Alysa Liu Delivers The Us Its First Women's Figure Skating World Championship In Nearly 2 Decades

Alysa Liu became the first American women's figure skating world champion in nearly two decades Friday night, dethroning three-time defending champion Kaori Sakamoto with a brilliant free skate that earned her a standing ovation inside TD Garden.

With her gold dress shimmering in the lights, Liu landed all of her jumping passes to a rendition of "MacArthur Park" by Boston native Donna Summer, and finished with 222.97 points to culminate a remarkable comeback from a two-year retirement.

As the 19-year-old Liu's score was read, the sellout crowd roared and her coaches, Phillip DiGuglielmo and Massimo Scali, pulled her into a hug. Moments later, Sakamoto came over and squeezed her tightly, as if Japan's hero was passing Liu the torch as the first world champion from the U.S. since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium in 2006.

"What the hell?" Liu asked in disbelief. "I don't know. I don't know how to process this."

Sakamoto finished with 217.98 points to add a silver medal to her three previous golds. Her Japanese teammate, Mone Chiba, was third with 215.24 points while Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn gave the Americans three of the top five.