An Olympian has made history with her stunning figure skating routine.
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Mirai Nagasu of the United States became the first American woman to nail a triple Axel jump — a maneuver named after Norwegian figure skater Axel Paulsen — during her routine. As Reuters reports, this makes her the third woman overall to do the move in Olympic competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pyV0G7HeEc
People were stunned by the move.
SHE GOT IT! @mirai_nagasu is now the first American woman to land a triple axel at the #Olympics! #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/ZfD4C5iHlf
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018
Take a bow, @mirai_nagasu. First US woman to land a triple Axel in the #WinterOlympics, third ever. Emotion POURING out after she's done #PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/6cCnclVFlH
— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) February 12, 2018
That was a sloppy cry kind of skate! I’m standing in my living room! @mirai_nagasu What a TRIUMPH ❤️ #PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/mUqNFLHFyA
— Meryl Davis (@Meryl_Davis) February 12, 2018
YES MIRAI!!! SLAY, QUEEN!!! #pyeongchang2018 #winterolympics #figureskating
— Katie Grace (@thekatenik) February 12, 2018
I wanna see the Mirai Nagasu history making triple axel splashed on some sports sections tomorrow, ya hear? ⛸
— Kim Bellware (@bellwak) February 12, 2018
“I feel really great,” the 24-year-old told Reuters after the routine. “Going into it, I was like a train, get on those tracks and get some speed. To nail it the way I did — and even out of the corner of my eye, I could see my team mates standing in excitement.”
According to Reuters, the first two women to land the triple Axel at the Olympics were Midori Ito and Mao Asada, both skating for Japan.
“Maybe it’s the Japanese genetics, but lucky for me, I‘m American, so I’ll be the first U.S. lady,” joked the daughter of Japanese immigrants.
Her parents run a sushi restaurant in California. Her mom was very dedicated to her interest in skating, making all of her performance costumes by hand.
"HOLY COW!" You just witnessed a historic triple axel from Mirai Nagasu. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h pic.twitter.com/jCMTb4LtXv
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 12, 2018
“She also, like Michelle’s mom, sewed sequins on one by one, and I would complain that they were not as shiny as the rocky crystals because we got ours at Target and Michael’s,” Nagasu recalled, referring to her idol and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan.
Nagasu didn’t make Team USA for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, despite the fact that she scored higher at U.S. nationals than Ashley Wagner, who got a spot on the team.
Well done!
Mirai Nagasu, to herself pre-triple Axel: "No girl, you are not gonna fall." #PyeongChang2018 pic.twitter.com/9l8h8RuBD1
— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) February 12, 2018
TRIPLE AXEL!!!!!!!!!!! @mirai_nagasu becomes the first American woman to land a triple axel at the #WinterOlympics! #GoTeamUSA
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Jnk8eZg3Oj
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) February 12, 2018
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