Winter Olympics 2022 - Nathan Chen stuns to put US on top in figure skating team event

ByRichard Newman

Updated 04/02/2022 at 09:48 GMT

Chen easily won the short programme, followed by Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue claiming victory in the rhythm dance, and Alexia Knierim and Brandon Frazier coming third in the pair short programme. The Russian Olympic Committee sit second, ahead of hosts China. Watch every moment of the Games on discovery+

Nathan Chen got his Winter Olympics off to a perfect start in Beijing, winning the team event men’s short programme to put the US on top of the standings at the end of day one.

The triple world champion scored 111.71 points to easily take victory and was only 0.11 points short of the world record set by his rival, Yuzuru Hanyu - who is yet to compete at the Games.

Victory for Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue in the rhythm dance continued an impressive start for the Americans, with Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier coming third in the pair short programme.

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The Russian Olympic Committee sit second, following a disappointing showing from rhythm dance favourites Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, who could only finish second in that event.

Hosts China set a world record in the pair skating short programme, as Sui Wenjing and Han Cong scored 82.83 points to finish ahead of Russian world champions Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov.

Chen’s display was a huge improvement on an error-strewn display at Pyeongchang 2018, where he fell in the team event and took that form into the individual short programme. A brilliant free skate was not enough for him to land a spot on the podium on that occasion, but he now goes into his battle with Hanyu with decent momentum.

Performing to ‘La Boheme’, Chen opened with a quadruple toe loop and easily landed a triple axel - which has caused him some issues in the past.

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“We can walk away with a medal for sure. What colour? It’s hard to say," Chen said.

"But I have faith in my team-mates, and I know they’re going to do the best they can do.

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“Even if someone doesn’t have the best skate, we have an incredibly strong team to back us all up. That’s certainly the case this time around. I’m happy I did my part and skated as good as I can.”

The competition continues on Sunday with the women’s short programme and men’s free skate and finishes with the pair free skate, free dance and women’s free skate on Monday.

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Watch every moment of Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+

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