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 e

Alysa Liu becomes the first U.S. woman to win a world figure skating title since 2006, and two other Americans finish in the top five in a promising showing.

Alysa Liu let out a shocked smile Friday night, as the crowd at TD Garden roared and the stuffed animals began to rain down on the ice. About three years after retiring, and a year after unretiring, she was,