Nathan Chen earned his Olympic redemption.
4 years after failure within the brief program spoiled his desires of gold on the Pyeongchang Olympics, Chen on Thursday earned his gold medal with a dynamic and memorable efficiency within the males’s singles free skate, securing the title with a complete rating of 332.60 after he compiled a 113.97 within the brief program on Wednesday.
With the win, he turned the third American to win gold on the Beijing Olympics.
“It’s only a whirlwind proper now,” Chen mentioned in an interview with NBC. “All the pieces’s taking place so quick. That program was a variety of enjoyable to skate. Simply had a blast on the market and I’m actually grateful.”
Skating to a choice of Elton John songs, Chen hit each trick, doing all he wanted to retain his lead for gold. Chen got here into the night time with a lead of barely lower than six factors over Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who had a 108.12 within the brief program. Chen wanted a 196.09 within the free skate for gold and received a 218.63.
“I can’t even describe it,” he mentioned of his feelings. “You may’t even think about what it would really feel like. It’s simply wonderful.”
He landed 5 quad jumps and ended this system with a showman-like collection of strikes set to “Bennie and the Jets.” Even earlier than his rating was introduced, there was little doubt Chen was about to win gold after he had put collectively essentially the most memorable efficiency of the night time.
Kagiyama and Shoma Uno, additionally of Japan, completed with silver and bronze, respectively, with scores of 310.05 and 293.00. However that wasn’t sufficient to finest Chen. Not almost sufficient.
“As quickly as I completed the final bounce,” Chen mentioned, “I assumed I used to be actually shut.”
Jason Brown, the opposite American within the occasion, completed in sixth with a 281.4 after scoring a 184 within the free skate.
Chen, a Salt Lake Metropolis native, is the primary American male singles determine skater to win gold since Evan Lysacek in 2010. Previous to that, the final to take action was Brian Boitano in 1988. Chen earned his gold on the heels of world championship victories in 2018, 2019 and 2021, and after successful silver as a part of the group program earlier within the week. Chen can also be the present world file holder for brief program, free skate and mixed scores.
Attending to expertise victory in Beijing, the town the place his mom was born, was an extra supply of elation for Chen.
The 22-year-old Yale scholar was anticipated to win gold 4 years in the past, however struggled within the brief program, leading to a fifth-place end after he landed 5 quads within the free skate to maneuver up 12 locations. Following that, Chen received each competitors he entered till final October, however he was at all times going to be judged by his efficiency in Beijing.
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After successful the brief program within the group competitors to assist the USA to silver, Chen set a short-program file together with his 113.97 within the males’s singles competitors. That set the stage for Thursday, when Chen lastly achieved his lifelong dream, one he had been targeted on for the previous 4 years.
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Simply as in Pyeongchang, he got here into these Video games as one of many faces of NBC’s protection. Not like in Pyeongchang, he made the many of the alternative, dwelling as much as his billing because the world’s finest determine skater in each method.
He stood on the rostrum afterwards waving raised arms and looking out forward, not behind.
Lastly, after all of the ready and all of the work, he was an Olympic gold medalist.
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