Nathan Chen is an American figure skater who made his senior debut in international competition in 2016. Chen, the reigning Olympic champion (2022) and a three-time world champion (2018, 2019, 2021), was the first skater to land five different types of quadruple jumps in competition, the first skater to land six quadruple jumps in a free program, and the first skater to land eight quadruple jumps across a single competition. Chen has broken multiple world and national records and is the current world record holder for all three competition segments in the senior men's discipline; the short program, free skate, and combined total score.
When Chen captured his first U.S. title at the 2017 U.S Championships at age 17, he became the youngest national champion since Dick Button (1946). That same year, he won the Four Continents title and the first of three successive grand prix final titles. Chen won his first world title in 2018 and became the youngest world champion since Evgeni Plushenko (2001). He repeated as world champion in 2019, and in 2021, he was the first U.S. man to win three world titles in a row since Scott Hamilton (1982–1984). In early January 2022, Chen became the first man to win six consecutive U.S. championships since Button (1946–52), and a month later, at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, he was the first Asian American man to win Olympic gold.
Chen has received numerous accolades in recognition of his achievements and impact. In the ensuing months after he stood atop the podium in Beijing, Chen earned nominations for several notable awards, including a Laureus World Sports Award, a People's Choice Award, an ESPY, and a James E. Sullivan Award. He was named Most Valuable Skater at the International Skating Union's ISU Awards in 2023, and Time magazine included him in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
World record scores
Chen set seven world record scores in the +5/-5 grade of execution (GOE) system; one in the short program, three in the free program, and three in the combined total score.
SP – Short program
FS – Free skating
Firsts and other records
Honors and accolades
Laureus World Sports Awards
Breakthrough of the Year Award (nominated in 2023)
International Skating Union (ISU)
"Most Valuable Skater" (2023)
ESPY Awards
Best Olympian, Men's Sports Award (nominated in 2022)
People's Choice Awards
Game Changer Award (nominated in 2022)
Amateur Athletic Union
James E. Sullivan Award (nominated in 2022)
Committee of 100
Trailblazer Award for Commitment to Excellence (2022)
Gold House
A100 Honoree (2018, 2019, 2020) A100 Hall of Fame (2021)
Professional Skaters Association
Gustave Lussi Award (2019, 2021, 2022)
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
Male Olympic Athlete of the Year (2019)
U.S. Figure Skating
Ron and Gayle Hershberger Award (2012) Athlete Alumni Ambassador Award (2011) Cecilia Colledge Memorial Fund Award (2010, 2011)
Media
Time: Named to the Time100 List (the 100 most influential people in the world) (2022) Time: Named to the Time Next Generation Leaders List (2017) Forbes: Named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports list (2020) Harper's Bazaar: Named to their list of "Icons" (2022) SportsPro: "Most Marketable Athletes" (#65 in 2022) The Salt Lake Tribune: Nominated for "Utahn of the Year" (2022) SKATING Magazine: Recipient of the "Reader's Choice Award" (Michelle Kwan Trophy) (2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–2019) ABC News: Named Person of the Week (February 19, 2010)
Municipality
Sun Valley: Presented with a key to the city (2022) Utah: Awarded a proclamation, making May 18 "Nathan Chen Day" (2022) Salt Lake County: Awarded a proclamation, making May 16 "Nathan Chen Day" (2018)
Medals and major titles
Throughout the years, Chen has won all major competitions at the junior and senior level except for junior worlds.
Medal record by event
The list records medals and participations in senior and junior events. Medals at team events are included only by team result, not individual result.
Medal record by season
The list records medals and participations at national and international events. Medals at team events are included only by team result, not individual result. Withdrawals and cancelled events are not included in the list.
International record scores
International record scores by segment
Chen holds all current records except for the program component score in the men's short program which was set by Yuzuru Hanyu.