February 08, (THEWILL) – American Olympian Nathan Chen took the first step in solidifying his position as figure skating’s undisputed king with a record-setting performance in Beijing.
Chen’s 113.97 score in the men’s short programme on Monday led the field at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, putting the American in position to win gold in the free skate on Wednesday, but he went further to also establish a record for the highest score in men’s short programme history.
This was the Beijing Games’ second figure skating competition, following the Russian Olympic Committee’s gold, the United States’ silver, and Japan’s bronze in the team event. Because two of the eight segments were a men’s singles short programme and a men’s singles free programme, the team event served as a preview for the men’s competition.
Chen established himself as the main attraction in men’s figure skating at these Olympics by dazzling in the team competition’s short programme and winning the Americans 10 points with a win. Meanwhile, Yuma Kagiyama of Japan made himself as a contender with a win in the free programme.
Despite Kagiyama’s strong performance, the duel between Chen and Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu remained the main topic heading into Monday’s event. Chen is, after all, the three-time defending world champion, while Hanyu is the two-time defending Olympic winner.
Chen was also hoping to put a bad performance in the short programme at the 2018 Games behind him with a strong performance on Monday.
They both had to be patient, though, because they were two of the last ten skaters in a field that shrank before the competition began when American Vincent Zhou stated on Instagram that he was withdrawing due to a COVID-19 test result, as THEWILL reported.
Kagiyama and Shoma Uno, who came second behind Chen in the team event short programme, were also among the last ten skaters, making the event’s start feel anticlimactic from the marks.
Hanyu was unable to clear the bar due to a critical error when he bailed on his first jump attempt of the Games, giving Chen a big edge in the head-to-head before he even walked on the ice. Uno, on the other hand, not only surpassed Semenenko’s 95.76, but also flew beyond it with a spectacular skate that signalled he would be a factor in the gold chase.
Kagiyama had already delivered such a message during the team competition, but he remained focused on his performance. He received the best score of the three excellent Japanese skaters, but due to his placement in the programme, he stood atop the leaderboard for only a few minutes because he competed right before Chen.
And, as usual in men’s figure skating, Chen was the focus on Monday. As he sailed through the air and nailed the technical component of his skate, the American star delivered a magnificent and beautiful performance, living up to his nickname as the “quad king”.
The burden of living up to expectations of being the clear favourite and overcoming any residual misgivings from the 2018 game rested squarely on his shoulders. He did, however, triumphantly live up to the situation. And, he will win gold if he repeats this performance on Wednesday.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
