<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13155726" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mirai-nagasu" source="Orion">Mirai Nagasu</keyword> says fellow "<keyword id="12063156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity-big-brother" source="Orion">Celebrity Big Brother</keyword>" star <keyword id="12881787" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lamar-odom" source="Orion">Lamar Odom</keyword>'s poop incident made her "giggle."</li><li>She joked that she hopes Odom's stomach has calmed down.</li></ul><p>Figure skater Mirai Nagasu was prepared to "expect the unexpected" when she entered the "<keyword id="6355064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity" source="Orion">Celebrity</keyword> <keyword id="12048092" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="big-brother" source="Orion">Big Brother</keyword>" house, but she was not prepared for <a href="https://www.insider.com/lamar-odom-pooped-his-bed-on-celebrity-big-brother-2022-2">Lamar Odom's viral bed-pooping incident</a>.</p><p>Odom's accident, which he attributed to his "lactose intolerance and IBS" set off by late-night snacking on "beef jerky sticks, candy, and warm milk," was caught on the "Big Brother" live feeds, which record the contestants 24/7. According to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/02/04/lamar-odom-poops-bed-celebrity-big-brother/">TMZ, </a> the 42-year-old former NBA star told Nagasu, "I just let the world know I took a shit in my bed" and that he "had to clean it up in front of the world."</p><p>"Did I know that I was signing up for the experience of watching someone shart themself on national <keyword id="11898468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tv" source="Orion">TV</keyword>?" the Olympic bronze medalist rhetorically asked when speaking to Insider on Thursday after her eviction. "I did not know, but it did give me a little giggle."</p><p>"But I think I'm good if that's the one experience I have with it," she added.</p><p>As for Odom, who's still competing in the house, Nagasu joked that "hopefully his stomach has settled down."</p><p>The Olympian said she also expects that "Celebrity Big Brother" viewers will get more of a rundown of the incident after the season wraps, since Odom and fellow contestant, "Diff'rent Strokes" star Todd Bridges, spoke about creating a podcast together in the future.</p><p>"I'm sure that's an experience we'll get to hear more about firsthand when they leave the house," she said.</p><h2>Nagasu told Insider she was eliminated because she was 'the bigger threat' </h2><div type="image" title="Mirai Nagasu and Julie Chen Moonves" height="900" width="1200" msid="89579293" hostid="261"></div>Although Nagasu, a "Big Brother" superfan, was disappointed that her game ended so soon, she understands why she was voted out against "Saturday Night Live" alum Chris Kattan, who'd asked their fellow players to vote him out and save Nagasu in his eviction-night speech.<p>"I know that it wasn't personal and I know that with the nominations the way they were, I was the bigger threat," she told Insider.</p><p>In her exit interview with host Julie Chen Moonves, which aired last week, the Olympic athlete also shared that she'd struggled to fit in with the others in the house as the only Asian American house guest and being younger than the other contestants.</p><p>"Unfortunately for me, there was a generational gap," Nagasu told Insider. "But I learned so much from ... their experiences and I think that's what I'll take away from 'Celebrity Big Brother.'"</p><p>The figure skater has also connected with another Asian American "Big Brother" alum, <a href="https://www.insider.com/big-brother-season-23-winner-players-the-cookout-interview-2021-9">season 23's Derek Xiao.</a> According to Nagasu, she and Xiao both agreed they "would've made a dynamic duo" if they'd played together ("He would've killed it in the HOH [or Head of Household] and the veto competitions, and I'd start off my social game really strong").</p><p>She said Xiao even coined their would-be alliance moniker, "The Takeout" — a play on <a href="https://www.insider.com/all-black-alliance-the-cookout-dominated-big-brother-23-2021-9">season 23's historic all-Black alliance dubbed "The Cookout."</a></p><div type="image" title="Carson Kressley" height="675" width="900" msid="89579295" hostid="261"></div>While there's still a game to be played, when Insider spoke to Nagasu last Thursday, she named MMA player Miesha Tate and reality-TV personality Carson Kressley, the current head of household in control of eviction nominations, as the two strongest players.<p>And even though he became her target in week one, Nagasu said Kressley is the player who'd have her vote in the end.</p><p>"If Carson makes it to the end, he has my vote, because not only was he charismatic and a great person, he also was a great cook and I really respected the way he handled pressure," she added.</p><p>"But the game always changes in 'Big Brother' and so, I guess you can't count on my answer," Nagasu added.</p><p>"Celebrity Big Brother" airs its next episode on Monday, February 14 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.</p>

Lamar Odom's bed-pooping incident on 'Celebrity Big Brother' gave Mirai Nagasu 'a little giggle,' says the Olympian

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Olympic figure skater <keyword id="13155726" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mirai-nagasu" source="Orion">Mirai Nagasu</keyword> has "empathy" for <keyword id="13154387" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kamila-valieva" source="Orion">Kamila Valieva</keyword> but advocates for a clean sport.</li><li>"I hope that we continue to make sure we're holding our athletes accountable," Nagasu told Insider.</li></ul><p>American figure skater and "<keyword id="12063156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity-big-brother" source="Orion">Celebrity Big Brother</keyword>" season three contestant Mirai Nagasu feels for Russia's 15-year-old star skater Kamila Valieva amid Valieva's doping scandal but firmly believes all Olympic athletes should be held "accountable."</p><p>Nagasu was the 2018 <keyword id="12090559" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="winter-olympics" source="Orion">Winter Olympics</keyword> team event bronze medalist who made history when she became the first American woman to successfully land a triple axel at that event. She recently spoke to Insider after being unanimously voted out of the "Celebrity Big Brother" house in Monday's live vote and eviction.</p><p>The retired skater, whose <a href="https://twitter.com/mirai_nagasu/status/1491498922698752010">first tweet after her "Big Brother" elimination</a> was about how excited she was to catch up with the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, reacted to the scandal diplomatically.</p><p>"I have a lot of empathy for a 15-year-old testing positive," Nagasu told Insider on Thursday when asked about her thoughts on the <a href="https://www.insider.com/kamila-valieva-ioc-wont-comment-teen-skater-failed-drug-test-2022-2">then-unconfirmed reports</a>. "But I advocate for a clean sport."</p><p>She continued: "I hope that we continue to make sure we're holding our athletes accountable and we're all competing on equal ground and footing."</p><div type="image" title="Kamila Valieva at 2022 Olympics" height="3357" width="4476" msid="89514946" hostid="261"></div><p>Valieva made history on Monday when <a href="https://www.insider.com/russian-figure-skater-first-woman-to-land-quad-jump-olympics-2022-2">she landed a quadruple jump</a> (and then a second one) during the free-skate event at the Beijing Olympics, making her the first woman to successfully land that move at the Olympics. Her performance <a href="https://www.insider.com/beijing-2022-winter-olympics-medals-table-2022-2">helped Russia win the gold medal</a> in the team figure-skating competition, with the United States taking silver and Japan taking bronze.</p><p>But two days later, on Wednesday, multiple reports emerged that <a href="https://www.insider.com/kamila-valieva-ioc-wont-comment-teen-skater-failed-drug-test-2022-2">a member of the Russian Olympic Committee's figure-skating team had tested positive</a> for the banned substance trimetazidine, a metabolic agent that helps prevent angina attacks, with sources saying that Valieva may have been the athlete who failed the drug test.</p><p>On Thursday night, the <a href="https://ita.sport/news/beijing-2022-the-ita-informs-on-figure-skater-kamila-valieva/#">International Testing Authority (ITA) confirmed in a statement</a> that Valieva, who is a minor, had tested positive for a banned substance in December 2021, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-skater-kamila-valieva-tested-positive-for-banned-substance-2022-2">Insider previously reported</a>. While the Russian Anti-Doping Agency cleared Valieva for Olympic competition despite testing positive, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appealed that decision, according to the same statement.</p><p>As of writing, <a href="https://www.insider.com/kamila-valieva-cas-decide-on-beijing-participation-after-positive-test-2022-2">Valieva remains free to compete</a> at the Beijing Winter Olympics, though that could change if the IOC's appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport is successful. Russia's Olympic Committee said on Friday that it's vowing to stand by Valieva, who is next set to compete in the individual figure-skating competition on February 15, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/roc-defends-olympic-gold-medal-kamila-valieva-fails-drug-test-2022-2">defended its figure-skating team's "honestly won" gold medal</a>.</p><p>While Nagasu didn't go into further detail on Valieva's reported scandal, which hadn't been confirmed at the time Insider spoke to Nagasu on Thursday, she did effusively praise her fellow American figure skater, <a href="https://www.insider.com/nathan-chen-clinches-gold-beijing-with-record-breaking-score-2022-2">Nathan Chen, who won gold in the men's figure-skating event</a> in Beijing on Thursday.</p><div type="image" title="Bronze medalists Nathan Chen, Adam Rippon, Mirai Nagasu and Bradie Tennell of Team United States celebrate during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event at Medal Plaza on February 12, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea." height="2862" width="3816" msid="89514949" hostid="261"></div><p>The 22-year-old Chen, who holds multiple world records in skating, was Nagasu's teammate at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games and has been <a href="https://www.insider.com/nathan-chen-us-figure-skater-breaking-records-2022-2#nathan-chen-is-a-figure-skater-representing-the-united-states-at-the-2022-winter-olympics-in-beijing-1">dubbed the "Quad King"</a> for his ability to land quadruple jumps.</p><p>"For Nathan to be able to put two strong performances together back-to-back and also be a formidable player in the team event — he really deserves his Olympic gold medal," Nagasu told Insider on Thursday.</p><p>"I am so incredibly proud of Nathan, and I'm excited to be a part of a generation that continues to represent for the Asian American community," she added.</p>

Mirai Nagasu has 'empathy' for Kamila Valieva, the 15-year-old Russian figure skater at the center of a doping scandal

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a81c125d0307219008b536a-1500/mirai%20nagasu.jpg" alt="mirai nagasu" data-mce-source="Maddie Meyer/Getty"><p class="source"><span>Maddie Meyer/Getty</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>Mirai Nagasu made Olympic history on Monday when she landed a triple axel, becoming the first American woman to land the difficult trick in the Olympics.</strong></li><li><strong>Nagasu apparently began working on the trick four years ago after missing the Sochi Olympics, picking it up at an older age for most figure skaters.</strong></li><li><strong>Nagasu was reportedly relentless in her pursuit of the move, practicing it up to 30 times a day.</strong></li><li><strong>The hard work paid off as she helped the U.S. secure a bronze medal in the team event.</strong></li></ul><hr><p><br>Mirai Nagasu made history on Monday in the Pyeongchang <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/winter-olympics">Winter Olympics</a> when she became the first American woman and third overall to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mirai-nagasu-triple-axel-winter-olympics-2018-2">land a triple axel in the Olympics</a>.</br></p><p>The 24-year-old figure skater's triple axel, which is three-and-a-half rotations, helped the U.S. secure bronze in the team event.</p><p>Nagasu got redemption after she missed the Sochi Olympics in 2014. Her triple axel was years in the making, starting almost immediately after she was left off the team.</p><p><a href="http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/02/12/266306222">According to Ice Network's Philip Hersh</a>, Nagasu began working with her coach,&#xa0;<span>Tom Zakrajsek, four months after missing the Olympic team. According to Hersh, she told Zakrajsek that she wanted to land a triple axel, an unusual request for a skater who was in her early 20s and past the point at which many skaters learn new tricks, particularly the hardest ones.</span></p><p><span>But Nagasu reportedly practiced the move relentlessly.&#xa0;Zakrajsek <a href="https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/02/12/mirai-nagasu-triple-axel-pyeongchang-figure-skating?utm_campaign=si-olympics&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;xid=socialflow_twitter_si">told Sports Illustrated's Alice Park</a> that Nagasu would practice the move about 30 times a day, nailing it 85-95% of the time.</span></p><p><span>"Mirai craves repetition," he said.</span></p><p><span>The training for such a move does not look easy. Nagasu gave a behind-the-scenes look to The Players Tribune.</span></p><p>Zakrajsek also tweeted his support for Nagasu on Monday, saying daily hard work finally paid off.</p><p>Being left off the Sochi team may have fueled Nagasu, but she wouldn't go as far as to say it was a good thing.</p><p><span>"To be left off the team, it was definitely not a blessing in disguise," she told Hersh. "But I took that heartbreak and made the decision to change myself and become more responsible and want to improve."</span></p><p><span>Nagasu can't bask in the glory of her performance on Monday for too long, as she has to prepare for her individual events. According to Hersh, she has more triple axels planned.</span></p><div><blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/mirai_nagasu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mirai_Nagasu</a> takes us behind-the-curtain as she prepares her triple Axel for <a href="https://twitter.com/pyeongchang2018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pyeongchang2018</a>. <a href="https://t.co/T0D7gnMihP">pic.twitter.com/T0D7gnMihP</a></p>- The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) <a href="https://twitter.com/PlayersTribune/status/960928584599715840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>I'd call this a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mirai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mirai</a>-cle ---thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/mirai_nagasu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mirai_nagasu</a> for practicing your triple axel everyday for the last four years to prepare for making history! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hardworkpaysoff?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hardworkpaysoff</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USFigureSkating</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ISU_Figure?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ISU_Figure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rockerskating?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rockerskating</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCOlympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TeamUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/wDTMf3kOQH">https://t.co/wDTMf3kOQH</a></p>- Tom Zakrajsek  (@CoachTomZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/962953660002025472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/p34fCU9Q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div></hr>

Mirai Nagasu learned the toughest figure-skating trick at an unusual age after she was left off an Olympic team

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Former NBA star <keyword id="12881787" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lamar-odom" source="Orion">Lamar Odom</keyword> admitted to a fellow contestant that he pooped in his house bed.</li><li>Odom said on Instagram that a late-night snack affected his IBS and lactose intolerance.</li></ul><p>Former NBA star Lamar Odom said he pooped his "<keyword id="12063156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity-big-brother" source="Orion">Celebrity Big Brother</keyword>" bed in a <a href="https://twitter.com/Aleut1/status/1489534269202448384?s=20&amp;t=l2yMejKAjgclbsu4SkC8dQ">moment caught</a> on the show's live feed.</p><p>"I just let the world know I took a shit in my bed," Odom, 42, said to a fellow contestant, who according to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/02/04/lamar-odom-poops-bed-celebrity-big-brother/">TMZ</a> was figure skater Mirai Nagasu.</p><p>When met with disbelief, he confirmed the incident and said he "had to clean it up in front of the world."</p><p>Following the live feed, Odom addressed the clip on Instagram, posting a photo that reads "Shit Happens."</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px); data.width~540;"><div style="padding:8px;"><div style="background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.4537037037% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style="margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZk0p5_pgG6" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank"></a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by Lamar Odom (@lamarodom)<time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime=""></time></p></div></blockquote><p>"I actually suffer from lactose intolerance and IBS so last night's late night snack on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bigbrothercbs/">@bigbrothercbs</a> of beef jerky sticks, candy and warm milk was a stomach ache waiting to happen," he wrote in the caption. "The bad thing is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peptobismol_us/">@peptobismol_us</a> hasn't reached out to me for an endorsement deal yet."</p><p>Representatives for Odom did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.</p><p>Odom is one of eleven "HouseGuests" on the <keyword id="11930679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cbs" source="Orion">CBS</keyword> show's third season, which premiered on Wednesday. The show follows a group of celebrities living in a house together and competing for a grand prize of $250,000. When the CBS cameras aren't rolling, cameras and mics around the house stream uncensored live feeds for fans to watch.</p><p>This season also features comedian Chris Kattan, former Miss USA Shanna Moakler, and entertainer Todrick Hall. Odom said in the clip that Hall heard the pooping incident.</p><p>Odom is no stranger to reality television. Although he played for the Los Angeles Lakers for seven seasons, Odom is also known for his previous marriage to <keyword id="11899407" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="khloe-kardashian" source="Orion">Khloe Kardashian</keyword>.</p><p>The couple's wedding and marriage were featured on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and they starred in their own reality show, "Khloe &amp; Lamar," from 2011 to 2012. In another clip from this season of "<keyword id="6355064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="celebrity" source="Orion">Celebrity</keyword> Big Brother," <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-big-brother-lamar-odom-misses-khloe-kardashian-preview-2022-2">Odom said he missed Kardashian</a> "so much" and wishes he could "take that time back" when they were married.</p>

Lamar Odom said he pooped his bed on 'Celebrity Big Brother' after a late-night snack gave him a stomachache

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12881787" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="lamar-odom" source="Orion">Lamar Odom</keyword> told Insider he was honest about pooping his bed because "it happened on live <keyword id="11898468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tv" source="Orion">TV</keyword>." </li><li>"I thought it was funny at the end of the day," he said. </li></ul><p>Lamar Odom <a href="https://www.insider.com/lamar-odom-pooped-his-bed-on-celebrity-big-brother-2022-2">accidentally pooped in his bed</a> while in the "<keyword id="12063156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity-big-brother" source="Orion">Celebrity Big Brother</keyword>" house this season and told Insider that he has no regrets about owning up to it. </p><p>"I mean, how could I not? It happened live on TV. I could have hid it, but I thought it was funny at the end of the day," the former NBA star said in an interview on Tuesday, following his eviction from the house on Monday night, when asked why he was so upfront about the incident with his fellow houseguests.</p><p>Odom said that the incident actually taught him a valuable lesson. "I never realized that I had a problem with milk or dairy," he told Insider, adding that he "learned a little bit" about his body from being in the "<keyword id="12048092" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="big-brother" source="Orion">Big Brother</keyword>" house. "I got to stay away from that stuff."</p><p>A since-deleted post on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lamarodom/">Odom's Instagram account</a> that went up shortly after the incident, which was captured on "<keyword id="6355064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="celebrity" source="Orion">Celebrity</keyword> Big Brother" live feeds and quickly went viral, blamed the sharting on IBS, lactose intolerance, and a poorly-conceived midnight snack.</p><p>"I actually suffer from lactose intolerance and IBS so last night's late night snack on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bigbrothercbs/">@bigbrothercbs</a> of beef jerky sticks, candy, and warm milk was a stomach ache waiting to happen," the post read. (Odom told Insider that his management team runs his Instagram account.)</p><div type="image" title="Lamar Odom smiling." height="800" width="1066" msid="89786252" hostid="261"></div><p>Odom's accident was <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-big-brother-lamar-odom-bed-pooping-incident-mirai-nagasu-2022-2">a funny escape</a> from the stressful game of "Celebrity Big Brother," which featured 11 celebrities locked in a house lying, scheming, and competing with each other to win a $250,000 prize. His fellow houseguest, Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu, previously told Insider in an interview after her eviction that the moment <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-big-brother-lamar-odom-bed-pooping-incident-mirai-nagasu-2022-2">gave her "a little giggle."</a></p><p>The basketball player told Insider that he didn't know "much" about the game of "Big Brother" before he entered the house. His strategy for the game was to "just to be myself and be transparent as possible." </p><p>"I've been on the team my whole life and I was just willing to play," he continued. His attitude towards gameplay, his late-night <keyword id="12020579" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="poop" source="Orion">poop</keyword> accident, and his honesty in diary-room sessions about his <a href="https://www.insider.com/lamar-odom-didnt-treat-khloe-kardashian-right-celebrity-big-brother-2022-2">ex-wife Khloé Kardashian</a> prove as much.</p><p><em>The "Celebrity Big Brother" season three finale airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. </em></p>

Lamar Odom explains why he didn't bother trying to hide that he'd pooped in his bed on 'Celebrity Big Brother'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13154387" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kamila-valieva" source="Orion">Kamila Valieva</keyword>'s lawyers blamed her failed drug test on a mix-up with her grandfather's medicine, an IOC official said.</li><li>Valieva has been the center of a <keyword id="13177969" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="doping-scandal" source="Orion">doping scandal</keyword> after testing positive for a banned drug last year.</li></ul><p>Lawyers for Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva said that the teen athlete failed a doping test prior to the Beijing <keyword id="11896183" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="olympics" source="Orion">Olympics</keyword> because of contamination with her grandfather's medicine, an Olympic official said Tuesday.</p><p>Part of Valieva's defense was that there had been a mix-up with "a product her grandfather was taking," said Denis Oswald, the International Olympic Committee's chair of the disciplinary commission, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/winter-olympics-figure-skating-kamila-valieva-sports-anna-shcherbakova-9539d8d2adcf48c0bc22314bb626312d">Associated Press.</a></p><p>The teenage skating sensation <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-skater-kamila-valieva-tested-positive-for-banned-substance-2022-2?_ga=2.153084474.2044079750.1644801031-1321664634.1635227735">tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine</a> on December 25. Trimetazidine is typically used to prevent angina attacks but is taken by some athletes to boost their endurance.</p><p>The 15-year-old's defense was heard during a closed-door hearing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Sunday. The hearing was to determine whether Valieva would be allowed to continue competing at the Winter Games, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/olympics/valievas-b-sample-yet-be-examined-ioc-2022-02-15/">Reuters reported.</a></p><p>Her lawyers did not specify how the alleged medicine mix-up happened.</p><p>Oswald, <a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-publishes-three-full-decisions-as-part-of-the-oswald-commission">who previously led a commission</a> investigating doping scandal cases in the Sochi 2014 Olympics, said Valieva's lawyers "presented elements that brought some doubts about her guilt," per The AP.</p><p>She clinched gold for Russia at the women's team event, but the IOC hasn't decided whether she'll be awarded the medal.</p><p>Valieva was cleared to skate in the women's individual event. However, the IOC said it <a href="https://www.insider.com/russia-skater-kamila-valieva-not-allowed-medal-again-ioc-2022-2">would not give her any medals</a> even if she secured a top 3 spot. The women's event concludes on Thursday with the free skate.</p><p>The decision to allow Valieva to continue competing has been condemned by several former Olympians, including figure skaters <a href="https://www.insider.com/tara-lipinski-johnny-weir-condemn-kamila-valieva-compete-decision-2022-2">Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir</a>, who said it was like "a slap in the face to the <keyword id="6450929" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="olympic-games" source="Orion">Olympic Games</keyword>," and <a href="https://www.insider.com/shacarri-richardson-kamila-valieva-Olympics-race-doping-2022-2">sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson</a>, who was kicked off the US Olympic team last summer after testing positive for marijuana. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Former US Olympic skater <a href="https://www.insider.com/adam-rippon-doubts-figure-skater-kamila-valieva-knowingly-doped-2022-2">Adam Rippon</a> expressed sympathy for Valieva, saying he doubted the teenager "knowingly doped" ahead of the games. <a href="https://www.insider.com/olympics-2022-mirai-nagasu-empathy-for-kamila-valieva-2022-2">Mirai Nagasu</a>, a retired US Olympic skater, said she "felt a lot of empathy" for the young Valieva but said athletes should be kept accountable.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Valieva told Russian state media Channel One on Monday: "These days have been very difficult for me. I'm happy, but I'm tired emotionally," <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/valieva-says-she-is-happy-emotionally-tired-after-cleared-compete-russian-tv-2022-02-15/">per Reuters.</a></p>

Russian skater Kamila Valieva's lawyers said her positive drug test was caused by a mix-up with her grandfather's medication: IOC

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a81030bd03072a2038b45c6-1264/mirai%20nagasu.png" alt="mirai nagasu" data-mce-source="NBC"><p class="source"><span>NBC</span></p></img></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>U.S. figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman to land a triple axel in the Olympics.</strong></li><li><strong>After landing it and completing her routine, Nagasu went nuts celebrating her historic performance.</strong></li><li><strong>Nagasu is just the third woman to ever land a triple axel at the Olympics.</strong></li></ul><hr><p><br>24-year-old U.S, figure skater Mirai Nagasu became the first American female to land a triple axel on Monday at the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/winter-olympics">Winter Olympics</a> in Pyeongchang.</br></p><p>Competing in the women's individual in the team event, Nagasu nailed the triple axel, becoming only the third woman in Olympic history to ever nail it.</p><p>An axel is a forward-facing jump in which the skater takes off from a forward outside edge and rotates in the air, <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/figure-skatings-triple-axel-what-it-and-why-its-important">according to NBC</a>. A single axel is one-and-a-half rotations - a triple axel is three-and-a-half.</p><p>For as impressive as the trick itself was, perhaps even greater was Nagasu's reaction afterward. She appeared to be smiling after landing it, but when her program finished, she went nuts.</p><p>Watch below:</p><p>Here's how rare Nagasu's accomplishment was:</p><p>Her reaction afterward was also great. Asked what she was telling herself leading up to the move, she told reporters, "No, girl, you are not going to fall."</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>A performance for the record books by Mirai Nagasu, complete with a celebration we'll remember for a long time. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BestOfUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BestOfUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinterOlympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WinterOlympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h">https://t.co/NsNuy9F46h</a> <a href="https://t.co/ew8YKEYGzc">pic.twitter.com/ew8YKEYGzc</a></p>- NBC Olympics  (@NBCOlympics) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/962877015069208576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>To get a sense of how rare that Olympic triple axel was, Midori Ito did it in 1992, Mao Asada in 2010, and Mirai Nagasu 2018</p>- David Epstein  (@DavidEpstein) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/962877800125526016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2018</a></blockquote><script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/p34fCU9Q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div></hr>

24-year-old US figure skater goes nuts after nailing a trick no American woman has ever landed in the Olympics

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a810e86d030721c078b4fa7-1500/mirai nagasu olympics.jpg" alt="mirai nagasu olympics" data-mce-source="Jamie Squire/Getty" /><p class="source"><span>Jamie Squire/Getty</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul><li><strong>Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu of the U.S. became breakout figure skating stars at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang on Monday.</strong></li><li><strong>Rippon revealed in an interview that in 2014, neither skater made the Sochi Olympics, so they got In-N-Out together and ate at Nagasu's house in misery.</strong></li><li><strong>They now room together at the Olympic Village and have a shot at earning medals.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />On Monday in Pyeongchang at the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/winter-olympics">Winter Olympics</a>, Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu became breakout starts for the U.S.</p><p>The two figure skaters had big nights while skating in the team event. Nagasu became the first American woman and third woman overall <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mirai-nagasu-triple-axel-winter-olympics-2018-2">to land a triple axel in the Olympics</a> and then had an ecstatic celebration. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/adam-rippon-winter-olympics-team-figure-skating-performance-2018-2">Rippon dazzled on the ice</a> and then won fans over with his bubbly, witty personality.</p><p>While neither took first place in their respective events, both became stars for their achievements. It's a long way from where they were four years ago.</p><p>After skating, Rippon told NBC's Mike Tirico that in 2014, neither he nor Nagasu made the Sochi Olympics. After failing to make the team, he said the two went to In-N-Out together and ate at Nagasu's house on the roof, miserable.</p><p>"We were eating In-N-Out because we were so upset we weren't at the Olympic games," Rippon said. "Tonight - the Olympics are truly magical because we came out here tonight ... we gave each other a hug and said,  'Mirai, we're here! We did it!'"</p><p>Rippon revealed that the two skaters are also roommates at the Olympic Village in Pyeongchang.</p><p>Not only did both skaters make it, they have a shot to earn bronze in the team event. That may be worth a celebratory trip to In-N-Out.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/p34fCU9Q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

4 years ago the 2 breakout stars of US figure skating were eating In-N-Out together wishing they had made it to Sochi

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a8202d8d0307237008b4698-1495/gettyimages-917126820.jpg" alt="Mirai Nagasu KT Tape tattoo" data-mce-source="Robert Cianflone/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Mirai Nagasu of the United States skates during the Ladies Single Skating Free Skating section of the Team Event on day three of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 12, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea." /><p class="source"><span>Robert Cianflone/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Can tape provide a performance boost?</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Athletes like Mirai Nagasu and Ted Ligety have been spotted at the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/winter-olympics">Winter Olympics</a> wearing streaks of tape.</strong></li><li><strong>Nagasu had it on her leg, which confused viewers who thought it might be some kind of tattoo.</strong></li><li><strong>But these athletes are actually wearing kinesio tape provided to Team USA by KT Tape.</strong></li><li><strong>It's not clear based on scientific research whether the tape actually helps. But there might be good reasons for athletes to wear it anyway.</strong></li></ul><hr /><p><br />US figure skater Mirai Nagasu stunned Winter Olympics figure skating watchers over the weekend with her impressive performance - she was the first American woman to ever <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mirai-nagasu-triple-axel-winter-olympics-2018-2">land a triple axel</a> at the Olympics.</p><p>But the other part of her performance that stuck with viewers was the dark streak on her thigh with the letters "USA" on it. There was at first some speculation that it might be a tattoo of some kind, but it was soon revealed that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mirai-nagasu-usa-tattoo-tape-winter-olympics-figure-skating-2018-2">it was actually Team USA-branded athletic kinesiology tape</a> made <a href="https://www.kttape.com/">by KT Tape</a>.</p><p>In this year's Winter Games, some alpine skiers have also been wearing the tape on their faces to protect themselves from the freezing air. KT Tape is capitalizing on the moment by offering discounts on the "mystery tattoo" tape. </p><p>The KT Tape <a href="https://www.kttape.com/what-is-kt-tape/">company web site says</a> the tape is "designed to relieve pain while supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments."</p><p>But the <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> on whether Kinesio tape actually works isn't clear. Wearing it may be beneficial for Olympic athletes - but not necessarily for the reason the competitors choose to put it on.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a82054bd030721f008b469d-2000/gettyimages-915557932.jpg" alt="Ted Ligety face tape alpine skiing" data-mce-source="Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Ted Ligety of the United States looks on during the Men's Downhill Alpine Skiing training at Jeongseon Alpine Centre on February 8, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea." /><p class="source"><span>Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Hopefully Ted Ligety doesn't have too hard a time removing tape from his face.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>Taping together an Olympic performance</h2><p>Kinesiology tape, which is often brightly colored, has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/olympic-athlete-tape-body-kinesio-2016-7">made a splash at the Olympics and in other sporting events before</a>. It started to draw viewers' attention at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games, where it was often quite visible on the exposed skin of beach volleyball players.</p><p>Recently, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady showed up for the AFC Championship Game <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-injured-hand-black-tape-2018-1">wearing KT Tape</a>. He was using it protect stitches he'd received to treat a gash in his right hand.</p><p>The KT Tape website claims the product "helps reduce pressure to the tissue and may reduce discomfort or pain. Correct taping also provides support to muscles by improving the muscle's ability to contract, even when it is weak, and helps the muscle to not over-extend or over-contract."</p><p>Kinesio Tex Tape, which is what athletes were first spotted wearing in 2008, was designed by a Japanese chiropractor in 1979. <a href="https://kinesiotaping.com/about/kinesio-tape-frequented-asked-questions/">Kinesio's website</a> says their tape "alleviates discomfort and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin." They say that it can be "applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused or tired muscles, and support muscles in movement on a 24-hour-a-day basis."</p><p>Whether or not the tape actually does these things is less clear. And athletes seem to be wearing it for a variety of reasons that go beyond the marketing - <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/sports/olympics/pyeongchang-weather-olympics.html">face-warming certainly isn't one of the recommended uses</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a81f92fd03072a80a8b50c9-1657/rtr35bzm.jpg" alt="kinesio tape" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo" data-mce-caption="Germany's Katrin Holtwick takes part in a practice session with kinesio tape on her stomach at the Olympic beach volleyball main court at the Horse Guards Parade in London July 26, 2012." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Marcelo del Pozo</span></p><p class="caption">Most of us first noticed the tape on beach volleyball players.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>To tape or not to tape</h2><p><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09593985.2012.731675">Several</a><a href="http://www.journalofphysiotherapy.com/article/S1836-9553(14)00009-5/abstract"> reviews</a> of <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S144024401400125X">studies</a> have analyzed the clinical use of kinesio taping for people with musculoskeletal conditions, and found no evidence it helped patients. So people with chronic conditions that need treatment (not usually Olympic athletes) probably won't see any benefit from using the tape.</p><p>Some researchers have found that taping can have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276069">potential benefits</a> for people with lower back pain, but reviews haven't found <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27634093">any strong significant</a> overall benefit.</p><p>At least one review in the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25595290">British Journal of Sports Medicine</a> found that "Kinesio taping is superior to minimal intervention for pain relief." Other studies have found that the taping may <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17578750?ordinalpos=5&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum">potentially increase range of motion</a> slightly, but there's <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22124445">not necessarily evidence</a> that one type of tape is better than another. Researchers who have looked to see if tape improves blood flow have said that they <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29332101">found no evidence</a> of that effect.</p><p>Overall, it seems that if there's any benefit, it's not large or easy to measure.</p><p>Yet there are many athletes who have have turned to tape. In addition to Olympians and NFL players, <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/19/a-quirky-athletic-tape-gets-its-olympic-moment/">Lance Armstrong and David Beckham</a> used the adhesive during their careers.</p><p>Even if the tape doesn't do much from a physical perspective, there may be a good reason for the athletes who use it to keep doing so.</p><p>Competitions are won or lost by fractions of a second, so even some very slight pain relief or increase in range of motion matters to an Olympic athlete. A .05% performance gain could be the difference between standing on the podium or sitting off to the side.</p><p>If there's no performance boost whatsoever from the tape, it could still be worth wearing if an athlete thinks it helps them. Study after study has documented the benefits of the placebo effect. People who think they've <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17146324">been given caffeine</a> or <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/content/27/44/11934">morphine feel</a> less fatigue or pain, even if all they've ingested is a sugar pill.</p><p>As physiology professor <a href="http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/research/divisions/chaps/about/people/Archive/harridgesteve/index.aspx">Steve Harridge</a><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/oly-science-tape-day-idUSL6E8IV57020120731"> told Reuters</a> in 2012, "the fact that athletes think it's going to do them some good can help in a psychological way."</p><p>Athletes tend to cling to anything that might give them a performance boost. If tape makes someone feel there's less reason to worry about a tight hamstring or sore back, the relaxation that comes with that state of mind may make the difference between a winning performance and one that falls short.</p><p>That alone could be good enough reason to do it.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/future-olympics-no-country-wants-to-host-games-2018-2">No one wants to host the Olympics anymore -&#xa0;will they go away?</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/p34fCU9Q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

Here's why Olympic athletes are wearing strange tape that looks like a tattoo - and what we know about how it works

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52d3f35069bedd6d54bd2f1c-1200-900/mirai-nagasu-figure-skating.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="mirai nagasu figure skating" width="480" /><p class="source"><span>Jared Wickerham/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Mirai Nagasu</p></div><p></p></div>Despite finishing in third-place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Boston this weekend, 20-year-old Mirai Nagasu will not compete in Sochi.</p>
<p>Nagasu was snubbed by U.S. Figure Skating selection committee, which gave the third and final Olympic spot to Ashley Wagner - a heavily promoted skater who fell at the Championships and finished a distant fourth.</p>
<p>"I'm disappointed in the decision. Though I may not agree with it, I have to respect the decision the federation made," Nagasu <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/sochi/2014/01/12/mirai-nagasu-disappointment-olympic-team-sochi/4448105/">told USA Today</a> after the decision was made.</p>
<p>Historically, the U.S. Championships have determined who makes the Olympic team. Since 1994, the only skater to make the Olympic team without finishing in the top-3 at the Championships is Michelle Kwan in 2006, who missed the event due to injury.</p>
<p>It's an unprecedented decision, but it's well within the rules.</p>
<p>There's nothing that says U.S. Championship results must determine Olympic team selection. USFS takes "body of work" into consideration when making selections for the Olympic team.</p>
<p>Wagner has probably been the country's best skater since 2012. She won gold at the 2013 U.S. Championships, and won silver at the Grand Prix 2012-13 Grand Prix finals.</p>
<p>Nagasu, despite placing fourth at the 2010 Olympics, has been off the map for the last few years. </p>
<p>So if you base the decision on the last 24 months, USFS made the fair decision. The problem is that it has treated the U.S. Championships as a de facto qualifier for the last 20 years, only to switch things up when the most popular skater finished outside the top-3.</p>

The Girl Who Finished Third At The US Figure Skating Championships Got Screwed Out Of An Olympic Spot

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e34abd85bc79c1ef65eab74-2000/alysa%20liu.jpg" alt="alysa liu" /><ul class="summary-list"><li>Alysa Liu, 14, defended her title at the 2020 US Figure Skating Championship last week. </li><li>She made history by becoming the first American woman to land a quadruple jump at nationals. </li><li>Skating greats Tara Lipinski and Adam Rippon told Insider what a big deal Liu's routine was, and what the future has in store for the teen. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul><p>Casual followers of figure skating would know that the US hasn't had a competitive ladies program in years. Long are the days of Tonya Harding, Michelle Kwan, and Sasha Cohen.</p><p>But that looks set to change by the time the next winter Olympics rolls around in 2022, thanks to a 4-foot-10, 14-year-old girl from the Bay Area.</p><p>Last year, Alysa Liu became the youngest woman ever to win the US Figure Skating Championships at the age of 13. She defended her title last week, making history again as she became the first woman to land a quadruple jump at nationals.</p><p>She also pulled off two triple axels, a jump so hard that only two American women have been able to land it in international competition, Harding and 2018 Olympian Mirai Nagasu.</p><p>Business Insider spoke to American skating greats Adam Rippon and Tara Lipinski to explain just how difficult Liu's performance was, and what the future has in store for the phenom.</p><h2>The 'Simone Biles of figure skating'</h2><p>Rippon, who helped the US win bronze in the team event at the 2018 Pyeongchang games, said Liu has the potential to be become the "Simone Biles of figure skating."</p><p>"Alysa does things so easily, but if you're an average viewer, you almost don't appreciate how difficult and revolutionary the program that she's putting out is," he said.</p><p>Olympic gold medalist Lipinski, who was commentating on NBC Sports during last Friday's finals, called Liu's performance "mind blowing."</p><p>"We haven't seen a US skater with this much potential. We're watching a world champion or an Olympic champion in the making," Lipinski said.</p><p>Lipionski added that not only is Liu landing quad jumps, but she's doing the one that's considered the hardest: the quad lutz.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e34ac3a5bc79c1f24530cb7-2000/alysa%20liu%202.jpg" alt="alysa liu 2" /><h2>America's 'answer to Russia'</h2><p>Both described Liu as America's "answer to Russia," which has dominated the sport in the last two Olympics.</p><p>Lipinski traced Russia's rise back to one of the biggest skating scandals, the fixing of the pairs' figure skating competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. A French judge said she had been pressured to vote for Russian pair skaters Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/aug/01/russia.sport">but later withdrew her claim.</a> The international skating union banned that judge and the head of French skating for three years as punishment.</p><p>After the scandal, the rules concerning scoring were changed in Russia, and the new rules incentivized skaters to take more risks and attempt more difficult jumps.</p><p>Where once women never even attempted to do quadruple jumps, and triple axels were exceedingly rare, they are now becoming almost necessary to compete at the elite level.</p><p>Lipinski pointed to three Russian women in particular - Alena Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova, and Ana Shcherbakova- who are regularly pulling off quadruple jumps or triple axels in competition.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e34ade624306a15543e8a68-2000/ripopn%20lipinski.jpg" alt="ripopn lipinski" /><p>Rippon said Liu isn't just on the same level as these Russian athletes, she has them one-upped because the two girls landing quads (Trusova and Shcherbakova) aren't attempting triple axels, too.</p><p>"So that kind of puts Alysa at an advantage," he said.</p><p>"There's no other US lady out there right now who can compete with them on that level," Lipinski said.</p><h2>How she could be a gold medal threat at the Olympics </h2><p>But difficult jumps aren't the only part of the scoring in figure skating. There's also the component score, which judges a skater's "artistry." Both Rippon and Lipinski said that Liu has some work to do on this.</p><p>Lipinski pointed out how the best Russian skater of the moment, Kostornaia, has been beating her two teammates who have quad jumps thanks to her higher artistic score (the hardest jump she does is the triple axel).</p><p>"It's finding this balance and it does take time to sort of learn how to be the complete package," Lipinski said. "I think for Alysa, she needs not only to add more quadruple jumps but to make those jumps very clean."</p><p>"I think Alya is still building that momentum to create moments where you feel things, sort of in the vein of Michelle Kwan. But I think she is on her way to doing that," Rippon said, adding that Liu is also working with one of the best skate choreographers.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e34ac8c5bc79c0a01590403-2000/alysa%20liu%203.jpg" alt="alysa liu 3" /><p>Rippon added that he thinks Liu will "100%" be a gold medal threat if she stays healthy in the two years leading up to the next winter Olympics.</p><p>"I think that when we look ahead, especially to the way the rules are set up right now, Alysa is sort of at this perfect timing in her career. When she's 16 - which seems to be sort of a golden age for ladies figure skating - that she really could be a medal threat, if not a gold medal threat at the Olympics in Beijing."</p><p>Lipinski called it a "really exciting" time for US ladies' figure skating.</p><p>"I think that Alysa is not only going to have a successful future and possibly eyeing an Olympic gold medal, but I think she's redefining what ladies skating is in the US," Lipinski said.</p><p>"I think we're going to see a lot of other young skaters coming up that are pushing their technical bar up to meet hers. So I think it's going to be very interesting and exciting over the next few years, to see what's coming out of those low levels of novice juniors."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-figure-skater-mariah-bell-accused-of-slashing-south-korean-lim-eun-soo-2019-3">A US figure skater was accused of slashing her rival with a skate during world championship warm ups</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alysa-liu-13-is-the-youngest-ever-us-national-figure-skating-champion-2019-1">Alysa Liu, 13, is now the youngest US national figure skating champion in history</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alina-zagitova-and-evgenia-medvedeva-have-a-rivalry-that-could-last-years-2018-2">2 of the youngest medal winners from the Winter Olympics are also among the biggest rivals in sport</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/misha-ge-olympics-figure-skating-gala-selfie-2018-2">Uzbek figure skater Misha Ge took an epic selfie at the Olympics that's so good it almost looks photoshopped</a></li></ul><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/nOr494y1uEo" frameborder="0"></iframe>

14-year-old Alysa Liu could be the next 'Simone Biles of figure skating.' Here's what legends Adam Rippon and Tara Lipinski had to say about the rising star.

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