Nathan Chen to enter Figure Skating Hall of Fame after record-setting career

Olympic champion Nathan Chen will be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2026, honoring a career that produced two Olympic gold medals and three world titles. His selection comes on the Hall’s 50th anniversary and follows his historic 2019 Grand Prix Final score that still stands as one of the highest in the sport. The ceremony will be held January 9 during the U.S. Championships in St. Louis.

The 26-year-old star athlete joins the Hall of Fame’s anniversary “golden class,” which also includes coach Rafael Arutyunyan and long-serving judge Joseph Inman. U.S. Figure Skating selected the trio for contributions that shaped both the competitive and technical direction of the sport. Their inductions will take place before one of the largest annual audiences in American figure skating.

Chen’s accomplishments helped reshape expectations for men’s figure skating. Known for mastering five types of quadruple jumps in competition, he collected six straight U.S. national titles from 2017 to 2022 and won world championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021. His record 335.30 total score at the 2019 Grand Prix Final remains a benchmark that set him apart from the rest of the field and elevated scoring expectations in men’s skating.

He won the men’s singles gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics with a program featuring five clean quadruple jumps, becoming the first Asian American male figure skater to win Olympic gold in the event.

Chen has spoken publicly about the importance of visibility in shaping his path as an Asian American skater. In a 2022 interview with ABC, he said, “I think representation is so important in growing up. Being able to have characters like Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi, it was really amazing to be able to see people that look like me and do such amazing things of the sport.”

Although he has not announced a formal retirement, Chen has confirmed that he would not return for the 2026 Winter Olympics as he pursues medical studies, saying he feels “quite satisfied” with what he achieved in competition. His Hall of Fame induction positions him among the most influential American skaters of his generation and marks a milestone for younger athletes who have followed his success.