Southern Calif. native accomplishes rare feat at Winter Games

February 11, 2018

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Mirai Nagasu of the United States skates during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating section of the Team Event on day three of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on Mon., Feb. 12, 2018, in Gangneung, South Korea.

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PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Mirai Nagasu has become the first American woman — and third overall — to land a triple axel in the Olympics, accomplishing the rare feat in the women’s free skate at the team competition in Pyeongchang.

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The 24-year-old from Montebello, California, skated first of the five women and led off her routine with the triple axel just 21 seconds in. The feat drew huge cheers from the crowd at the Gangneung Ice Arena.

Japan’s Midori Ito and Mao Asada also landed triple axels during the Olympics.

Nagasu completed a flawless routine, pumping both fists as she finished and got a standing ovation from the excited crowd. She received a personal-best score of 137.53.

Going into the women’s free skate, the Canadians were first in the team competition, followed by the Russians in second and Americans in third. The ice dance free skate is still to come.

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USA’s Mirai Nagasu competes in the figure skating team event women’s single skating free skating during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on Sun., Feb. 12, 2018.

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