Mirai Nagasu, the 2008 U.S. champion and a two-time World Junior medalist, announced today she has ended her three-year professional relationship with coach Charlene Wong and will train with Frank Carroll at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, Calif.
Nagasu has trained with Wong since October, 2006.
“At the end of the season I felt like I really needed a change,” Nagasu said. “After a lot of thought and deliberation, we decided that the right choice was to begin training with Mr. Carroll.”
Under Carroll, Nagasu will train alongside two-time U.S. and reigning World champion Evan Lysacek.
“I’m very excited to be training with Evan,” Nagasu said. “Training at the same rink as the current World champion is a great motivation – exactly what I need moving into the Olympic year.”
Carroll’s former students include nine-time U.S. champion, five-time World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan, four-time U.S champion and two-time World champion Linda Fratianne, and two-time U.S. champion and two-time World medalist Christopher Bowman.
Carroll was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1996 and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2007.
“Charlene and I have been through a lot together,” Nagasu said. “She’s always been there for me, and has been a huge part of my journey to this point.”
In 2008 Nagasu, at 14 years and 9 months, became the youngest U.S. ladies champion since Tara Lipinski and the second-youngest U.S. ladies champion ever. She is the first lady since Joan Tozzer (1937-38) to win the U.S. junior and senior titles in consecutive years.
– U.S. Figure Skating –
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating is comprised of more than 763 member clubs and Basic Skills Programs representing approximately 179,000 members. U.S. Figure Skating is charged with the development of the sport on all levels within the United States including athletes, officials, sanctioning of events and exhibitions, and establishing the rules and guidelines by which the sport is governed.
