American figure skater Alysa Liu won the gold medal Thursday skating her long program to Donna Summer’s classic tune “MacArthur Park,” and the song’s writer, Jimmy Webb, couldn’t be happier.
“Alysa Liu’s energy and youth breathes yet another life into my song 'MacArthur Park.' I am unbelievably proud to play some small role in her inspiration,” he wrote on Instagram next to video of her performance. “I am so impressed with her demeanor, she makes America proud again. Congratulations on your gold medal, Alysa!”
The late Donna Summer’s official Instagram account also acknowledged Liu’s performance, sharing a clip of her skating on its Instagram Story.
Released in 1978, Summer’s version of Webb’s song spent three weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double Platinum by the RIAA. It appeared on her album Live and More, with the disco hit running over eight minutes long. It earned Summer a Grammy nomination for best female pop vocal performance.
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