Oakland’s own Alysa Liu just helped bring home Olympic gold for Team USA, and back in her hometown, the loudest cheers might have come from a troop of ring-tailed lemurs.
Liu, an Oakland native, helped Team USA win gold in the figure-skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. To celebrate, Oakland Zoo used Valentine’s Day as an excuse to turn its animals into superfans, posting a playful shoutout on Facebook that tagged Liu’s handle and asked the skater, “Will you be our valentine?”
The post, published on Saturday, shows the lemurs striking a photo-ready pose under a caption congratulating “Oakland’s own @alysaxliu,” and it quickly drew a stream of likes and comments. According to the Oakland Zoo's Facebook post, the animals also asked whether Liu would be their valentine.
How Team USA Earned The Title In Milan
Team USA claimed figure-skating team gold after a tense two-night showdown in Milan, with Ilia Malinin’s clutch performance helping lock up the title while Liu delivered in the women’s segment. Strong results across ice dance, pairs, women’s and men’s singles pushed the Americans to the top of the standings. People summarized the skaters who combined for the winning score.
A Hometown Skater’s Comeback
Liu is listed as being from Oakland and started skating in the Bay Area as a child, according to Team USA. After a brief retirement she returned to elite competition, and she told a local reporter that “the journey, 100%. That’s what it’s all about,” as captured by NBC Bay Area.
The zoo’s Valentine’s Day shoutout offered a small, very Oakland counterpoint to the global spectacle and drew warm reactions on the zoo’s page, per the Oakland Zoo's Facebook post. For fans tracking Liu’s remaining Olympic schedule and how to watch her individual events, NBC Olympics lists her upcoming competition times and broadcast details.
