Mystery solved: Does Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu have a leg tattoo?

    Mirai Nagasu made history on Monday in PyeongChang, becoming the first American woman to land a triple axel at the Winter Olympics. She was the star of the show as the U.S. figure skating team danced to a bronze medal.

    But as Nagasu became a household name, some viewers wondered: Wait … is that a big “USA” tattoo on the inside of her right leg?

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    American figure skater Mirai Nagasu landed a historic triple axel on Monday at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. (Getty)

    You can see why some were confused. Especially while Nagasu was in motion, it was clear there was something on her leg.

    But it wasn’t clearly exactly what.



    Alas, it was not a tattoo. Not a bruise. It was KT Tape, an “elastic sports tape designed to relieve pain while supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments,” according to the brand’s website.


    Nagasu confirmed that, no, it was not a tattoo:


    KT Tape is not uncommon in figure skating, or in other sports, for that matter. It’s what Tom Brady wore on his hand during the AFC title game. It’s the “official kinesiology tape licensee of the U.S. Olympic team,” and is used by athletes such as James Harden and Kerri Walsh Jennings. You’ll see it, and similar products, throughout PyeongChang.

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