15-Year-Old Prodigy Can Be Next Nathan Chen for US Figure Skating- Here’s Why

The 2022 World Junior Figure Skating Championships were held this April. After a long, long time, an American athlete has stood atop the women’s podium. The 2022 gold medalist, 15-year-old Isabeau Levito, wasn’t even a year old when Rachael Flatt took the title in 2008.

But Levito has finally turned the tides. The World Junior Championships is the fourth consecutive event she finished with her score in the 200s. Perhaps she will be the next Nathan Chen for US women’s figure skating.

Who is Isabeau Levito?

Levito caught the public eye when she bagged bronze at the US National Championships this year. She made her senior debut by placing on the podium, and nearly pulling an upset in the free skate. Though she placed fourth after the short program, she finished less than a point behind champion Mariah Bell in the free skate.

Unfortunately, Levito was unable to qualify for the Olympic team berth as she did not meet the minimum age requirements. However, her stellar finish got her a spot on the World Junior Championships team, and she ran with the chance.

Even though the Russian athletes were barred from participating in the event, Levito showed that she could have competed on par with them. She landed a triple Lutz-triple Loop combination in the second half of her short program. Moreover, she landed a triple Flip-triple Loop in the second half of the free. Even without quads, these skills put her right among the top in the competition.

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Could she be the next Nathan Chen?

Levito has incredible artistry skills and her jumps are strong. While Alysa Liu announced her retirement at sixteen, Levito could very well be the next top American woman. With her well-planned elements and deliberate execution, she has what it takes to push women’s skating to another level.

Levito is gradually working her way to the triple Axel and the quadruple Toe-Loop. Her slow and steady progress is working on adding difficult jumps and combinations to her arsenal. Her strength in the technical elements reflects a similar trajectory to Nathan Chen’s progress in the sport.

What is unknown is whether Levito will compete internationally next year as a junior or a senior. America is seeing young talent gradually rise in the ranks in both the men’s and women’s fields. With Ilia Malinin showing potential to become the first skater to ratify a quad Axel, there is hope for the American figure skating landscape to dominate in coming years.

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