SLC’s Nathan Chen To Defend National Title
Jan 24, 2019, 5:25 PM
Nathan Chen of the USA competes in the Men's Free Skate on day two of the 2018 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America at Angel of the Winds Arena on October 20, 2018 in Everett, Washington. Chen took gold with a total score of 280.57. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, Mich. – Salt Lake City native Nathan Chen will be defending his national title at the U.S. Championships this weekend.
Chen comes in as the heavy favorite in the men’s division despite a mixed showing in the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang where finished fifth after a disappointing first run that included a fall and a brilliant showing in the finale that left him just short of the podium. Still, he earned national acclaim for his strong comeback performance.
Nathan Chen practicing at the Belfor training center this morning @USFigureSkating @Local4News pic.twitter.com/tAsYQS2XbB
— Jamie Edmonds (@Jamie_Edmonds) January 24, 2019
In addition to a fantastic career as the top figure male figure skater in the country, Chen also moonlights as a student at Yale, where he maintains a strong GPA despite the demand that skating and travel puts on his studies.
“Headlining the excitement of it all is Nathan Chen,” said 2014 Olympic gold medalist Charlie White, who will be providing color commentary for the events this weekend. “He’s just proven himself to be such a dynamic person, in every sense. The fact that he is going to Yale full time while competing at the highest level and, indeed, pushing his level higher, is just such a spectacular story.”
Chen will skate at the U.S. Champions at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit in the short program which begins on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and then in the free skate on Sunday at 12:10 p.m. The coverage will be on KSL on both days.
