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Before a Disputed Drug Test, a Russian Figure Skater Had a Rapid Rise

Kamila Valieva, the teenager who tested positive for a banned substance, throwing her sport in disarray at the Olympics, likes stuffed animals and yearns to travel. And she has stunned seasoned veterans with her grace and athleticism.

Kamila Valieva of Russia trained with her teammates on Sunday in Beijing.Credit...Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times

BEIJING — After leading her Russian team to the gold medal in the figure skating team event last Monday, before the world around her started to crumble, Kamila Valieva stood at the front of a room filled with reporters.