Nathan Chen

Nathan Chen began his skating journey in Salt Lake City at the young age of 3, inspired by his two older brothers who played hockey. His two older sisters were also figure skaters. Alongside skating, he competed in gymnastics at the state and regional levels for seven years and received ballet training with Ballet West Academy.

Entering his first figure skating competition in 2003, Chen has since become a renowned figure in the sport. Beyond being a three-time World champion (2018, 2019, and 2021), Chen made history as the first Asian American man to win U.S., World, and Olympic titles in single skating. At the 2022 Winter Olympics, he became the Olympic champion in the men's singles event and also in the team event, further cementing his place in the figure skating world. He is also a six-time U.S. national champion (2017-2022) and a three-time Grand Prix Final champion (2017-2019). Chen set a new world record for men in the short program at the 2022 Winter Olympics with a score of 113.97. His free-skate costume from these Olympics, designed by Vera Wang, is now part of the permanent collections at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.

Known for his mastery of quadruple jumps, earning him the nickname "Quad King," Chen holds the highest total scores of the major ISU competitions. His influence and skill have earned him recognition as one of the greatest figure skaters of all time, with multiple world and national records to his name. His achievements extend beyond the ice rink as well; he has been featured in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world, Harper's Bazaar's Icons, and Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports list. Chen was recognized with the Most Valuable Skater award at the 2023 ISU Skating Awards and also received a nomination for the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year in 2023. He was acknowledged by U.S. President Joe Biden during a speech at the White House in January 2023. Off the ice, Chen is an accomplished author, having written two books: his memoir "One Jump at a Time: My Story" and the children's book "Wei Skates On." Chen has also contributed to academic publications, notably in the field of cardiology with research on Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP).

Despite his many commitments, Chen took a hiatus from competition at the end of the 2021–22 season to finish college at Yale University. However, he continues to be involved in the sport, coaching young skaters, performing in ice shows such as "Holiday On Ice: Las Vegas Style" and "Supermen On Ice," and is participating in various philanthropic activities. He is a member of the newly established Athlete Leadership Council for Athletes for Hope as of January 2024 and supports charitable causes such as Figure Skating in Harlem, StandUp for Kids, and the nonprofit collective Gold House.