Team USA Figure Skater Nathan Chen Wows Audiences with Six Quad Jumps

Gangneung, South Korea

February 17, 2018

18 year old American figure skater Nathan Chen from Salt Lake City, Utah came to the Winter Olympics to win a medal.

He didn't, but instead he wowed audiences worldwide by making history as the first person in Olympic competition to perform six unprecedented quad jumps.

Nathan's historic performance of six quads, included five clean quad jumps, and on the third quad his hand touched the ground.

Despite his extraordinary talents and record as the only international skater who was undefeated on the Grand Prix circuit this season, at the 2018 Winter Olympics Nathan came in 17th in a short program, and in the team event short program, another dismal score.

"I already fell so many times, I might as well just go out, throw everything down, and see what happens," Chen told the press.

On his third day of competition, in men's free skate, Nathan skated as the star that he is, and rose from 17th to 5th place. 

Reigning Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu from Japan won the gold, becoming the first back-to-back gold medalist in the event since 1952 when American figure skater Dick Button won the gold.

Chen, the son of Chinese immigrants, began taking skating lessons at the age of three. By the time he was ten, he was competing in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He is expected to compete in March for the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships.