The recent national championship showcased the present and future of figure skating in America. Both skaters delivered captivating performances, raising hopes for their potential impact on the international stage. Chen, the current world champion, clinched his third consecutive title at the US Figure Skating championship.
While Chen’s victory was expected, the standout star of the competition was 13-year-old Liu, who made history as the youngest individual champion ever. Her remarkable performance at such a young age has sparked excitement and optimism for the sport’s future.
Former national champion Tara Lipinski, who won the title in 1997 at the age of 14, sees Liu as a beacon of hope. She highlighted the long gap since an American woman stood on an Olympic figure skating podium.
The last time an American woman won an Olympic medal in figure skating was in 2006 when Sasha Cohen claimed silver. Disappointingly, America failed to secure any podium finishes in both the men’s and women’s events in Sochi and Pyeongchang.
Chen’s impressive streak of three titles and his world championship victory at just 19 years old have propelled him to the forefront of the sport. Fellow skater Jason Brown praised Chen for his contributions to advancing the sport. Chen expressed gratitude for the opportunity to skate and make a difference.
