- A 15-year-old Russian figure skater became the first woman to land a quad jump at the Olympics.
- Kamila Valieva performed the skill twice at Monday's free skate event.
- Valieva led Russia to the gold in the team figure skating event, followed by the US and Japan.
A 15-year-old Russian figure skater landed a historic quadruple jump at the Beijing Olympics on Monday — and she did so twice.
At Monday's free skate event, Kamila Valieva performed the gravity-defying skill two times, making her the first woman to successfully land a quadruple jump at the Olympics. She attempted a third quad jump, but fell on her final attempt.
In her program, Valieva completed a quad salchow and a quad toe that included a triple-toe combination — a move that features four rotations in the air.
Her record-breaking skills earned Russia the gold medal in the figure skating team competition.
The United States followed with silver, and Japan took home the bronze.
"I am very happy that I managed to do two quad jumps and one triple axel," Valieva said at a press conference following her performance. "From the age of three I told my mother that I want to be an Olympic champion. This dream came true."