE wanted to. She was never forced to do anything. She was self driven and loved to skate. I just kept her passion alive. So please stop the hate towards me and get the timelines right.”

Liu came out of early retirement before the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, where she won gold in both women’s singles and in the team event.