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Mirai Nagasu Becomes 1st US Female Figure Skater to Land Triple Axel at Olympics

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistFebruary 12, 2018

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 February 12, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS        (Photo credit should read ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
ARIS MESSINIS/Getty Images

Mirai Nagasu became the first American female figure skater to hit the triple axel during an Olympic event when she nailed the move in the women's free skate portion of the team figure skating event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

NBC Olympics shared a replay of the history-making jump:

NBC Olympics @NBCOlympics

"HOLY COW!" You just witnessed a historic triple axel from Mirai Nagasu. #WinterOlympics https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h https://t.co/jCMTb4LtXv

Nagasu finished with a 137.53 overall score, which was second-best of the ladies free skate, giving the United States nine points in the team competition. Her reaction after completing her routine showed how much the triple axel had meant to her:

NBC Olympics @NBCOlympics

A performance for the record books by Mirai Nagasu, complete with a celebration we'll remember for a long time. #BestOfUS #WinterOlympics https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h https://t.co/ew8YKEYGzc

Olympic gold medalists Kristi Yamaguchi‏ and Meryl Davis were among those who watched Nagasu forever leave her stamp on United States figure skating:

Kristi Yamaguchi @kristiyamaguchi

Wow @mirai_nagasu !!! Congratulations...tears of joy for you again! #1stAmerican3axel #hero 👑

Meryl Davis @Meryl_Davis

That was a sloppy cry kind of skate! I’m standing in my living room! @mirai_nagasu What a TRIUMPH ❤️ #PyeongChang2018 https://t.co/mUqNFLHFyA

Japanese skaters Midori Ito and Mao Asada are the only other women to successfully complete the triple axel at the Olympics.

"It's just one jump in the program," Nagasu said of the triple axel in an interview with the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes before the Olympics. "But at the same time, it's really cool for me because I am one of the few who has the ability to land it."

Nagasu added the difficulty associated with attempting the move was "worth the risk" and "worth going down in history for."