As a result of his determination and commit- ment to the sport, the 15-year-old is able to move across the ice with a nimbleness and quickness that other skaters can only dream of. Chen rips off jumping passes with (seemingly) the greatest of ease, and his rotations are lightning fast. His spins are equally impressive, and he already has a good sense of musicality and presentation. His free skate for the 2013‒2014 season —
selections from Glenn Miller and George Gersh- win — couldn’t help but bring a smile to even skating’s biggest cynics. In short, Chen has all the essential elements he needs to become a big-time player in men’s fi gure skating.
Last season was a successful one for Chen, as he collected medals from across the globe. His season started out in Mexico with a win at the ISU Junior Grand Prix event. He followed with a second gold medal at the JGP in Belarus, and capped off the JGP season with a bronze medal at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Japan. At the 2014 U.S. Championships in Boston, Chen claimed the junior event for the second time. With a score of 223.93, he broke the record held by Adam Rippon, the 2008 U.S. junior champion. Chen concluded his season with a bronze
medal in Sofi a, Bulgaria, at the 2014 World Ju- nior Figure Skating Championships. Needless to say, if you want results like that,
be prepared to put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
“T e most impressive thing for me about
Nathan’s skating is his work ethic,” said Rippon, who happens to be Chen’s training mate. “I’ve never skated with anyone who works so hard and is so dedicated to his skating.” Chen was born and raised in Salt Lake City.
T e youngest of fi ve children, he started fi gure skating at the age of 3 after following his ice hock- ey-playing older brothers to the rink. Chen worked with several coaches — Stephanee Grosscup, Karl Kover and Genia Chernyshova — who taught him good fundamental skills and techniques. Skating proved to be a good choice for
Chen, as he started winning local competitions. “At his fi rst competition, he had to compete against girls because there weren’t any boys com- peting at that age,” Chen’s mother, Hetty Wang, said. “He won his fi rst gold medal. Even at the top of the podium, he was still shorter than them all.” Chen also participated in other sports and activities, including ballet and gymnastics. In fact, he competed in state and regional competi- tions for gymnastics. T e skills he learned on the mat have benefi tted him on the ice.
“I began gymnastics because I thought it
was a really cool sport and wanted to try it out,” Chen said. “It built my strength, which I think has helped my skating.” It wouldn’t be long before Chen was win- ning bigger competitions, including the novice titles at the 2010 and 2011 U.S. Championships. But a true champion is always seeking to improve his skills, and he was no diff erent. Chen started working with Rafael Arutyunyan, the world-re- nowned coach, to improve his jumps. “Nathan would visit Lake Arrowhead to work with me, about four times a year,” Arutyu-
nyan said. T e partnership worked out so well that
Chen and his mother moved to California to work with Arutyunyan in December 2011. Arutyunyan, who has coached many top skaters including Michelle Kwan, Mao Asada, Sasha Co- hen, Ashley Wagner and Rippon, knew immedi- ately that Chen would be a standout. “Nathan works like a champion,” Arutyu-
nyan said. “I’ve met several in my life, but what sets him apart is that he works like an adult already.” Hetty Wang agrees with Arutyunyan. “No matter what, he never gives up,” Wang
said. “Nathan works very hard.” According to his coach, Chen’s work ethic is similar to other skating champions. “If I had to compare him to another skater,
it would be (2010 Olympic men’s gold medalist) Evan Lysacek,” Arutyunyan said. Even at a young age, Chen knows the impor- tance of having a trusted coach and mentor. “He is very easy to work with,” Arutyunyan
said. “We understand each other very well. He doesn’t have any doubt about what I’m telling him.”
For the upcoming season, Chen will com- pete in the senior division domestically, but will continue to compete on the Junior Grand Prix circuit internationally. T is will give him time to fi ne-tune his skills. “I think overall I’m pretty consistent at com-
petitions, but I don’t yet have the big jumps (e.g. diff erent quads) that many of the other skaters have,” Chen said.
His coach agrees that they will work together
to increase Chen’s level of diffi culty so that he can challenge the best men in the world. “T e quad and triple Axel — that’s what
we’ll be working on getting this year,” Arutyu- nyan said.
Like many junior skaters moving into the se- nior ranks, Chen will also work on developing his signature style of performing. “I would say Nathan is still fi nding his style,”
Rippon said. “He’s so talented and can skate to al- most anything. I think he’s a very powerful skater and can be very dynamic, mixed with a sophisti- cation that is always refreshing to see.” Chen’s programs from the 2013–2014 sea-
son were decidedly diff erent — T e Four Seasons by Vivaldi for the short program, and folk songs for the free skate. “I like to try to branch out and try new styles
of skating,” he said. With the new Olympic cycle starting, it’s
hard not to think about the 2018 Olympic Win- ter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. But Chen isn’t focusing on four years from now — he’s concerned about this moment. “I’ve always dreamed of going to an Olympic
event, but at this stage it’s too early to think that far ahead,” Chen said. “T e best thing to do now is go one step at a time.” Rippon believes that Chen’s talent, deter- mination and, of course, hard work could be a winning combination for the future. “If he continues to work as hard as he does,
he’s bound for great things.” SKATING 35
Nathan Chen has always been able to win over the crowd with his exquisite skills and showmanship.
JAY ADEFF/U.S. FIGURE SKATING
PHOTO BY HETTY WANG
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