Figure skater Nathan Chen won the U.S. Figure Skating Championship with a score of 342 points, making it his third U.S. Championship victory in a row.
The 19-year-old Yale freshman from Utah ended Sunday’s free skate with a 228.80 score, bringing him to a total record-breaking 342.22 points. He won the title by more than 50 points over second place winner Vincent Zhou.
“The score definitely took me by surprise,” he said. “It was a lot bigger than I was expecting, but ultimately scores are scores. I’m happy with what I did and hopefully I can continue to do that in other competitions.”
The last American figure skater to win three consecutive titles was Johnny Weir back in 2006.
“All hale Nathan, the great. He took me to another world,” Weir said via AsAm News. “There is a dreamy quality to the music selection. He’s taken skating to an entirely new world.”
Weir was not the only big name in the figure skating world to praise Chen for his achievement. 1998 Olympic gold medalist winner Tara Lipinsky also commended the young legend.
“He is a god. He is not human,” she said. “This is it, guys. This is what skating is about. He’s pushing the boundaries.”
Featured Image via YouTube / Brau Avitia 3 (Left), Instagram / nathanwchen (Right)
