Adam Rippon made history on Sunday when he was named as one of the three male figure skaters who will represent the United States next month at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Not only is he the oldest American figure skating Olympic rookie since 1936, Rippon became the first openly gay man to compete for the United States in the Winter Olympics. Rippon was in second place in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships when he fell to fourth place on Saturday after falling on his opening quad jump in his free skate, then missing two triples late in the program. The committee, however, decided to select Rippon (over Ross Miner, who finished in second place) because Rippon has a better track record. This was Rippon’s third attempt at making the Olympic team — he placed fifth at the nationals in 2010 and then eighth in 2014.
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