What is Axel jump?
{{no sources|date=October 2022}} [[Image:Axel Paulsen jump without text.svg|thumb|350px|right|A single axel from start to finish]] [[Image:Emily Hughes Axel - 2006 Skate America.jpg|thumb|right|Step 1: the preparation]] [[Image:Mira Leung Axel - 2006 Skate America.jpg|thumb|right|Step 2: the kick up into the Axel]] [[Image:Andrei Lutai - skok.JPG|thumb|right|Step 3: the rotation in the air]] [[Image:Jamal Othman Jump 2 - 2006 Skate Canada.jpg|thumb|right|Step 4: the landing]] An '''Axel jump''' is a [[jump]] in [[figure skating]]. It is the most famous and recognizable skating jump. It starts with the skater going forward. It is the only jump that does and that helps people know that the jump is an Axel jump. Because all skating jumps are landed going backwards, the Axel jump has an extra half rotation (full circle) in the air than all other skating jumps. == History == The jump was named after [[Axel Paulsen]] of [[Norway]], who invented the jump. === Performances === The first skater to do a double Axel in competition was [[Dick Button]], and [[Carol Heiss Jenkins]] was the first woman to do it. The first skater to do a triple Axel in competition was [[Vern Taylor]]. The first woman to do it was [[Midori Ito]]. The first pairs skater to do a ''throw triple Axel'' (he helps her with the jump) were [[Rena Inoue]] & [[John Baldwin]]. It is not known who did the first ''throw double Axel''. == Methods == The Axel can be a single Axel (1 and a half rotations in the air), a double Axel (two and a half rotations in the air), or a triple Axel (three and a half rotations in the air). Most junior men and and senior skaters can do a double Axel. Many senior-level male skaters do a triple Axel. As of January 2025, only one person, Ilia Malinin, has landed a quadruple axel (four and a half rotations in the air) in competition <ref>{{Cite web|last=Kano|first=Shintaro|date=September 15, 2022|title=Ilia Malinin lands first quadruple Axel in figure skating history|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/figure-skating-ila-malini