Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen to Represent Tonight at the Olympics

The first American woman to land a triple axel at the Olympics will be back on the ice tonight, joined by her fellow Team USA teammates Bradie Tennell, this year’s U.S. Women’s National Champion, and Karen Chen, the third place finisher.
 
Mirai Nagasu placed second at the championships and won a bronze medal in the team competition in Pyeongchang last week. She helped secure a medal for her team with a rare triple axel in Olympic competition.
 
“I’m still on cloud nine. Growing up there weren’t a lot of Asian Americans in sports, and there’s a bit of a stigma that says Asian Americans are more the ‘nerdy type,’ so for me to be a part of this successful sports team that has so many Asian Americans and to represent that side of the U.S. means a lot to me,” Nagasu told Cosmopolitan.
 

I still can’t believe we’re Olympic medalists. WHAT!?

? @gettysport @AdamPretty pic.twitter.com/Hd1klCvmVS

— Mirai Nagasu (@mirai_nagasu) February 12, 2018

 

Chen did not get chosen to participate in the team competition, but she was there to root her teammates at both the men and pairs events.

“I was really emotional, they all put out such great performances and it was so inspiring to see them go out there,” she told WBOY about the men’s competition.
 

Chen who is from Fremont has been mentored by Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi who is also from the Bay Area city. The two got together right before Chen departed for Pyeongchang.
 

Hey @Karebearsk8 – good luck this week! I "carried" you as far as I can, now it's up to you! I will be cheering for you! pic.twitter.com/r12RJTn98O

— #SJSharkie (@sjsharkie) February 19, 2018

 

“We both had matcha green tea lattes which was amazing and we just talked and she just shared her experiences and all the fun times she had at the Olympics and she really hyped me up and just got me excited to be here and to soak in this experience,” she said to the Mercury News. “It’s my first time at the Olympics and I want to make sure I make some really amazing memories.”

Nagasu’s inspiration have been her parents who both grew up in Japan.

“My parents are super excited that they’ve produced an Olympian,” she said. “I don’t think they ever would have imagined this would happen in a million years, so I hope I represent not only Team USA, but the Japanese American culture and my family as well.”
 
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