The US figure skating Olympic season kick-started this week to a thunderous welcome. Nathan Chen's breathtaking performance as he carefully glided over the ice was exceedingly remarkable. There are also many other wonderful performers you should watch out for.
Nathan Chen—an ace skater to watch out for
Nathan Chen grew up learning figure skating in his hometown of Salt Lake City.
He looked very much at home as he beautifully worked his way round the ice. This hometown star won the men's event as many expected.
While many U.S. athletes rally for a spot in the prestigious U.S Olympic 2018 team, only one lucky pair will travel to PyeongChang, South Korea. Nathan Chen who is eighteen years old has previously landed a record seven quadruple jumps when he won the U.S title in January this year. Chen who is considered to be a prodigy said that it was incredible to win on his home ice; the very same place where he began his sporting journey.
Duo attempts to make a place in the US pairs figure skating team
The U.S has not won a single medal in the Olympic Pairs Figure Skating arena since 1988, and it can't send more than one team for the upcoming Winter Championships. Ashley Cain and Timothy DeLuc are a new couple who are trying to earn that coveted spot. They are being trained and guided by Peter Cain who is Ashley's father and an Australian Olympic pair figure skater himself. "It's every skater's dream to perform on Olympic ice," said DeLuc who has been Ashley's long-term coach. Peter had retired from the sport when he got a call from Ashley who asked him to be her mentor once again.
It would be a Dream Come True for the couple if they happen to win the chance to represent the U.S.
team at an internationally-acclaimed event like the Olympics.
Ashley Wagner—another performer to watch out for
Apart from those mentioned above, Ashley Wagner is another ace performer to watch out for. She is 26 years old and qualified 4 times for the Grand Prix final. She was featured in ESPN's magazine's 2017 Body Issue. She had won the seventh place at the Olympic Games in 2014.
She has a tattoo of the Olympic rings on her rib-cage which she revealed while posing for the magazine's issue. Ashley Wagner is a brave woman who has been injured several times. Nevertheless, she manages to bounce back every time because of her dedication and career aspirations.
The ongoing event at Salt Lake City in Utah is a great opportunity for the skaters to perform in front of an esteemed panel of international judges and gain feedback. Winning an Olympic medal would be a dream come true for our figure skating athletes.