Chen: 'I’m still potentially competitive'

[gsk8]

USA’s Nathan Chen opened his program to “Polovtsian Dances” by Alexander Borodin barrelling into a quadruple Lutz jump, but fell. While the 2017 Four Continents champion managed four additional clean quadruple jumps, he received only 193.39 points in the free skate for a total competition score of 290.72 and placed sixth.

“This wasn’t the program I wanted to perform,” he said in disappointment. “I tried a very difficult program today. I’m glad that with the mistakes I made today, I’m still potentially competitive against these guys.”

More quotes from the top Men's FS

 

[Mathman]

Shake it off, Nathan. Tomorrow is another day. You and Jason did America proud.

 

[MaiKatze]

Not only potentially. What about doing one quad less and have a better program instead? Because if it doesn't work, the skate seems very empty. I think this year that was okay to get noticed. But next year, a more exciting program would help a lot.

 

[Jammers]

Not only potentially. What about doing one quad less and have a better program instead? Because if it doesn't work, the skate seems very empty. I think this year that was okay to get noticed. But next year, a more exciting program would help a lot.

That was the reason for the LP with all those quads it was to get him noticed and put him up there as a contender and now he has done it with what he did at the GPF and 4CC. I'm sure next year his programs will be more balanced and hopefully he gets to work on his 3axel which i think he neglected over doing more quads. I know he loves doing quads and doesn't like the 3axel jump but if Adam can improve his axel under Raphael there is not reason Nathan can't get a decent one too.

 

[chuckm]

Nathan did very well to finish 6th in his first appearance at Worlds at age 17. As mentioned on the TV broadcast, he had major boot problems (his boots were disintegrating from the pounding).

He's a very intelligent person and will have learned a lot from his experience.

 

[Skater Boy]

One subpar skate is not the end of a career. We all know Nathan can and has beaten the big guns like Hanyu - world and olympic champion, chan, boyan, Uno et al. The interesting thing is that while he is taking great risks and Chan is stretching himself - they barely beat Brown. This begs another issue - pcs - what to do about someone who is not a little bit behind ie Chan but a lot like Brown. Iti s much easier to focus on transitoins, skatng skills, choreo and performance if it is a much easier program.

 

[KatGrace1925]

Nathan doesn't sound as bad as Gracie did last year but his comments seem to reflect the massive expectation that the media built up for him. He's disappointed but he probably realizes very well that the circumstances with his boots was out of his control by the time they hit competition. He'll shake this off easily, he's young and this was his first worlds.

 

[yelyoh]

One subpar skate is not the end of a career. We all know Nathan can and has beaten the big guns like Hanyu - world and olympic champion, chan, boyan, Uno et al. The interesting thing is that while he is taking great risks and Chan is stretching himself - they barely beat Brown. This begs another issue - pcs - what to do about someone who is not a little bit behind ie Chan but a lot like Brown. Iti s much easier to focus on transitoins, skatng skills, choreo and performance if it is a much easier program.

Very true and I think Nathan even made reference to that regarding himself.

 

[Tavi...]

One subpar skate is not the end of a career. We all know Nathan can and has beaten the big guns like Hanyu - world and olympic champion, chan, boyan, Uno et al. The interesting thing is that while he is taking great risks and Chan is stretching himself - they barely beat Brown. This begs another issue - pcs - what to do about someone who is not a little bit behind ie Chan but a lot like Brown. Iti s much easier to focus on transitoins, skatng skills, choreo and performance if it is a much easier program.

I agree with you that one subpar skate is not career ending, and I think Nathan should be really proud of what he achieved - not just here, but in his first year as a senior.

But your comment that it's much easier to focus on SS, transitions, etc., without quads could easily be reversed: its easier to focus on jumping quads if you don't worry about the rest of your skating. Otherwise, all skaters jumping quads would be executing balanced programs. And notice that it's Hanyu and Uno - who focus on both - who topped the podium here.

It goes without saying that Jason needs to up his technical level. It's equally true that Nathan needs to work on other things. Nathan gets rewarded with huge BV for the very difficult jumps he has mastered. Jason rightfully gets very high PCS because he excels at the component side of skating, and great GOE on most elements because he executes them very well.

Simply put, noone deserves a PCS bump based on BV. And no one who excels at the PCS /GOE side of skating should be held back based on his BV.

 

[Kelly]

One subpar skate is not the end of a career. We all know Nathan can and has beaten the big guns like Hanyu - world and olympic champion, chan, boyan, Uno et al. The interesting thing is that while he is taking great risks and Chan is stretching himself - they barely beat Brown. This begs another issue - pcs - what to do about someone who is not a little bit behind ie Chan but a lot like Brown. Iti s much easier to focus on transitoins, skatng skills, choreo and performance if it is a much easier program.

Nathan's total score is 290.72 and Patrick's is 295.16 while Jason is 269.57 in the Worlds, so I don't understand why you say they barely beat Brown.
Everyone in the men's final group needs to skate as clean as possible to get on the podium with at least 5 quads short and long programs combined.
Boyang had subpar skates all season long before he gave two perfect performances and got the bronze in the Worlds.

​

 

[TontoK]

Nathan's total score is 290.72 and Patrick's is 295.16 while Jason is 269.57 in the Worlds, so I don't understand why you say they barely beat Brown.
Everyone in the men's final group needs to skate as clean as possible to get on the podium with at least 5 quads short and long programs combined.
Boyang had subpar skates all season long before he gave two perfect performances and got the bronze in the Worlds.

​

Key ponit: Nathan had two flawed programs. Three falls combined.

Jason skated two programs about as perfectly as he could.

Nathan still beat Jason by nearly 30 points.

The "water down the content" posts are not in Nathan's best interest. And I think some people know that.

Edit: Math brain not working. Not nearly 30 points... but by sizable margin.

 

[Tavi...]

Key ponit: Nathan had two flawed programs. Three falls combined.

Jason skated two programs about as perfectly as he could.

Nathan still beat Jason by nearly 30 points.



The "water down the content" posts are not in Nathan's best interest. And I think some people know that.

Edit: Math brain not working. Not nearly 30 points... but by sizable margin.

You're right that Jason was behind Nathan by a sizeable amount: 21 points. But I don't think it's fair to say Jason skated nearly as perfectly as he could given that he was landing fully rotated 4Ts in practice and here he not only fell/< on the quad but popped the loop. He lost about 15 points if you include loss of +GOE on both and not getting last group PCS.

To be honest, I'm not sure why it's necessary to focus on the point gap between Jason and Nathan. You could also say that it took Nathan 8 rotated quads (and landing 6) to achieve one place higher than his technically challenged teammate. But that's not a very nice thing to say, is it?

IMO, both of them worked really hard, both did some fabulous stuff, both have stuff to improve, and both should be proud of their achievements and the fact they're bringing home 3 Olympic spots.

 

[lakeforest]

You're right that Jason was behind Nathan by a sizeable amount: 21 points. But I don't think it's fair to say Jason skated nearly as perfectly as he could given that he was landing fully rotated 4Ts in practice and here he not only fell/< on the quad but popped the loop. He lost about 15 points if you include loss of +GOE on both and not getting last group PCS.

To be honest, I'm not sure why it's necessary to focus on the point gap between Jason and Nathan. You could also say that it took Nathan 8 rotated quads (and landing 6) to achieve one place higher than his technically challenged teammate. But that's not a very nice thing to say, is it?

IMO, both of them worked really hard, both did some fabulous stuff, both have stuff to improve, and both should be proud of their achievements and the fact they're bringing home 3 Olympic spots.

I think the poster merely wanted to point out that points gap between Jason and the skaters ranked before him is quite sizeable. He/She didn't mean to put down Jason.

 

[Tavi...]

I think the poster merely wanted to point out that points gap between Jason and the skaters ranked before him is quite sizeable. He/She didn't mean to put down Jason.

You may be right. Sometimes hard to tell with internet postings.

 

[el henry]

Key ponit: Nathan had two flawed programs. Three falls combined.

Jason skated two programs about as perfectly as he could.

Nathan still beat Jason by nearly 30 points.

The "water down the content" posts are not in Nathan's best interest. And I think some people know that.

Edit: Math brain not working. Not nearly 30 points... but by sizable margin.

Only if Nathan cannot improve his performance skills. I would love to believe that he can, but he needs to take out a quad first.

That is not "watering down the content", unless the only "content" that matters is jumps. I choose to see it as "improving" the content:agree:

Now, is it in Nathan's interest to improve performance and construct a "real" program? If what he wants is shiny gold, and only shiny gold? And if he cannot improve his performance skills? That I cannot answer.....

 

[LRK]

Just commenting on the Nathan quote.

Actually, I think he sounds pretty annoyed with himself - and I believe that is a kind of killer instinct that will stand him in good stead in the future. He sounds as if he will not be satisfied with less than the best he can do. (SVT had an interview after the SP, where he mentioned having made a mistake "that could easily have been avoided" - again, he sounded as if he wanted to kick himself.)

 

[Jammers]

Nathan doesn't sound as bad as Gracie did last year but his comments seem to reflect the massive expectation that the media built up for him. He's disappointed but he probably realizes very well that the circumstances with his boots was out of his control by the time they hit competition. He'll shake this off easily, he's young and this was his first worlds.

Nathan won't spend the next 9 months wallowing in self pity like Gracie did when she didn't win Worlds. He has a better head on his shoulders and shakes things of pretty easily and will get back to work and not stay away from the rink and get out of shape like Gracie did.

 

[4everchan]

chen is the most exciting new talent i have seen coming up on the scene that translated so quickly into one of the main contenders at his first worlds...

he needs to calm down, regroup, and believe in himself. He also needs to decide what he wants to do within the sport. I believe he can be the best at everything. I am almost happy if his successes are delayed a little bit because I would want him to keep going... with his health history, if he were to win too much too quickly he may retire right away... so i hope this doesn't happen....

I am borderline starting to fanboy all over him... I am that close!!!!