Nathan Chen facts for kids
Chen at 2018 Internationaux de France
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| Birth name | Nathan Wei Chen | ||||||||||||
| Born | May 5, 1999 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
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| Education | Yale University (BA) | ||||||||||||
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| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) | ||||||||||||
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Nathan Wei Chen (born May 5, 1999) is an American figure skater. He is famous for winning the Olympic gold medal in 2022. He has also won the World Championship three times (2018, 2019, 2021). Nathan is known for his amazing jumps and has been called the "Quad King" because he can land many difficult quadruple jumps. He holds world records for the highest scores in men's short program and overall total score.
Nathan Chen is also a three-time Grand Prix Final champion (2017, 2018, 2019). He won the Four Continents Championship in 2017. He has won the U.S. national championship six times in a row (2017–2022). At the 2022 Winter Olympics, he also won a gold medal with the U.S. team. In 2018, he won a bronze medal with the U.S. team at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Nathan has written two books: his memoir One Jump at a Time: My Story and a children's book called Wei Skates On. He was also named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Family Fun
Nathan Wei Chen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. His parents moved to the U.S. from China. His father, Zhidong Chen, is a research scientist. His mother, Hetty Wang, is from Beijing. Nathan has four older brothers and sisters. His sister, Janice Chen, is a co-founder of a science company.
Nathan's mother was very involved in his skating. She helped pay for his skating and his siblings' activities by working as a medical translator and cleaning houses. Nathan was a very active and brave child. He wanted to be a hockey goalie like his older brothers. But his mother gave him figure skates instead.
To help him with skating, Nathan also took gymnastics and ballet classes. He trained with Ballet West Academy for over six years. He even competed in gymnastics and won first place in Utah in 2008. As a kid, Nathan also played the piano and won local contests. Later, he learned to play the guitar. His family loves chess, and his siblings competed in chess tournaments.
Nathan's Skating Journey
Starting on Ice
Nathan Chen started skating when he was three years old. He took a beginner's class in Salt Lake City, where the 2002 Winter Olympics had been held. He entered his first skating competition in 2003. When he was seven, he started competing at higher levels. He won a bronze medal in 2008 and a silver medal in 2009 at the U.S. Junior Figure Skating Championships.
In 2010, at age 10, Nathan became the youngest U.S. novice men's champion. He won this title again in 2011. In 2012, he won his first national junior men's title. He also won his first international competition in Italy that year.
Nathan worked with different coaches as he grew up. One coach, Karel Kovar, taught him a special way to hold his arms during jumps. Another coach, Jozef Sabovčík, told him not to stop during his programs. When Nathan was 10, he started working with jump specialist Rafael Arutyunyan. Nathan and his mother often drove from Salt Lake City to California for lessons. They sometimes even slept in their car to save money. When Nathan was 11, he and his mother moved to Southern California so he could train more easily with Arutyunyan, who became his main coach in 2011.
Junior Skating Success
Nathan started competing in the ISU Junior Grand Prix in 2012. He won his first event in Austria. He had a leg injury later that season but still won a bronze medal at the 2013 U.S. Championships. In 2013–2014, he won two more Junior Grand Prix events and finished third at the Junior Grand Prix Final.
He won his second U.S. junior title in 2014 with record scores. A few months later, he won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
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Nathan had some injuries during the 2014–2015 season. He still competed and placed eighth at the 2015 U.S. Championship. He finished fourth at the 2015 World Junior Championships. In 2015–2016, Nathan won the Junior Grand Prix Final. At the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, he made history. He was the first U.S. man to land two quadruple jumps in a short program. He was also the first to land four quadruple jumps in a free skate. He finished third overall.
During an exhibition, Nathan hurt his left hip and needed surgery. He had to miss the 2016 World Junior and World Championships. After recovering, he started training fully again in July.
Becoming a Senior Star
2016–2017: First Big Wins
Nathan Chen started his senior international career in 2016. He won gold at the 2016 CS Finlandia Trophy. At his first senior Grand Prix event, the 2016 Trophée de France, he landed difficult quadruple jumps. He broke the U.S. record for the short program score. He finished fourth overall.
At the 2016 NHK Trophy, he placed second. Then, at the 2016–17 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, he won the free skate with four quadruple jumps. He finished second overall, becoming one of the youngest men to win a medal at this event.
In 2017, Nathan won his first senior U.S. title at the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He landed five clean quadruple jumps in his free skate, setting new record scores. He became the youngest U.S. champion in over 50 years. A few weeks later, he won the 2017 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. He was the youngest men's champion in that event's history. At the 2017 World Figure Skating Championships, Nathan finished sixth. His performance helped the U.S. team send three men to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
2017–2018: Olympic Journey and World Title
In the 2017–2018 season, Nathan started with a win at the 2017 CS U.S. International Figure Skating Classic. He landed his first quadruple loop jump, becoming the first skater to land five different types of quads in competition. He won his first Grand Prix title at the 2017 Rostelecom Cup. He also won 2017 Skate America. These wins helped him qualify for the 2017–18 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, which he won. He was the first U.S. man to win this final since 2009.
At the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Nathan landed seven clean quadruple jumps. He won his second U.S. national title. He was then chosen for the U.S. Olympic Team.
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At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Nathan had a tough start in the team event. He placed fourth, but the U.S. team still won a bronze medal. In the individual men's event, he had a disappointing short program and was in 17th place. However, he came back strong in the free skate, placing first with a personal best score. He landed six quads in that program, a first for any skater. He finished fifth overall.
A month later, Nathan won his first world title at the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships. He finished first in both programs. He was the first skater to land eight quadruple jumps in one competition. He became the first U.S. man to win the World Championships since 2009. His win margin was the largest ever in a World Championships. In early 2018, Nathan was accepted into Yale University.
2018–2019: Second World Title
Nathan's first competition as a college student was the Japan Open. He finished fourth in the free skate, and his team placed third. At 2018 Skate America, he won both parts of the competition. He won by the largest point difference in the event's history. At the 2018 Internationaux de France, he recovered from a fall in the short program to win the event.
At the 2018–19 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Nathan won his second Grand Prix Final title. He became the fourth man to win this event two times in a row. At the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, he set new U.S. records for all scores. He won his third national title, becoming the first man to win three in a row since 2006.
During his spring break from Yale, Nathan competed at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships. He defended his world title and broke world records for the free skate and total score. He won by a large margin. He was the first U.S. man to win back-to-back world titles since 1984. The U.S. team also won first place at the 2019 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating.
2019–2020: Third Grand Prix Final Title
Nathan started his 2019–2020 season by winning the free skate at the Japan Open. He then won his third straight title at 2019 Skate America. His winning margin was the largest in the event's history. Two weeks later, he won his second straight Internationaux de France title. He became the first singles skater to win eight Grand Prix events in a row since Evgeni Plushenko.
At the 2019-20 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Turin, Nathan had a clean short program and set a new personal best score. He then set new world records for the free skate and combined total score, winning his third Grand Prix Final title. He won his fourth national title at the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He was the first man to win four U.S. titles in a row since 1988. The 2020 World Figure Skating Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020–2021: Third World Title in a Row
Due to the pandemic, Nathan competed at 2020 Skate America. He won both the short program and free skate. Nathan decided to take a break from college to focus on skating and the 2022 Winter Olympics. He said the Olympics were his main goal.
At the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Nathan won his fifth U.S. national title in a row. He became the first man to do this since Dick Button. Nathan said Dick Button was a big inspiration for him.
At the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships in Stockholm, Nathan was third after the short program. But he skated a clean free skate with five quads and finished first. He won his third world title in a row. He was the first man since 2013 and the first American since 1984 to win three world titles in a row. Nathan said his past experiences helped him stay strong. He finished his season at the 2021 ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating, where he placed first in both parts and Team USA finished second.
2021–2022: Olympic Gold Medal
Nathan started the Olympic season at 2021 Skate America. He placed fourth in the short program and third overall. He said that ending his winning streak was not "devastating" and that he was proud of his competitors. A week later, he won 2021 Skate Canada International. These results earned him a spot in the 2021-22 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, which was later canceled.
Nathan worked with a new choreographer to prepare his Olympic programs. He decided to use his "La Bohème" short program and "Rocketman" free skate from 2019–2020. At the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Nathan won his sixth U.S. title in a row. This was a feat only achieved by Dick Button 70 years earlier.
A month later, at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Nathan skated a clean short program in the Olympic team event. He placed first, earning ten points for Team USA. The U.S. team initially won the silver medal. However, after a doping investigation, the U.S. team was awarded the gold medals in August 2024.
Two days after the team event, Nathan set a world record in the men's short program. He then won an Olympic gold medal with a free skate score that included five quads. His free-skate costume, designed by Vera Wang, is now in the National Museum of American History. After the Olympics, Nathan withdrew from the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships due to an injury.
2022–2025: Taking a Break
Nathan Chen decided to take a break from competing after the 2021–2022 season. He wanted to finish his college degree. During the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Nathan and his teammates from the 2022 Olympic Figure Skating Team Event received their Olympic gold medals.
Skating Shows and Coaching
Nathan started performing in ice shows when he was very young. At age five, he was in televised shows like "Holiday On Ice: Las Vegas Style." He was invited to skate in shows around the world, including China, Thailand, and Malaysia. He has also performed in the annual "Sun Valley on Ice" summer shows and at Harvard University's "An Evening with Champions."
Since 2016, Nathan has been a regular in major ice shows like Stars On Ice Japan and the Stars On Ice U.S. Tour. He has also performed in Dreams On Ice and THE ICE in Japan. In 2019, he was part of Yuna Kim's show All That Skate in South Korea. He also performed with famous skaters like Evgeni Plushenko in Japan.
Nathan has also coached young skaters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he coached at a rink in Connecticut. In 2023, he coached at a summer camp in Spain with other famous skaters. He also teaches at seminars through his company "Your True Step," which he created to help other skaters.
Nathan's Skating Style
Nathan Chen is praised for his amazing technical skills. Olympic Champion Scott Hamilton compared him to Dick Button, another legendary skater. Hamilton said Nathan is always trying to improve his athleticism and combine it with beautiful artistic performances. Olympic Champion Hayes Jenkins said Nathan's movements are smooth and purposeful.
Nathan's childhood coach taught him a special way to rotate during jumps. This technique helps him spin very quickly and tightly in the air. His rotation position is considered perfect by experts.
Nathan skates to many different types of music. He has used classical pieces, music by modern artists, upbeat pop songs by Elton John, and Latin music.
Life Outside the Rink
Sponsorships and Partnerships
Nathan Chen has worked with many big companies like Bridgestone, Panasonic, Nike, Toyota, Visa, and Coca-Cola. He has been featured on Kellogg's cornflakes boxes and in Nike and Coca-Cola ads. He even inspired a United Airlines Olympic athlete action figure.
He appeared in commercials for the movie Jurassic World: Dominion with other Olympians. Nathan is also a brand ambassador for Panasonic and helps with their "Green Impact" initiative. He has attended events for OMEGA watches and contributed to a sleep study for Airweave.
In 2019, Nathan partnered with Boosted Boards, which makes electric skateboards. He also worked with jewelry designer David Yurman to create a bracelet that helps an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) non-profit group. In 2023, he was a guest on the Apple podcast Time to Walk, sharing inspirational stories. He also promotes brands like Uniqlo and Maruchan on social media.
Being an Ambassador
In 2021, Nathan was named to the Athlete Advisory Committee for Salt Lake City's bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2030 or 2034. He believes it makes sense to bring the Olympics back to Salt Lake City because the facilities are already there. In 2024, Salt Lake City was chosen to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Nathan was also a Goodwill Ambassador for the 2023 Winter World University Games. He helped promote Panasonic's "Green Impact" campaign at a conference about climate change.
Books and Magazines
Nathan's memoir, One Jump at a Time: My Story, was released in 2022. In the book, he talks about his skating career, his family's efforts to support him, his hip injury, and his experiences at the 2018 Olympics. In 2023, he released his first children's book, Wei Skates On. This picture book is about facing fears and finding joy in sports. It was named one of the Best Children's Books of the Year.
Nathan also wrote an essay for a book about the music of Philip Glass. In 2023, Penguin Books released the children's book Who Is Nathan Chen? as part of its popular "Who Was?" series.
Nathan has appeared in many fashion and news magazines, including Vogue, GQ, Time, and Harper's Bazaar. He has also been on the covers of World Figure Skating Magazine and International Figure Skating Magazine.
Film and Television Appearances
In 2021, Nathan starred in three episodes of the show From the Top: Olympians and Rockstars on the Olympic Channel. This show paired Olympic athletes with music stars. Nathan also appeared in the music video for Elton John and Britney Spears' song "Hold Me Closer". He skated at Yale University's rink in the video.
In 2022, Nathan was a creator on the TV show Dancing With Myself. He also appeared on the CBS series Secret Celebrity Renovation, where he helped renovate the Salt Lake City Sports Complex, where he learned to skate. He also reunited with his siblings to compete on the game show Celebrity Family Feud against actor Simu Liu's team.
Nathan has also been a guest on popular American talk shows like Today and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Helping Others
Nathan Chen supports many charities. Since 2017, he has worked with Figure Skating in Harlem. This group helps girls of color build confidence and achieve academic success. He has also worked with StandUp for Kids, a group that helps homeless youth. In 2021, he gave children a chance to skate with him.
Nathan is an investor in Gold House, a group that supports Asian and Pacific Islander people. He has spoken out against violence toward Asian Americans. He said he worries about his parents' safety.
In 2022, Nathan partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promote COVID-19 vaccines. He even spoke with immunologist Anthony Fauci. In 2023, Nathan joined the Elton John AIDS Foundation's campaign to fight LGBTQIA+ stigma. In 2024, he joined the Athlete Leadership Council for Athletes for Hope. This group helps athletes make a difference in their communities.
Awards and Recognition
Nathan Chen has received many awards for his achievements in figure skating and his impact on the Asian American community. In 2023, he was nominated for a Laureus World Sports Award. He was also named Most Valuable Skater at the International Skating Union's ISU Skating Awards.
Nathan has been recognized on important lists like Time magazine's Time100 (100 most influential people). He was also on Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports list.
The Committee of 100, a group of famous Chinese Americans, gave Nathan their Trailblazer Award in 2022. He is also a Gold House A100 Honoree and is in their Hall of Fame. In 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden recognized Nathan during a speech at the White House.
School and Future Plans
Nathan Chen went to elementary school in Salt Lake City. He then attended high school in Salt Lake City and California. He graduated from California Connections Academy. In 2018, he was accepted into Yale University. He took a break from Yale to prepare for the 2022 Winter Olympics. He returned in late 2022 to finish his degree in statistics and data science.
At Yale, Nathan worked in a research lab and received an award for his heart research projects. He graduated from Yale in May 2024. He won an award for his senior project about predicting disease.
Nathan is now in a special program at Goucher College to prepare for medical school. He is also an Ambassador for Public Outreach for the American Junior Investigators Association. This group helps young doctor-scientists.
Records and Achievements
Nathan Chen has a very high winning percentage in modern figure skating, at 73%. From 2009 to 2022, he won the U.S. Championship ten times. This includes six wins in a row as a senior skater.
Nathan holds seven world record scores in the current judging system. These include records in the short program, free skate, and combined total score.
His highest scores are recognized as world records by Guinness World Records.
| Date | Part of Program | Score | Event | What Happened |
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| Oct. 20, 2018 | Free skate | 189.99 | 2018 Skate America | Chen broke Mikhail Kolyada's record. |
| Combined total | 280.57 | Chen broke Shoma Uno's record. | ||
| Mar. 23, 2019 | Free skate | 216.02 | 2019 World Championships | Chen broke Yuzuru Hanyu's record. |
| Combined total | 323.42 | Chen broke Hanyu's record. | ||
| Dec. 7, 2019 | Free skate | 224.92 | 2019–20 Grand Prix Final | Chen broke his own record. |
| Combined total | 335.30 | Chen broke his own record. | ||
| Feb. 8, 2022 | Short program | 113.97 | 2022 Winter Olympics | Chen broke Hanyu's record. |
Skating Programs
Nathan Chen has performed many different programs throughout his career. Here are some of his notable competition and exhibition programs:
- Programs performed at the Winter Olympics are in bold
| Season | Short program | Free skate program | Exhibition program |
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| 2009–10 |
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N/A |
| 2010–11 |
"Rawhide"
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Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
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N/A |
| 2011–12 |
WALL-E
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N/A |
| 2012–13 |
Praeludium and Allegro
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The Three Musketeers
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N/A |
| 2013–14 |
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Medley:
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N/A |
| 2014–15 |
Michael Jackson Medley
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Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor
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N/A |
| 2015–16 | Michael Jackson Medley |
Organ Symphony
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N/A |
| 2016–17 |
Le Corsaire
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Polovtsian Dances
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N/A |
2017–18 |
"Nemesis"
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Mao's Last Dancer
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N/A |
| 2018–19 |
"Caravan"
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"Land of All"
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N/A |
| 2019–20 |
"La Bohème"
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Rocket Man
'Tracks used'
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N/A |
| 2020–21 |
Desperado
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Philip Glass medley
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N/A |
| 2021–22 |
"Eternity"
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Mozart Medley
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N/A |
| "La Bohème" | Rocket Man | N/A |
Programs after the 2022 Winter Olympics
After the 2022 Winter Olympics, Nathan Chen stopped competing but continued to perform in ice shows. Here are some of his show programs:
| Year | Program | Event |
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| 2022 |
Rocket Man
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"Heat Waves"
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Mozart Medley
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"Gabriel's Oboe"
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Rocket Man"
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| 2023 |
"Vienna"
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"Mr. Blue Sky"
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"Hold Me Closer"
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"Mr. Blue Sky"
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"On the Nature of Daylight"
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"Hold On Tight"
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"Mr. Blue Sky"
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| "Vienna" | ||
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"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
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"Ladies Love Country Boys"
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Competition Highlights
Here are some of Nathan Chen's main competition results:
- GP – Grand Prix event
- JGP – Junior Grand Prix event
- CS – Challenger Series event
- C – Event was canceled
- WD – Withdrew from competition
| Season | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 |
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| Winter Olympics | 5th | 1st | ||||||
| Winter Olympics (Team event) | 3rd | 1st | ||||||
| World Championships | 6th | 1st | 1st | C | 1st | |||
| Four Continents Championships | 1st | |||||||
| Grand Prix Final | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | C | C | ||
| U.S. Championships | 8th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| GP France | 4th | 1st | 1st | |||||
| GP NHK Trophy | 2nd | |||||||
| GP Rostelecom Cup | 1st | |||||||
| GP Skate America | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | |||
| GP Skate Canada | 1st | |||||||
| CS Finlandia Trophy | 1st | |||||||
| CS U.S. Classic | 1st | |||||||
| Japan Open | 3rd (2nd) |
3rd (4th) |
3rd (1st) |
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| World Team Trophy | 3rd (2nd) |
1st (1st) |
2nd (1st) |
| Season | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Junior Championships | 3rd | 4th | |||
| Junior Grand Prix Final | 3rd | 1st | |||
| U.S. Championships | 1st | 3rd | 1st | ||
| JGP Austria | 1st | ||||
| JGP Belarus | 1st | ||||
| JGP Croatia | WD | 2nd | |||
| JGP Mexico | 1st | ||||
| JGP Spain | 1st | ||||
| JGP United States | 1st |
Filmography
Television Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | From the Top: Olympians and Rockstars | Himself | 3 episodes | |
| 2022 | Inspiring America: The 2022 Inspiration List | Himself | Special | |
| 2022 | Dancing with Myself | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2022 | Secret Celebrity Renovation | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2022 | Celebrity Family Feud | Himself | 1 episode | |
| 2022 | A Toast to 2022 | Himself | Special |
Music Videos
| Year | Title | Artist | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "Hold Me Closer" (Acoustic) | Elton John, Britney Spears |
Images for kids
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Chen at the 2018 Internationaux de France
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Nathan Chen with his gold medal at the 2014 U.S. Championships.
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Nathan Chen at the 2016 Grand Prix Final.
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Nathan Chen (center) with other medalists at the 2018 World Championships.
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Nathan Chen performing his free skate in France.
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Nathan Chen (center) at the 2019–20 Grand Prix Final podium.
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Nathan Chen performing his Michael Jackson medley in 2015.
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Nathan Chen performing in a gala in 2018.
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Nathan Chen at the 2018 Internationaux de France gala.
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Nathan Chen at the 2019 Internationaux de France.
- List of career achievements by Nathan Chen
- Nathan Chen programs
- List of highest scores in figure skating
- List of Olympic medalists in figure skating
- World medalists
