Chen Wins 6th Straight US Figure Skating Championship

Nathan Chen competes in the men's free skate program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 9, 2022. Mark Zaleski/AP Photo

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Nathan Chen had landed some of the most difficult jumps in figure skating, soaring through the air with a dizzying array of quads and flawlessly stringing together incredible combinations to leave the crowd wanting more.

Figures that he would faceplant on a simple step sequence.