Team USA's Karen Chen's Figure Skating Routines Are Honestly So Fun To Watch
It's clear why she's an Olympian.
When Karen Chen competed in the 2018 Olympic Games on Team USA’s Figure Skating team, she had accomplished her goal of making the Olympic team. Still, the then 18-year-old knew she could push herself to beat her 11th place standing and vowed to try again, per NBC Sports. Chen dealt with a number of setbacks like a boot-related injury and withdrew from the 2018 U.S. Championships. But she had a major comeback and took bronze at the 2021 U.S. Championships and fourth at the 2021 World Championships, all of which earned her a spot on the 2022 Winter Olympics team. Here are some of the Olympic figure skater Karen Chen’s best routines.
The 22-year-old has been skating since the age of 4, but she didn’t realize her love for the sport until she was 6. Through much practice and training, the skater became relatively well-known in the skating world when she won bronze at the 2015 World Championships — a huge accomplishment considering she sustained a nearly career-ending ankle fracture that same year.
She delivered another knockout performance in 2017, won two gold medals, and received the highest score recorded for the short program at the U.S. national level. Ultimately, this led her to become a U.S. National Champion.
Today, Chen is on her way to yet another Winter Olympics after she earned silver at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
In no particular order, check out some of Karen Chen’s best routines on ice.
2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships
As she skated to “Requiem for a Dream” by Clint Mansell, Chen delivered three beautiful jumps across the ice with a triple Lutz and triple toe, a double axel, and a triple loop. Halfway through the program, she scooped up points through creative execution via her spins and footwork sequences.
2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Chen continued to show off her musical intuition as she glided across the ice during her free skate routine as if she were conducting the symphony. “It’s rare to point out the choreographic sequence in any skater's performance,” an NBC Sports commentator said in the video above. “Karen Chen has made an art form of yesteryear elements...the spirals, the spins.”
2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championship
Chen skated to the top of the leader board with her free skate routine. After bouncing back from a rocky 2016 season and going through 14 pairs of boots, she found her footing and delivered a fierce performance. And flew into an artistically driven grande finale sequence. At the end of the video, the judges gave her a score of 141.40, which was the third-highest score ever recorded at the U.S. Nationals, per NBC Sports. Chen finished with an overall score of 214.22, the second-highest score recorded at the level.
2021 World Championships
Chen finished in 4th place at the 2021 World Championships and delivered a very clean skate while she danced across the ice to an instrumental version of “Rise” by Katy Perry. Her speed and perfect execution are hard to miss in this routine.
2013 U.S. National Championship Junior
Chen’s knack for producing spot-on choreography and musical intuition dates back to her early days on the ice as well. At 13 years old, she performed at the junior national level and delivered clean spins and jumps that flowed with the music seamlessly. Even at an early age, Chen glided into a fast-paced finale sequence that leaves you wanting more.
These clips of her routine are stunning and it’s no wonder why she’ll be competing at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
