24-year-old US figure skater goes nuts after nailing a trick no American woman has ever landed in the Olympics

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24-year-old US figure skater goes nuts after nailing a trick no American woman has ever landed in the Olympics

mirai nagasu

NBC

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  • U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman to land a triple axel in the Olympics.
  • After landing it and completing her routine, Nagasu went nuts celebrating her historic performance.
  • Nagasu is just the third woman to ever land a triple axel at the Olympics.


24-year-old U.S, figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American female to land a triple axel on Monday at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Competing in the women's individual in the team event, Nagasu nailed the triple axel, becoming only the third woman in Olympic history to ever nail it.

An axel is a forward-facing jump in which the skater takes off from a forward outside edge and rotates in the air, according to NBC. A single axel is one-and-a-half rotations - a triple axel is three-and-a-half.

For as impressive as the trick itself was, perhaps even greater was Nagasu's reaction afterward. She appeared to be smiling after landing it, but when her program finished, she went nuts.

Watch below:

Here's how rare Nagasu's accomplishment was:

Her reaction afterward was also great. Asked what she was telling herself leading up to the move, she told reporters, "No, girl, you are not going to fall."