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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Trying like a world champion even this early within the determine skating season, Nathan Chen simply gained the brief program at Skate America on Friday evening with a personal-best rating.
Performing to Flamenco music in a spicy routine, the two-time world gold medalist and four-time nationwide champion regarded very a lot at dwelling even with none followers at Orleans Area. He hit a quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop mixture, an outstanding quad flip and confirmed off masterful footwork. His 111.17 factors beat his brief program excessive of 110.38 in final 12 months’s Grand Prix remaining.
Kicking off an already truncated determine skating season within the first occasion of the Grand Prix collection, Chen was unchallenged.
“I felt nice on the market,” Chen stated. “I’m comfortable the place I’m at.”
Chen is unbeaten since ending fifth on the Pyeonchang Olympics in 2018. He is already exhibiting the place his focus is lengthy earlier than the 2022 Beijing Video games.
“After all, Beijing and any Olympics are an enormous motivator for me,” Chen stated. “I feel since I used to be a child my household had raised me to be higher, even when by a millimeter.”
As a substitute, he is getting higher by leaps and bounds, and he may not have one other probability to indicate it till the U.S. championships in late January.
“As an athlete, we’re actually lucky to have the chance to do that,” he stated.
Skate America is one among solely 4 collection occasions for 2020-21, with two others in Canada and France canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Grand Prix Remaining in Beijing is also canceled.
Vincent Zhou, bronze medalist on the 2019 worlds, was second heading into Saturday’s free skate.
Earlier, as anticipated, Mariah Bell and Bradie Tennell completed on high of the ladies’s brief program.
Bell was clean and strong in a program choreographed by 2018 Olympian Adam Rippon. Her 76.48 factors had been greater than sufficient to beat Tennell, who had 73.29 and was marked down for under-rotation on her triple lutz-triple toe loop mixture.
Bell, whose sensational free skate on the nationwide championships in January earned her a silver medal behind two-time champion Alysa Liu — who is just too younger to compete in senior internationals — was grateful for the chance to show her routine.
“It was very fascinating to not have a crowd right here,” Bell stated. “We’re so lucky to have this occasion. I actually loved attending to skate at this time.”
Bell nailed her triple flip-triple toe loop mixture and had an ideal triple lutz, making every thing look straightforward — significantly for the primary main competitors of the season, even when Skate America is restricted to Individuals and foreigners coaching on this nation.
“I form of needed to revert to what it feels prefer to follow at dwelling,” she stated, “and have to emphasise that and to place a bit strain on myself. I heard some (taped) clapping, and the stands are empty.”
Tennell, the 2018 U.S. champion, has modified coaches and now works with the famend Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“We have tried to maintain lots of the issues just about the identical,” she stated, “as a result of I do know it really works for me.”
Audrey Shin was third heading into Saturday’s free skate. Karen Chen, the 2017 U.S. champ, was fourth.
Two-time U.S. champions Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue led after rhythm dance with 85.30 factors. Medalists on the 2018 and 2019 worlds, additionally they had been thrilled to get again into competitors.
“We missed competing, and positively tonight was a pleasant option to get again into the swing of issues,” Hubbell stated. “Although there was no reside viewers, we did really feel a few of that acquainted adrenaline and it’s nice to have that rush once more.”
Alexa Knierim and new companion Brandon Frazier gained the pairs brief program. Skating of their first competitors as a staff after Knierim’s husband Chris retired, they scored 74.19 factors.
“We’re actually grateful to have the chance to skate with one another, so we’re actually motivated, and with that form of constructive power we are able to work by way of challenges and roadblocks,” stated Frazier.
Knierim skated along with her husband within the 2018 Olympics, incomes a staff bronze medal.
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