RUSSIAN teenager Kamila Valieva made figure skating history today, becoming the first woman to land a quadruple jump at the Olympics – and not content with one, she nailed two on the way to team gold.

The 15-year-old landed the quadruple jumps – when a skater rotates four times in the air – as she once demolished the competition in the free programme in Beijing, China.

Despite finishing 30 points ahead of second-placed Kaori Sakamoto, she looked distraught at the end of her performance – she had fallen while attempting a third quad jump.

Later though, she said it was a “fantastic feeling” to have landed the first.

“While I had this burden of responsibility, I came out a winner. I coped.”

Valieva is an Olympic champion, after the Russians won the team event ahead of Japan and the United States.

The teenager recounted how she had been fascinated by the Games as a child.

“When I was 3, I would tell my mother, I want to be an Olympic champion, which I am, thank god. I believe my next dream will come true, too.”

She is part of a team expected to dominate the podium in the women’s individual event in Beijing – and Valieva is favourite for gold.

All three skaters have comfortably landed quad jumps in competition before – but it has never been done at an Olympics.

But a quad jump has been attempted at the Games before – Surya Bonaly tried it in 1992, but it was considered not fully rotated on landing and so was downgraded.

On how she deals with the pressure of expectation at such a young age, Valieva said: “Sometimes it even pushes me forward, it helps me.” – AFP, February 7, 2022.