OAKLAND, CA– Oakland, Calif., will honor its newest hometown heroine, gold medalist Alyssa Liu, with a big celebration and rally Thursday afternoon.
Thousands of people are expected to come to the rally this afternoon outside City Hall, where crews have been working all week to set the stage.
Oakland will host a march and celebration Thursday in honor of hometown hero and Olympic gold medalist Alyssa Liu.
Liu begins a new era in figure skating as the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating since 2002.
more: Auckland Olympic gold medalist Alyssa Liu inspires young athletes at her local ice rink
The city says Liu’s talent propelled Oakland on the world stage.
“Alyssa Liu, you represented the city!” City Councilman Ken Houston said. “When she skated, she showed style, she showed finesse, she showed Oakland style. And when she bit the coin, she told them Oakland is home. So we’re very proud of her.”
Liu is expected to speak, but she said she doesn’t know most of the program and is choosing to be surprised.
There will be other artists, singers and speakers.
The city also promoted a surprise final chapter.
The event was a sold out event with 5,000 tickets sold.
Since her return from the Olympics, there has been a billboard congratulating her, and it has been Spotted throughout the Bay Area.
From the archive: Alyssa Liu of Auckland was making history at 13 years old and had Olympic dreams
ABC7 News reporter Leanne Melendez spoke with Alyssa Liu of Oakland in 2019 when she was just 13 years old, thinking about her future Olympic dreams.
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