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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.

Liu was the bronze medalist at the 2022 World Championships before stepping away from the sport. The California native shined in her return to the U.S. Championships on Thursday, receiving a score of 76.36.

“I almost cried before my name was even called,” Liu said on NBC Sports.

She was near tears again following her routine that featured a triple flip-triple toe loop combination, double Axel and triple Lutz.

“It was just the perfect moment for me,” Liu said.

Bradie Tennell is in contention for her third national title after placing second on Thursday at 71.23. The 26-year-old from Illinois won the U.S. Championships in 2018 and 2021 and was twice the runner-up.

“Nationals always feels a bit like coming home,” Tennell said, according to NBC Sports. “I know I have a lot of people in the audience supporting me, and it just fueled my performance.”

Reigning champion Amber Glenn, a 25-year-old Texan, is in third place at 70.91.

“Coming into this event, I have been a bit fatigued and just dealing with some issues off the ice that have been just exhausting, and I just didn’t get myself pumped up enough today,” she said, per NBC Sports.

Sarah Everhardt (70.72) and Sherry Zhang (67.42) round out the top five.

The pairs short program was also held on Thursday, and reigning champions Danny O’Shea and Ellie Kam got off to a strong start. They scored 77.19, putting them well ahead of the second-place duo of Spencer Howe and Emily Chan (69.10).

O’Shea, 32, became the oldest U.S. pairs champ a year ago, and now he’s trying to do it again.

“I think they say something about fine wine, right?” O’Shea said, according to NBC Sports. “It gets better with age. I don’t know. Maybe I’m smelly cheese. But we’re getting better. I can owe a lot to this one (Kam).”

Misha Mitrofanov and Alisa Efimova are in third place at 69.03, and they are followed by Daniil Parkman and Katie McBeath (62.92) and Balazs Nagy and Audrey Shin (62.06).

The women’s competition will conclude with the free skate on Friday, and the pairs free skate will be held on Saturday.

Ice dancing starts on Friday, and the men’s competition begins on Saturday. The event runs through Sunday.

–Field Level Media