Nathan Chen completed his four-year journey toward an elusive Olympic gold medal Thursday, following his record short program at the Beijing Games with a near-perfect free skate that earned him a standing ovation from supporters inside the Capital Indoor Stadium.
The 22-year-old star landed all five of his quads during his “Rocketman” program to finish with 332.60 points—just three off his own world record—and become the first American champion since Evan Lysacek stood on the top of the podium in 2010 in Vancouver.
