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Nathan Chen, an American ice skater, won his first Olympic gold medal in Beijing with a perfect performance that put him well ahead of the field in the men’s free skate.
Chen, who was the pre-event favorite, won with a lengthy program packed with routines that showcased the 22-year-technical old’s skill that has given him the moniker “quad king.”
“It means everything. “I’m just really pleased,” Chen remarked after the victory, adding that there were “too many feelings to absorb.”
“Right now, everything is a blur. I had a great time out there.”
Chen began her long program in Beijing’s Capital Indoor Stadium with a quadruple flip, which was followed by a triple toe loop. He nailed every jump and move, including a quadruple lutz, for a total of five quad jumps.
“Of course, there are certainly many things I could have done better, but overall I was very happy I was able to do the program that I put down,” the skater and Salt Lake City native said.
Chen’s performance put him in first place with a score of 218.63, which he combined with his short program score for a winning total of 332.60. Following him on the podium will be two Japanese skaters: silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama with 310.05 points and bronze medalist Shoma Uno with 293.
Chen has had a fantastic Olympics, setting a new short program world record in the men’s figure skating event on Tuesday, putting him in perfect position for Thursday’s gold medal.
According to the Olympic website, he is the eighth man to win gold for the United States in men’s singles skating.
Yuzuru Hanyu, a Japanese all-time great, finished Thursday’s long program event with a sad end when he fell trying the famed quadruple axel in his free skate – as he desperately wanted to raise his score.
After a lackluster performance in the short program on Tuesday, the “Ice Prince” entered the competition in ninth position today.
The victory is also a respite for Chen, who finished seventh in the solo race but earned a bronze medal in the team event in the Pyeongchang Games in 2018.
Chen has climbed in the four years since, winning three consecutive world championships and a sixth successive US crown to enter in Beijing as a favorite.
