Mirai Nagasu performing at the US Nationals in St. Paul, Minnesota in January 2008. (AAP photo by Tom LaVenture)
Colorado Springs, CO (Jan. 23, 2010) – U.S. Figure Skating announced last month its ladies and ice dancing nominations to the 2010 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team, pending United States Olympic Committee approval.
Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu are the nominees for ladies, while Meryl Davis & Charlie White, Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto, and Emily Samuelson & Evan Bates are the ice dancers nominated to the team.
Flatt and Nagasu won the gold and silver, respectively, while Davis and White, Belbin and Agosto, and Samuelson and Bates finished first, second and third, respectively, at the 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Spokane, Wash.
The ladies alternates nominated to the team are Ashley Wagner (Alternate No. 1), Sasha Cohen (Alternate No. 2) and Christina Gao (Alternate No. 3). Kimberly Navarro & Brent Bommentre (Alternate No. 1), Madison Chock & Greg Zuerlein (Alternate No. 2), and Madison Hubbell & Keiffer Hubbell (Alternate No. 3) are the ice dancing alternates nominated to the team.
Also announced were the athletes that will represent the United States at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships March 22-28 in Torino, Italy, and the 2010 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Jan. 25-31 in Jeonju City, Republic of Korea.
Nagasu, 16, won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Paul on January 27, 2008. At just 14, she emerged from a field of 21 competitors to take the Senior’s Ladies title. It was a culminating moment following four years of local and regional competitions, and wining the 2007 Junior U.S. Championships.
Nagasu was born in Montebello, California. Her Japanese immigrant parents manage a small sushi restaurant in town. She began skating at the age of five when rain prevented an outdoor family outing, and the family decided to try ice skating indoors. She took to skating immediately and began lessons soon after.
An avid reader and an honors student Nagasu said she used to take a lot of her homework along on figure skating competitions. She found that this would distract from her concentration, and so makes homework her first priority upon returning home.
Nagasu says the support of her parents, friends and her school have made all the difference. She is not sure where skating will take her after high school, but she would like to eventually skate with the professional skating tours.
2010 Olympic Winter Games Ladies Nominations to the USOC
Rachael Flatt
Mirai Nagasu
Alternate No. 1 – Ashley Wagner
Alternate No. 2 – Sasha Cohen
Alternate No. 3 – Christina Gao
2010 Olympic Winter Games Ice Dancing Nominations to the USOC
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto
Meryl Davis and Charlie White
Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates
Alternate No. 1 – Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre
Alternate No. 2 – Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein
Alternate No. 3 – Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell
2010 U.S. World Ladies Figure Skating Team
Rachael Flatt
Mirai Nagasu
Alternate No. 1 – Ashley Wagner
Alternate No. 2 – Sasha Cohen
Alternate No. 3 – Bebe Liang
2010 U.S. World Ice Dancing Team
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto
Meryl Davis and Charlie White
Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates
Alternate No. 1 – Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre
Alternate No. 2 – Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein
Alternate No. 3 – Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell
2010 U.S. Four Continents Ladies Figure Skating Team
Amanda Dobbs
Alexe Gilles
Caroline Zhang
Alternate No. 1 – Melissa Bulanhagui
Alternate No. 2 – Becky Bereswill
2010 U.S. Four Continents Ice Dancing Team
Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein
Madison Hubbell and Keiffer Hubbell
Jane Summersett and Todd Gilles
Alternate No. 1 – Lynn Kriengkrairut and Logan Giulietti-Schmitt
Alternate No. 2 – Trina Pratt and Chris Obzansky
Alternate No. 3 – Shannon Wingle and Tim McKernan
