Olympic speed skating medalist retires

J.R. CELSKI

ASAM NEWS

THREE-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALIST J.R.Celski is hanging up his skates.

The short track speed skater who has been a mainstay on the U.S. Winter Olympic Team since 2010 announced his retirement Wednesday.

“I’m hanging them up for good.,” Celski wrote on his website. “I always wanted my story to be one of inspiration. I’ve had a great run, and I’m thankful that I’ve gotten to share my story.”

The Filipino American won a pair of bronze medals at the 2010 games and a silver in 2014. He also earned three gold medals at the World Championships.

“There were several instances of success and reaching new heights, where I felt like I was on top of the world,” he wrote. “Everything felt right and the energy was flowing at an unimaginable rate. I appreciated these moments because I knew the amount of work I had put in to get there.

“Short Track tested my limits and challenged my existence. Speed, power, agility, endurance, balance, strategy, patience, awareness, risk, trust. Defying the laws of gravity and setting up passes at the same time. All of this while wearing a skin tight suit. What more could you ask for?”

Mirai Nagasu - from the skating rink to the dance floor

ABC
Figure skater Mirai Nagasu with her dance partner, Alan Bersten.

WELL, she got her wish. Mirai Nagasu is trading in her blades for high heels as she competes in Dancing With the Stars.

Remember when U.S. Olympic figure skater Mirai Naagasu made a joke about being on Dancing With the Stars? 

She got ripped for joking around when she failed to perform up to her best. She flubbed her triple axel in the individual free skate to help the U.S. team get a bronze medal. Her historic performance raised hope for a medal in the individual performances.

Back in February, in the heat of the Olympic competition, she failed to medal in the individual competition. She wasn't alone. All three of the U.S. women's figure skater performed below expectations. Mirai was unable to repeat the triple axel. She ended up in 10th place.

The 25-year old Southern Californian was disappointed and tired and in one interview, she quipped that the Olympics was just an audition for Dancing With the Stars “because I want to be a star.”

It looks like Mirai gets the last laugh.

“I think I’ve literally cried my way through these Olympic Games,” she tells PEOPLE in an interview one day after her final performance in Gangneung, South Korea. “It’s been an experience that I will never forget.”

This season of the popular dance competition will feature all athletes. Mirai will be competing agains the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tonya Harding, Johnny Damon and fellow Winter Olympians: snow boarder Jamie Anderson, luger Chris Mazdzer, figure skater and close fiend Adam Rippon and more

"Since it's so competitive, we're trying to hit the ground running," said Alan Bersten, Mirai's partner and dance coach. "We're not even doing a Week 1 dance, we're doing a Week 7 dance," which will be the salsa.

While Mirai admits she's a little uncomfortable on the dance floor but she is ready to be a dance champion.

"I fall all the time, but I get back up and keep going," she said.

Dancing with the Stars: Athletes premieres Monday, April 30 on ABC, 8 p.m. ET.______________________________________________________________________________