Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva, 15, helped lead the Russian Olympic Committee to gold on Monday with a stunning performance during the team event, becoming the first woman to land a quadruple jump.
Her performance cemented her status as a figure skater to watch at the 2022 Winter Games.
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WATCH HERENBC Sports learned Wednesday Valieva tested positive for a banned substance prior to the Winter Games. The drug, trimetazidine, helps with heart muscle function when it’s not receiving enough oxygen. For athletes, the substance may speed up one’s heart rate for a longer period of time.
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The sample was reportedly obtained before she won the European championship last month in Estonia. It’s unknown how this development will affect the results of the team event or Valieva’s eligibility for future Olympic events.
Here are five things to know about the figure skating star:
2022 Winter Olympics
She's Set Nine World Records
Valieva has set nine world records during her career and is the second woman ever to land the quadruple toe loop.
She Competed in Three Sports Until She Was 5
She competed in gymnastics, ballet and figure skating until she was 5 years old, when she decided to stick with figure skating.
She Takes Notes From Nathan Chen
She told the Olympic Channel she learns a lot from watching Nathan Chen and Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.
Her Dog Was a Gift
Her dog Leva was a gift from her fan club.
She Hopes to Become a Psychologist
Valieva shared at the ISU Skating Awards in 2021 that she hopes to become a psychologist in the future.
