Nathan Wei Chen is an American figure skater and author widely regarded as one of the most technically dominant athletes in the history of men’s figure skating. Olympic champion, three-time World Champion, and record-breaking innovator, he transformed the sport’s technical ceiling through unprecedented mastery of quadruple jumps. Nicknamed the “Quad King,” Nathan Wei Chen redefined competitive scoring standards under the ISU Judging System and became a central figure in the evolution of modern figure skating.

Early Life and Background

Nathan Wei Chen was born on May 5, 1999, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Chinese immigrant parents Zhidong Chen and Hetty Wang. Raised alongside four older siblings—Alice, Tony, Colin, and Janice—he grew up in a family that valued discipline, education, and perseverance. His mother worked multiple jobs to support his skating ambitions, a commitment that would later become a defining narrative in his rise to global prominence.

Following the inspiration of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, he began skating at the age of three. To strengthen his athletic foundation, his mother enrolled him in gymnastics and ballet. He trained for more than six years at Ballet West Academy and competed in state-level gymnastics, winning the all-around title at the Utah Boys State Gymnastics Championships in 2008. This early cross-training significantly shaped his explosive jumping power and refined body control.

He attended Hawthorne Elementary School and later West High School in Salt Lake City before transferring to Rim of the World High School in California. He completed his secondary education through California Connections Academy, balancing elite training demands with academic discipline.

Academic Excellence and Medical Aspirations

In 2018, Nathan Wei Chen was admitted to Yale University, enrolling in Jonathan Edwards College. He pursued a degree in Statistics and Data Science, temporarily taking leave to prepare for the 2022 Winter Olympics before returning to complete his studies. He graduated in May 2024, earning departmental honors for his thesis titled “Using Deep Learning to Predict Somatic Variant Pathogenicity.”

Following his undergraduate studies, he began postgraduate preparation at Goucher College with the intention of attending medical school. He has publicly expressed interest in specializing in cardiology or oncology, signaling a long-term transition from elite sport to medicine.

Beyond athletics and academics, Nathan Wei Chen is a trained pianist who won competitions in his age category and later learned to play the guitar, further reflecting his multidisciplinary upbringing.

Junior Career and Technical Emergence

Nathan Wei Chen entered his first competition in 2003 and rapidly progressed through national ranks. In 2010, at just ten years old, he became the youngest U.S. national champion at the novice level and defended his title the following year.

His junior international breakthrough came with victory at the 2015–2016 Junior Grand Prix Final. He also secured bronze at the 2014 World Junior Championships and collected multiple Junior Grand Prix medals. Even at this stage, his technical content distinguished him from peers and foreshadowed the quadruple revolution he would soon lead.

Senior Breakthrough and ISU Dominance

Transitioning to the senior level in the 2016–2017 season, Nathan Wei Chen immediately made an impact by winning the 2017 Four Continents Championships and capturing his first U.S. national senior title. That same season, he became one of the youngest medalists at the Grand Prix Final.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, he struggled in the short program but delivered a historic free skate featuring six quadruple jumps—an unprecedented Olympic technical display. He finished fifth individually while contributing to the U.S. team bronze medal.

One month later, he captured the 2018 World Championship, becoming the youngest men’s world champion since Evgeni Plushenko and winning by the largest margin recorded under the ISU scoring system. He defended his world titles in 2019 and 2021, becoming the first American man since Scott Hamilton to win three consecutive World Championships.

At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he set a world record in the short program and secured Olympic gold in men’s singles with a free skate containing five quadruple jumps. He also won gold in the team event. His costume for the free skate, designed by Vera Wang, was later inducted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The “Quad King” and Technical Legacy

Nathan Wei Chen earned the nickname “Quad King” for landing five different quadruple jumps—Lutz, flip, loop, Salchow, and toe loop—with positive grades of execution in competition. He became the first skater to complete all five quads successfully within a single program under ISU judging standards.

He holds world records in the men’s short program and total score categories and previously held the free skate world record. Across the Olympics, Four Continents Championships, and Grand Prix Final, he achieved some of the highest cumulative scores ever recorded.

With a career win rate of approximately 73 percent, Nathan Wei Chen stands among the most successful competitors in modern figure skating history, reshaping technical expectations and influencing an entire generation of skaters.

Author and Media Presence

In 2022, he published his memoir One Jump at a Time: My Story through HarperCollins. The book offers an introspective account of discipline, resilience, and the psychological pressures of elite competition.

In 2023, he released the children’s book Wei Skates On, which was recognized by Bank Street College of Education as one of the year’s best children’s books.

Nathan Wei Chen has appeared in major publications including Time, Vogue, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and Teen Vogue. He collaborated with Elton John in the acoustic version of “Hold Me Closer” and appeared on NBC’s Dancing With Myself and CBS’s Secret Celebrity Renovation.

Advocacy and Recognition

He actively supports organizations such as Figure Skating in Harlem, StandUp for Kids, and Gold House. He has spoken publicly against anti-Asian violence and participated in COVID-19 vaccination campaigns alongside Anthony Fauci.

In 2022, Nathan Wei Chen was named to Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People” list. In 2023, he was selected as ISU Skater of the Year, included in Forbes 30 Under 30, and nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards. He was honored by U.S. President Joe Biden at a White House Lunar New Year reception.

Future Direction

Although not officially retired, Nathan Wei Chen has announced that he will not compete at the 2026 Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics, choosing instead to focus on medical education. His trajectory from Olympic champion to aspiring physician represents a rare dual legacy of athletic excellence and intellectual ambition.

Books

The published works of Nathan Wei Chen reflect both his personal journey and his desire to inspire younger generations.

2022 – One Jump at a Time: My Story – Memoir – Published by HarperCollins
2023 – Wei Skates On – Children’s Book – Published by HarperCollins

Source: Biyografiler.com