Chen jumps into the hunt for Beijing gold

American figure skater expected to battle defending champion Hanyu for elusive prize

LOS ANGELES:

Three-time world men's figure skating champion Nathan Chen strapped on his first pair of skates at age three after watching his two older brothers playing ice hockey.

His parents, Chinese immigrants Hetty Wang and Chen Zhidong, got him figure skates instead – and changed the course of the sport in the process.

Nathan Chen enters this week's Beijing Olympics chasing the only major prize that has eluded him, a gold medal, and the 22-year-old American is expected to battle two-time defending Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan for it.

Chen's route to China, where he still has relatives, has been one where he has drawn motivation from his few setbacks.

"Even if a great skate happens or a bad skate happens, I don't think wholesale changes should occur," Chen said. "Stick to your strengths, stick to what you know how to do, keep pushing forward."

Chen became the first skater to hit five different quadruple-spin jumps in competition, landing a quad toe loop, Salchow, flip, loop and Lutz.

The number and variety of quad jumps Chen can work into a routine brings a dynamic few rivals can match, provided Chen performs them with his typical near-flawless precision.

High above the rink, Chen soars with a power equal to his flamboyant style and showmanship when his skates dig into the ice. Together, they have drawn applause from fans and high marks from judges.

At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Chen helped the US take a team bronze medal, but struggled in his short program and was 17th before delivering an unprecedented six quad jumps in his free skate and finishing fifth overall.

After that experience, Chen won his next 13 competitions over more than three years, including three consecutive world championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021, after Covid-19 wiped out the 2020 event.

That win streak was snapped last October at Skate America, when Chen settled for third behind countryman Vincent Zhou and Japan's Shoma Uno.

Chen responded with victories at Skate Canada and the 2022 US championships, claiming his sixth national crown – the longest run since Dick Button won his seventh straight title in 1952.

After starting the season with a free skate to Mozart, Chen said the program felt "a little off" and noted, "There are other programs I feel a little bit more connected to."

That inspired him to return to his 2019-20 program featuring free skate music from the 2019 Elton John movie biography "Rocketman" and the routine clicked. Although he wouldn't commit to it for Beijing, he likes it a lot.

"I love this program. It's a lot of fun to perform," Chen said. "I can definitely, definitely get into this program. When the time comes, I will make that decision."

And he wouldn't mind a chance to show it off, one he didn't get in 2020 after Covid-19 wiped out the worlds.

"I really like the 2019-20 programs and I never got the chance to compete them at worlds," he said.

The program was developed by Chen's long-time choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne, a former world ice dance champion.

"All of the content Shae has done these past three seasons has been awesome," Chen said. "There has been a lot of fun stuff to play around with."

Chen also praises Armenian-born coach Rafael Arutunian, who has trained him in suburban Los Angeles for a decade.

"He has been pushing me every single day," Chen said. "A lot of the success I've had is definitely a credit to him. I can't do this all by myself.

"I've had really great people in my life and career that have helped me get to where I am now."