DES MOINES, Iowa —

In a state better known for cornfields than triple jumps, 10-year-old Avey Collins skated her way into Iowa history — becoming the first Iowan in her age group to qualify for nationals, then finishing fourth on the biggest stage she’s ever seen.

“My parents really liked hockey,” Avey told KCCI.

“We’d been taking her to hockey games since she was 6 months old. We both secretly wanted her to play hockey," her mother, Yukiko Collins, added.

Avey's parents enrolled her in skating classes and private lessons when she was just 3 years old.

“I liked it, so I kept practicing and I got better and now I’m here,” Avey said.

“She did try hockey when she was 4 with the Iowa Wild, but hated it because by then she had already fallen in love with figure skating,” Yukiko added.

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