American skater Nathan Chen dazzles in his Olympic return

Nathan Chen stood in the midst of the Olympic rink, bent his arm over his chest and gave a slight bow to the judges, then briskly skated away following his quick program through the staff competitors on the Winter Games.
He would possibly as effectively have stated, “Aw, shucks.” Yet the best way the usually reserved Chen felt after Friday’s hovering efficiency at Capital Indoor Arena, and the best way the 22-year-old American felt 4 years in the past in Pyeongchang, was about as totally different as an axel and a lutz.
He was excellent in Beijing: His large, opening quad flip to “La Bohème” appeared virtually to succeed in the rafters, his typically troublesome triple axel was faultless and the harrowing quad lutz-triple toe loop mixture in the midst of this system left him with the second-highest quick program rating ever in worldwide competitors.
He was something however excellent in Pyeongchang, when a poor quick program for the staff occasion bled right into a calamitous quick program within the particular person occasion, whisking Chen out of medal competition earlier than he felt he’d arrived.
“It’s nice to be able to have run-throughs like this,” Chen stated after serving to the Americans take a two-point lead over the closely favored Russians following the primary of three days within the staff occasion.
“Whatever you can take from each practice, good or bad, you take with you, and that’s the same thing with competition.” He might need realized a lesson from the dangerous in South Korea, nevertheless it was good in Beijing.

Chen has been almost unbeatable for the reason that Pyeongchang Games, profitable three consecutive world championships, working his nationwide title streak to 6 and topping his largest rival, two-time defending Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan, each time they’ve stepped on the ice in the identical competitors.
In truth, Chen’s solely defeat got here at Skate America final fall, when his Olympic teammate Vincent Zhou jumped forward of him for the gold medal. Chen rebounded by profitable Skate Canada with the world’s finest rating for this season.
There’s a very good likelihood he may prime that mark in Beijing.
His quick program through the staff occasion seemed to be flawless, however Chen is the primary to confess issues can all the time be even the slightest bit higher. He scored 111.71 factors, six forward of reigning Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno of Japan and simply eleven-hundredths off Hanyu’s world report, but was nonetheless effectively wanting his personal rating at nationals in January.
Chen’s quick program there truly topped 115 factors, nevertheless it wasn’t a report as a result of it wasn’t a global occasion.
The timing of his efficiency Friday was higher, although. It lifted the Americans into first place within the staff occasion, the place they’ve taken bronze on the final two Olympics, and despatched a cost via the remainder of Team USA.
“I watched Nathan kill it,” American pairs skater Alexa Knierim stated, “and if anything, it gave me a bit of excitement and calmness because I felt like our country collectively is ready.” Knierim and her associate, Brandon Frazier, definitely have been. They laid down the perfect quick program of their profession collectively, ending simply behind the world-record rating of reigning Olympic silver medalists Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China and the reigning world champions, Russians Anastasia Mishina and Alexandr Galliamov.
Meanwhile, within the rhythm dance, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue stamped themselves as medal contenders with a spectacular Janet Jackson-inspired efficiency that gave the Americans the utmost 10 factors of their self-discipline.
“We have an incredibly strong team and everyone is the most prepared they have ever been,” stated Madison Chock, who together with ice dance associate Evan Bates are the captains of the U.S. staff in Beijing.

They are also anticipated to sub into the staff occasion for Hubbell and Donohue when it’s time for the free dance.
“Our team has great potential and that was demonstrated,” Bates stated. “I don’t necessarily think that we feel surprised to be leading the team event. Looking at the roster, we know we have the potential to bring home the gold medal.” Chen’s large efficiency, coupled with their finishes in pairs and ice dance, leaves the Americans with 28 factors heading into the ladies’s quick program on Sunday. The Russians are second with 26 factors, whereas China (21), Japan (20) and Italy (18) put themselves in place to contend for the rostrum within the free skate.
The prime 5 international locations after the ladies’s quick program advance to the free skate, with the boys kicking issues off with their program later Sunday. The medals are awarded Monday following the ladies, pairs and ice dance.
The largest query now’s whether or not Chen will carry out once more within the staff occasion or whether or not the U.S. substitutes him out — because it did in Pyeongchang — and places veteran Jason Brown or high-flying Zhou within the free skate.
Each nation that advances could make a most of two substitutions to its lineup.

“Either way is cool for me,” stated Chen, brushing apart any considered resting forward of the person competitors, which begins instantly after the staff occasion and the place he’ll face Hanyu as soon as once more.
“We have a really strong team, so we have pieces to play with, and whatever is the strongest piece at the time is the strongest piece at that time.”