Nathan Chen completed his four-year journey toward an elusive Olympic gold medal Thursday, following his record short program at the Beijing Games with a near-perfect free skate that earned him a standing ovation from supporters inside historic Capital Indoor Stadium. The 22-year-old star landed all five of his quads during his “Rocketman” program, set to the soaring film score by Elton John, to finish with 332.60 points just three off his own world record and become the first American champion since Evan Lysacek stood on the top of the podium in 2010 in Vancouver.
He became the first American figure skating champion since Evan Lysacek in 2010 and capped one of the most dominant four-year runs in the history of the sport.