This year’s Winter Olympics women’s figure skating team selection had a little more drama than usual. Instead of picking the top three finishers from the national figure skating championships for the Olympic squad, the U.S. Figure Skating Association selected fourth-place finisher Ashley Wagner over third-place finisher Mirai Nagasu, despite Nagasu’s flawless performance.
Wagner has been on the national figure skating scene since the 2004-2005 season, when she debuted in her first U.S. Championships, coming in seventh place at the novice level, according to The Washington Post. Wagner made the rounds on the national and international figure skating circuit and found herself in contention for a spot on the Sochi team in 2014.
The 22-year-old was thrust into the spotlight as a prominent face in the upcoming games, earning endorsement deals with P&G and Nike in 2013. She joins Gracie Gold and Polina Edmunds on the 2014 Olympic team.
