Photo: Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Three-time world champion Nathan Chen, who won his sixth straight national title Sunday, will be part of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team inBeijingalong with Vincent Zhou and Jason Brown.
The full U.S. Olympic figure skating roster, including the two pairs and three ice dance teams, were named following the final day of the U.S. championships in Nashville on Sunday. Thewomen’s spotswere previously announced Saturday after the completion of their portion of the competition.
“This team is incredible, just the amount of experience we all have,” Chen said, according toESPN. “I think regardless of anything we’re going to have great skates there. And going back to experience, I think that’s so important. I have been to events for the first time and things didn’t necessarily go the way I wanted it to. It’s really daunting.”
Nathan Chen after winning gold at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January 2022.Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Brown earned his spot for 2022 over second-place finisher Ilia Malinin, 17. Selection criteria is not just based on nationals results, but performance throughout the season.
“It never gets old. It’s special each time,” Bates said during a news conference according toLA Times.
Pairs champions Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, and 2021 champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier were named to the two U.S. pair spots.
According toL.A. Times, Frazier — who is still in isolation and unsure when he will be able to resume training — said “I hugged the crap out of that pillow” when he found out that he had made the team.
“As some of you know already, Alexa and I had to withdraw from this week’s U.S. Championships,” he shared in anInstagram videolast week. “Late yesterday evening, I started developing severe symptoms and as protocol for the medical staff, they tested me.”
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“After receiving positive tests, I remained isolated in my room and of course, safety is the top priority for everyone at the event, so we had to withdraw. And although my symptoms are pretty bad, nothing sucks more than not being able to compete,” he added.
On Saturday,Mariah Bell, Karen Chen and Alysa Liu were named to the three women’s spots on the Olympic team.
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb 3, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.
source: people.com
