This years’ Olympic Games are shaping up to be a truly spectacular event. We’ve watched as hundreds of Olympians competed for gold and have made their countries proud – but two of these Olympians share a bond unlike any other. Adam Rippon and Mirai Nagasu both competed and earned their first Olympic medals this past weekend in the team event in PyeongChang. However, their connection goes far beyond this.
The friends decided that the only way to celebrate their connection with a pair of matching tattoos. Adam revealed in a recent interview the events that inspired them to get inked. The decision to get matching ink stems from struggles that the pair went through four years prior.
Four years ago, Rippon and Nagasu were left off the United States figure skating team for the 2014 Sochi Games. The friends were crushed and shared their pain over In-N-Out burgers. Adam recalls that “We sat on the roof and we were just kind of talking, we weren’t even watching the Olympics. We were just kind of crying a little bit, and eating [In-N-Out] double-doubles and animal-style fries.”
Photo by Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
“We were sitting up there, and we were laying back, we looked up at the sky and the stars, and we had a long talk. I remember telling her, ‘I’m so grateful you’re my friend.'”
Rippon claimed that it was a poignant moment in his life and told Nagasu, “We’ll be able to get through this.” It was during this time that Rippon also proposed the idea of getting matching tattoos. “After everything that we went through four years ago,” Rippon claimed, “I want to have a matching tattoo with [Nagasu].”
The friends joked about getting the Abercrombie moose, but eventually settled on a glyph that Nagasu found. This design features a circle with two intersecting lines, which stands for “power.” Rippon got the design above his knee while Nagasu received her ink on her inner wrist, both were done in white ink.
Photo by Alan Springer via Yahoo Sports
“It’s something really personal between me and her,” Rippon said, “there’s been a lot of ups and downs since then, to be here now, especially with her of all people, is crazy.” The tattoos strengthened the bond between the two Olympians and helped them overcome a difficult time in their Olympic careers.
“So if you’re ever depressed,” Rippon smiled, “go to In-N-Out and, four years later, you can be at the Olympics.”
