She loves the color pink, eating sweet and spicy foods, and hanging out with her friends. Next to that, she has placed at the top in several international figure skating competitions, qualified for the 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, and will be competing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Who is she? A teen with a flair for figure skating – Mirai Nagasu.
On Jan. 23, at the 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships, Mirai placed second overall and was nominated for a position on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team. After marching in the opening ceremonies on Feb. 12 in Vancouver, Mirai returned home, trained for a week, and flew back on Feb. 19. [Now, she goes on to prepare for the Winter Olympics, where she will compete with figure skaters from all over the world, including her fellow U.S. team member Rachael Flatt from Del Mar.] < (Not sure if this will work given the publishing date…) The first ladies competition was on Feb. 23, with the gold medal final on Feb. 25. (Note to editors: Page finals Feb. 22 and GTP is Feb. 24… Should I just leave it like this or update it at the last second or something?)
Mirai’s history with ice skating has been a long one. She began ice skating when she was five but became more serious about the sport at the age of eleven, winning the Southwest Pacific Regional Championships in 2005. In 2008, Mirai won the United States Figure Skating Championships and would have gone on to the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships, but at the time, she was 14 and too young, according to the rules, to compete in the international competition. However, Mirai honored this rule, acknowledging that the International Skating Union (ISU) had their reasons for enforcing it. Instead, she went on to compete and win the 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
Despite being a fun and spirited teen, Mirai is able to show her focused side on the ice while performing dance moves and complex flips; like any other teen involved in a sport, Mirai knows the focus and commitment expected of her. Mirai dropped out of AHS in 2009, opting for an online schooling program that better fitted her skating career. Also, about a week before the 2010 U.S. Championships, Mirai knew she had to step it up in order to land a spot in the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, especially after placing 5th in last year’s U.S. Championships and 4th and 5th in two competitions after that. In an interview, Mirai once called herself “talented but lazy,” stressing her need to push herself regardless of her skill. Thankfully, Mirai came through with her hard work and placed second at the U.S. Championships, gaining a spot on the U.S. team.
(Editors: Not sure about how to write the end of this, because GTP is Feb. 24 and by then she will have competed in the first round of figure skating.)
On Jan. 23, at the 2010 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships, Mirai placed second overall and was nominated for a position on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team. After marching in the opening ceremonies on Feb. 12 in Vancouver, Mirai returned home, trained for a week, and flew back on Feb. 19. [Now, she goes on to prepare for the Winter Olympics, where she will compete with figure skaters from all over the world, including her fellow U.S. team member Rachael Flatt from Del Mar.] < (Not sure if this will work given the publishing date…) The first ladies competition was on Feb. 23, with the gold medal final on Feb. 25. (Note to editors: Page finals Feb. 22 and GTP is Feb. 24… Should I just leave it like this or update it at the last second or something?)
Mirai’s history with ice skating has been a long one. She began ice skating when she was five but became more serious about the sport at the age of eleven, winning the Southwest Pacific Regional Championships in 2005. In 2008, Mirai won the United States Figure Skating Championships and would have gone on to the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships, but at the time, she was 14 and too young, according to the rules, to compete in the international competition. However, Mirai honored this rule, acknowledging that the International Skating Union (ISU) had their reasons for enforcing it. Instead, she went on to compete and win the 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
Despite being a fun and spirited teen, Mirai is able to show her focused side on the ice while performing dance moves and complex flips; like any other teen involved in a sport, Mirai knows the focus and commitment expected of her. Mirai dropped out of AHS in 2009, opting for an online schooling program that better fitted her skating career. Also, about a week before the 2010 U.S. Championships, Mirai knew she had to step it up in order to land a spot in the U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, especially after placing 5th in last year’s U.S. Championships and 4th and 5th in two competitions after that. In an interview, Mirai once called herself “talented but lazy,” stressing her need to push herself regardless of her skill. Thankfully, Mirai came through with her hard work and placed second at the U.S. Championships, gaining a spot on the U.S. team.
(Editors: Not sure about how to write the end of this, because GTP is Feb. 24 and by then she will have competed in the first round of figure skating.)