Nathan Chen is USA’s first Olympic champion in figure skating since Evan Lysacek in 2010. Since his historic six-quad free skate at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Chen has cemented himself as one of the best figure skaters ever. He is an inspiration to both fans and young skaters alike.
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It is easy to forget amidst all his achievements in the sport, Chen is still a college student. And today, Chen turned 23.
Fans take over Twitter
In his decade-long career, Chen had already amassed quite a fan following. But after the Beijing Olympics, his popularity shot through the roof. So on this special day, Chen’s fans took to Twitter to wish the skater a very happy birthday from all around the world.
This young man is the sort to fly high!
Happy 23rd birthday Nathan Chen!
巍巍,生日快樂!勇敢去飛,去探索,因為你的天地,永遠沒有界線!#NathanChen #GoNathanHBD23 pic.twitter.com/lmGQ7rwdB7— 青青子衿 (@zq200709) May 5, 2022
Of course, when you have as many titles as Chen does, a simple greeting can be quite a mouthful
Happy 23rd to the Olympic Champion, 3-time World Champion, world record holder, Quad King, owner of The Curls™ and The Hands™, the GOAT himself – #NathanChen! 🥳🎉🎂
Have a great one, Rocketman 🚀🚀🚀 pic.twitter.com/ZYtS2Bc8XW— Lex (@SimplyLex494) May 5, 2022
Chen’s break from competition hasn’t deterred his fans in the least. They wish him well in all his endeavors.
May you have a FANTASTIC birthday and many more to come… HAPPY 23th BIRTHDAY!!!
Enjoy your student life back at Yale.Wishing you good health and a bright future!
We will be rooting for you all the way, on and off the ice.#GoNathanHBD23#NathanChen pic.twitter.com/9YLLwuXyt2— ニワトコ (@KzGf8) May 5, 2022
Lessons learned and attitudes gained, Chen has had quite the impact.
Happy birthday, @nathanwchen. It's been the most amazing 5 years of my life as a figure skating fan. Thank you for all the captivating programs; for teaching us that if you stumble 2 days in a row, wipe the goddamn ice with your competition for 4 years straight! Much love. 🤍💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/5CKWVEkofT
— Ann | Ili4(A) certified quadg0d 🚀✨️🌹🗻🅿️🐢 (@velouriann) May 5, 2022
And surely no round of birthday wishes is complete without fanart!
Happy 23rd birthday @nathanwchen 🇺🇸🥇✨#GoNathanHBD23 pic.twitter.com/UXzEaSvq0m
— 百合根\| ・vvvv ・ |/ (@yrn_tknk) May 4, 2022
Happy birthday Nathan Chen❤️🤴🎂#NathanChen #GoNathanHBD23 pic.twitter.com/0lqT2LEO34
— Tomorrow20200725 (@Tomorrow2020071) May 5, 2022
Happy 23rd Birthday !! We always hope for your happiness.☺️
北京の金メダルも、SOIへのご出演もとてもとても嬉しかったです😂🎉本当にありがとうございました……!!
まずは7月を楽しみにしながら、氷上以外でもネイサンさんの今後のご活躍を心より応援しております🙏#GoNathanHBD23 #NathanChen pic.twitter.com/3yWfYxUOAo— N (@n_umebachi) May 5, 2022
✨🎂✨🍣✨🍕✨🍜✨🍵✨
Happy 23rd birthday,Nathan❣️
Wishing you many, many more happiness!!
✨⛸✨🎸✨🏀✨👟✨🛹✨#GoNathanHBD23#NathanChen #ネイサン・チェン pic.twitter.com/axro3q5qAT— hana🍙 (@hanabe455) May 5, 2022
Happy birthday, Nathan 💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎
Thanks for your having been born in this world💐💐💐#NathanChen #ネイサンチェン #GoNathanHBD23 pic.twitter.com/HOWaEflgPF— なるせb (@b51031901) May 5, 2022
Where is Nathan Chen now?
Nathan Chen has set numerous records throughout his career. He even earned the nickname Quad King for his consistent and clean quadruple jumps. His rivalry with the two-time Olympic Champion Yuzuru Hanyu has garnered a lot of attention in the last few years.
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Now, while Hanyu has his eyes on landing the first-ever Quad Axel, Chen has different priorities.
Chen’s mission to stand atop the Olympic podium has been accomplished. And with an incredible track record, the skater has decided to take time off for his studies. With 3 World titles and 3 Grand Prix titles in the bag, Chen is now focused on completing his remaining two years at Yale University. He is pursuing a degree in statistics and data science. After taking a break from academics for his Olympic prep, Chen now wants to live out his college life like a normal student.
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WATCH THIS STORY: US Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen Drops Ceremonial Puck at NHL Game
After his Olympic victory, Chen withdrew from the 2022 Figure Skating World Championships. He has given countless interviews and made appearances on numerous talk shows since. We don’t know whether Chen will return to the ice after his graduation. But currently, you can catch a glimpse of his incredible skating in ice shows. Chen is headlining the Stars On Ice tour across America along with most of the US Olympic team.