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When did Midori Ito land the triple axel?

Author

William Rodriguez

Published Jan 21, 2026

In 1989, Midori Ito became the first figure skater outside of Europe and North America to become World Champion. Her skating was characterized by powerful jumps, and in 1988 she became the first woman to land a triple Axel in competition.

Who was the first person to land a triple axel?

The first triple Axel in competition was performed by Canadian Vern Taylor at the 1978 World Championships.

What happened Midori Ito?

Even this year, Midori Ito still competed in the International Adult Figure Skating Competition. Even at 48 years old, she still is active in competing, despite not winning any significant awards since 2013. While she no longer does her triple axel move anymore, she still does very well for someone of 48 years old.

Who has landed a triple axel at the Olympics?

Only five women have landed a triple axel at the Olympics: Ito (in 1992), Japanese skater Mao Asada (in both 2010 and 2014), American skater Mirai Nagasu (2018), and, most recently, Valieva, whose triple axel in this year's team event helped earn her a short-program score of 90.18, and Higuchi, who landed the jump ...

Who has landed a quad Axel?

As of 2022, no male skater has successfully landed a quadruple Axel in competition, however it has been attempted. The first attempt was by Russian skater Artur Dmitriev Jr. at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup, however he landed forward and fell, receiving both a downgrade and fall deduction.

30 related questions found

How many female figure skaters have landed a triple axel?

Japanese skater Midori Ito became the first woman to land a triple axel in competition in 1988. Since then, a total of 12 women have landed the jump in competition. The first American was Tonya Harding, who, in 1991, also became the first woman in the world to land two triple axels in one competition.

Who was the first female figure skater to land a triple axel 1998?

Midori Ito (Japan)

The Olympic silver medalist became the first woman to successfully land a triple axel in international competition at the 1988 NHK Trophy.

What jump was Tonya Harding the first to land?

Harding's breakthrough year came in 1991 when, at the U.S. Championships, she completed her first triple Axel in competition on February 16 – the first American woman to execute the jump. She landed seven triple jumps in the long program including the triple Axel.

Has any female skater landed a quad?

It wasn't until 2018 that Russian teen Alexandra Trusova, then 13, again landed a quadruple in competition—the quad toe loop, at the Junior Grand Prix Lithuania. U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu became the first American woman to land a quad in competition in 2019, at a Junior Grand Prix event.

Did Tonya Harding complete a triple axel?

The following month, she was triumphant again, winning silver to Kerrigan's bronze at the ISU World Championships in Germany. Harding also became the first American woman to perform a triple axel successfully in a competition that year.

Did Kristi Yamaguchi land a triple axel?

Harding, alongside Japan's Midori Ito, both attempted triple axels but were unable to land them. Yamaguchi did not attempt a triple axel, and because she did not fall during her free skate program, Yamaguchi was able to leave the 1992 Winter Olympics a gold medalist.

Did Kristi Yamaguchi do a triple axel?

While competitors Harding and Japan's Midori Ito were consistently landing the difficult triple Axel jump in competition, Yamaguchi instead focused on her artistry and her triple-triple combinations in hopes of becoming a more well-rounded skater.

How many times did Tonya Harding land the triple axel?

But if you watched the movie “I, Tonya” in the last month or so, you might be wondering: why didn't Tonya Harding ever land her triple axel at the Olympics? She was the first American woman to land the trick in competition. She did this not once, but twice in one program, at the Skate America competition in 1991.

What is the hardest move in ice skating?

The Axel, also known as the Axel Paulsen jump after its creator, is the most difficult one. It is a type of "edge jump," meaning skaters have to skate on one side of the blade when lifting off the ice.

Does triple axel always hit 3 times?

Effect. Triple Axel inflicts damage, hitting the target up to three times per use. Its base power will increase by 20 with each successive strike, so the first, second, and third strikes have powers of 20, 40, and 60, respectively. Each of Triple Axel's strikes has a separate accuracy check.

Who was the best figure skater of all time?

Sonja Henie

Often considered the greatest figure skater in the history of the sport — male or female — Norway's Henie won Olympic gold three times in ladies' singles (1928, '32 and '36) and a remarkable 10 consecutive world titles from 1927-36. Those combined championships are the most of any female.

Did Nancy Kerrigan recover?

In January 1994, an assailant used a police baton to strike Kerrigan on her landing knee; the attacker was hired by the ex-husband of her rival Tonya Harding. The attack injured Kerrigan, but she quickly recovered.

How old was Tonya Harding when she landed the triple axel?

Harding, who was just 20 years old at the time, won the women's singles title that day with a near perfect performance. “I just did it. Nobody else did it,” she continued. “Nobody helped me land that triple axel right there in that moment.”

Who has completed a triple axel?

The first skater to do a triple Axel in competition was Vern Taylor. The first woman to do it was Midori Ito. The first pairs skater to do a throw triple Axel (he helps her with the jump) were Rena Inoue & John Baldwin.

Why is the backwards somersault banned?

Though the exact reason for the ban is unknown, speculations abound. Some think it's to simplify the judging processes. There are also evident safety risks, as figure skaters wear no protective gear, and landing incorrectly could cause a serious head injury.