Watch 15-Year-Old Skater Kamila Valieva Pull Off A Winter Olympics Stunner In Team Event

On a day the U.S. struggled, Russias 15-year-old figure skater Kamila Valieva soared. (Watch the videos below.)

The prodigy on Sunday became just the fourth woman to land a triple axel at the Winter Olympics , notching the top short-program score to lead the Russian team into first place in Beijing. The U.S. dropped to second place after a fall by Karen Chen in the short program and a faltering performance by Vincent Zhou in the free skate. A gold for the Americans appears highly unlikely heading into the third and final day of the team competition.

It was Valieva (spelled Valiyeva by some outlets) who commanded the competition.

Putting ROC's Kamila Valiyeva's triple axel into incredible perspective. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/GF7bR5OSJP

NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"NBC Olympics","author_url":"https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics","cache_age":86400,"description":"Putting ROC's Kamila Valiyeva's triple axel into incredible perspective. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/GF7bR5OSJP NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FK4ptN8XEAEj-7h.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"NBC Olympics on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1490174392256585730","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/kamila-valieva-triple-axel-winter-olympics_n_61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","entryTagsList":"olympics,winter-olympics,figure-skating","sectionSlug":"sports","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"entertainment,women,world-news,teen","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.sports","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/2edb3bcd-9eb9-4465-a050-690493d2b920/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Olympics","slug":"olympics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/olympics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/olympics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/olympics"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Olympics","slug":"olympics","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/olympics"},{"name":"Winter Olympics","slug":"winter-olympics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/winter-olympics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Winter Olympics","slug":"winter-olympics","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics"},{"name":"Figure Skating","slug":"figure-skating","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/figure-skating","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/figure-skating","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/figure-skating"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Figure Skating","slug":"olympic-figure-skating","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/olympic-figure-skating"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

Putting ROC's Kamila Valiyeva's triple axel into incredible perspective. #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/GF7bR5OSJP
NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022

What an Olympic debut for 15-year-old Kamila Valiyeva. #WinterOlympics | NBC and @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/TIKuBuY6aE

NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"NBC Olympics","author_url":"https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics","cache_age":86400,"description":"What an Olympic debut for 15-year-old Kamila Valiyeva. #WinterOlympics | NBC and @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/TIKuBuY6aE NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":675,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FK4ZTk8XEAElYyW.jpg","thumbnail_width":1200,"title":"NBC Olympics on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1490156358234222592","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/kamila-valieva-triple-axel-winter-olympics_n_61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","entryTagsList":"olympics,winter-olympics,figure-skating","sectionSlug":"sports","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"entertainment,women,world-news,teen","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.sports","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/2edb3bcd-9eb9-4465-a050-690493d2b920/1_th.jpg?crop=480:270,smart&width=480&height=270&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"61ffa503e4b06abdc4315f79","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"Olympics","slug":"olympics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/olympics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/olympics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/olympics"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Olympics","slug":"olympics","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/olympics"},{"name":"Winter Olympics","slug":"winter-olympics","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/winter-olympics","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Winter Olympics","slug":"winter-olympics","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/winter-olympics"},{"name":"Figure Skating","slug":"figure-skating","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/figure-skating","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/figure-skating","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/figure-skating"},"section":{"title":"Sports","slug":"sports"},"topic":{"title":"Figure Skating","slug":"olympic-figure-skating","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/olympic-figure-skating"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false}">

What an Olympic debut for 15-year-old Kamila Valiyeva. #WinterOlympics | NBC and @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/TIKuBuY6aE
NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022

She earned a 90.18 score. Her best is 90.45, a world record. She also holds the record in the free skate and total score, Reuters noted .

All the best qualities of a figure skater come together in this fragile girl, Russian ice dancer Nikita Katsalapov told the news agency. She motivates the whole team. Its just a pleasure to watch her performances. She improves from one competition to the next.

The teenager was asked if anybody could beat her, and she shrugged while declining to answer.

This time around, she let her skating do the talking.