Nathan Chen
Olympic and world champion figure skater known as the Quad King.
Nathan Wei Chen (born May 5, 1999) is an American figure skater widely regarded as one of the greatest in the sport’s history. He is the 2022 Olympic champion in both men’s singles and the team event, a three-time World champion (2018, 2019, 2021), the 2017 Four Continents champion, a three-time Grand Prix Final champion (2017–2019), and a six-time U.S. national champion (2017–2022). Chen also earned an Olympic bronze medal in the team event in 2018. At the junior level, he won the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final, took bronze at the 2013–14 Junior Grand Prix Final and the 2014 World Junior Championships, and collected six Junior Grand Prix medals.
Chen holds the highest winning percentage in modern competition, maintaining a winning streak of more than three years from 2018 to 2021. Known as the “Quad King,” he is celebrated for his mastery of quadruple jumps and was the first skater to land all five reverse take-off quadruple jumps—Lutz, flip, loop, Salchow, and toeloop—with positive grades of execution. He currently holds world records for the men’s short program and combined total score, and formerly held the free skate record. He also holds the highest total scores at the Olympics, Four Continents Championships, and Grand Prix Final.
Chen is the first Asian American man to win U.S., world, and Olympic singles titles. At age 17, he became the youngest U.S. champion since Dick Button in 1946, and in 2022 he became the first man since Button to win six consecutive national titles. His 2018 World title made him the youngest world champion since Evgeni Plushenko in 2001, and his third consecutive world title in 2021 was the first for a U.S. man since Scott Hamilton (1982–1984). He is also the first singles skater to win both team and individual gold at the same Olympics.
After his 2022 Olympic gold, Chen was named Most Valuable Skater at the 2023 ISU Skating Awards and nominated for a Laureus World Sports Award. He appeared on *Time*’s 2022 list of the 100 most influential people and was named a *Harper’s Bazaar* Icon. Forbes included him in its 2020 30 Under 30 Sports list. He has written a memoir, *One Jump at a Time: My Story*, and a children’s book, *Wei Skates On*. Chen matriculated at Harvard Medical School in 2026.
Born in Salt Lake City to Chinese immigrant parents, Chen began skating at age three after the 2002 Olympics. His mother financed his t
- born
- May 5, 1999
- field
- Figure skating
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Quad King; first skater to land all five reverse take-off quadruple jumps with p
Lore & Background
Nathan Chen was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Chinese immigrant parents Zhidong Chen and Hetty Wang. He started skating at age three in a beginners' class at the Salt Lake City Sports Complex, which served as a practice rink during the 2002 Winter Olympics. His mother financed his skating by working as a medical translator and cleaning houses. Chen trained in gymnastics and ballet, competing at state level and placing first in the all-around at the Utah Boys' State Gymnastics Championships in 2008. As a child, he also trained as a pianist and won local competitions. He began working with jump specialist Rafael Arutyunyan when he was 10, and relocated to Southern California at age 11 to further his career. Chen became the youngest U.S. novice champion in history at age 10 in 2010, and at age 17 became the youngest U.S. champion since Dick Button (1946). He rose through the junior ranks, winning the Junior Grand Prix Final in 2015–16 and bronze at the 2014 World Junior Championships. Chen is the first skater to land each of the five reverse take-off quadruple jumps (Lutz, flip, loop, Salchow, and toeloop) in competition with a positive grade of execution. He holds the highest winning percentage in the modern era with a more-than-three-year winning streak from 2018 to 2021. Chen is the first Asian American man to win U.S., world, and Olympic titles in single skating. In 2022, he became the first man to win six consecutive U.S. titles since Dick Button (1946–52), and the first single figure skater to win both team and singles gold medals in the same Olympic games.
Reader's Guide
Nathan Chen's significance lies in his technical mastery and competitive dominance. He holds the highest winning percentage in the modern era and was the first to land all five types of quadruple jumps with positive execution, earning the nickname 'Quad King.' His six consecutive U.S. national titles (2017–22) matched a record set by Dick Button, and his three consecutive World titles (2018, 2019, 2021) were the first by a U.S. man since Scott Hamilton (1982–1984). Chen's 2022 Olympic gold in men's singles and team event made him the first single skater to achieve both in the same Games. He is the current world record holder for men in the short program and combined total score, and holds the highest total scores of three major ISU competitions: the Olympics, the Four Continent Championships, and the Grand Prix Final. Off the ice, Chen was named to Time's 100 most influential people in 2022, appeared on Forbes' 30 Under 30 in 2020, and authored two books: his memoir *One Jump at a Time: My Story* and the children's book *Wei Skates On*. He matriculated at Harvard Medical School in 2026.
Did You Know?
- Chen became the youngest U.S. novice champion in history at age 10 in 2010, a title he successfully defended the following season.
- He is the first single figure skater to win both team and singles gold medals in the same Olympic games (2022).
- Chen's mother financed his skating by working as a medical translator and cleaning houses.
- He placed first in the all-around at the Utah Boys' State Gymnastics Championships in St. George in 2008.
- Chen matriculated at Harvard Medical School in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nathan Chen?
Nathan Wei Chen is an American figure skater born in 1999 who captured the men's singles gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He is also a three-time World champion and a six-time U.S. national champion, widely regarded as one of the top male skaters in the sport's history.
Why is Nathan Chen called the Quad King?
The nickname reflects his dominance in landing multiple quadruple jumps within a single program at a high level of execution. He became the first skater to perform all five reverse take-off quad jumps with a positive grade of execution, a technical milestone no one had reached before him.
What Olympic medals did Nathan Chen win?
At the 2022 Beijing Games he took gold in both the men's singles and the team event. He had also competed in the men's singles at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics earlier in his career.
Why do fans consider Nathan Chen a game-changer for men's figure skating?
He pushed the technical ceiling by stringing together quad-heavy programs that previous generations of skaters had not attempted, while still maintaining artistic quality. His sustained dominance across multiple seasons set a new benchmark for what a competitive men's program could look like.
What historic firsts is Nathan Chen credited with?
He was the first Asian American man to win the U.S. national title, the World title, and the Olympic singles gold all in his career. His 2022 Olympic victory is often highlighted as a landmark moment for representation in elite figure skating.
More in Olympic Champions 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record