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Figure skater Kamila Valieva hits historic triple axel in Olympic debut

wenzell ortiz
Contributing Writer
·3 min read
Kamila Valieva made history with a triple axel in the Beijing Games figure skating event. (Getty)
Kamila Valieva made history with a triple axel in the Beijing Games figure skating event. (Getty)

Kamila Valieva is on a league of her own.

The 15-year-old Russian was enthralling at the figure skating team event on Saturday night in Beijing, as she became only the fourth woman in Olympics history to land a triple axel — and the first European to do so.

All of that in her Olympic debut.

Valieva put on one of the most scintillating performances in the history of Winter Olympics figure skating short programs, posting a score of 90.18 points. Her efforts propelled the Russian team into first place after the second of three days of competition, cementing them as the prohibitive favourites.

Valieva's triple-axel feat — as well as every other aspect of her dominant, historic Olympic performance — sent figure skating fans into an internet frenzy.

Despite the global hype, the Russian wunderkind remained humble after nearly breaking her own world record in her Olympic debut.

“I'm obviously happy that we're in the lead at the moment,” Valieva said after her performance on Saturday, “and I hope that continues in the free skate as well.”

Valieva’s teammate, Russian ice dancer Nikita Katsalapov, said that Valieva continues to get better as the competition continues and that she motivates the whole team.

“All the best qualities of a figure skater come together in this fragile girl,” Katsalapov lauded her 15-year-old teammate. “She motivates the whole team … It’s just a pleasure to watch her performances. She improves from one competition to the next.”

America’s Mirai Nagasu was the last woman to complete a triple axel in the Olympics, accomplishing the feat at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.

Valieva's score was the absolute best of the night. Wakaba Higuchi of Japan finished in second place, a whopping 15 points behind the Russian phenom. Her squad now holds a three-point lead over the United States heading into the final of the competition.

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