Figure skater Nathan Chen receives gold medal from 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing
Aug 8, 2024, 7:00 AM
Brandon Frazier, Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, and Evan Bates of the U.S. Olympic figure skating team pose for a photo after receiving gold medals following the disqualification of Team Russia for doping after the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing on day twelve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Champions Park on Aug. 7, 2024 in Paris, France. (Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
PARIS — Salt Lake City figure skater Nathan Chen received a gold medal Wednesday at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
A lot of people are asking why the U.S. figure skating team got a medal during the Summer Games. It sounds confusing, doesn’t it?
Well, it has to do with the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and a doping scandal involving a Russian figure skater.
Nathan Chen was on that U.S. team that came in second place in the team skating event in China.
However, because one of the Russian figure skaters was accused of doping, it went through court cases and appeals. Eventually, the United States was awarded the gold medal.
It has been two-and-a-half years since the event, but the skaters in Paris got their gold medals on Wednesday.
“I mean, it means a lot to me,” Chen said. “It means a lot to the team. We also didn’t have her family in Beijing. So to be able to have her family here as well is huge, we put in a lot of work.”
Chen has plenty of praise for his teammates.
“We’re a very dedicated team, you know, held (them) very well over the past couple years,” he said. “And I’m really proud of the really proud of all the people on this team. So, yeah, we’re really excited to finally have our moment.”
