Nathan Chen | Page 72 | Golden Skate

Nathan Chen

Yes - I think that rink is where she is based. I'm glad he's going back and working with her after he has presumably gotten some feedback after his first couple of competitions. :)
 
^ Me too. I'm glad he's putting so much focus on polishing and improving not just the jumps but also the rest of the program. This is very promising.
 
Part I of Nathan's SPUR interview. The writer uses a narrative format instead of Q&A.

When asked if he were in love, Nathan Chen blushed. Even the area around his ears quickly reddened. His gaze wavered up and down. He looked quite embarrassed. Quickly and succinctly he replied, “No.”

That was a little surprising. Unexpected. That an American youth could be so pure. So genuine. (There are naturally rumors regarding his love life as well, however.) As an aside, it’s apparently better for performers to have loved many times. Tatiana Tarasova said that.

During the photoshoot Nathan was relaxed. He seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. Without hesitation he struck his poses and smiled radiantly. The cameraman kept repeating the word, “Cool.” Nathan was cheerful and lithe. His cheeks remained unflushed and there was no hint of shyness. Perhaps he was blindsided. Indeed, Nathan did not expect to speak on matters concerning love.

The truth is, neither did I.　I don’t normally ask athletes about love. There was a set up in all this, a request I received in advance from SPUR.　”Maybe you can use the approach of trying to get a feel for his character,” they said. Consequently, I got responses like, “When I go out on the weekends with friends I match my shirt to things like my jeans, boots, and skateboard sneakers.” Or, “What do I think is cool besides skating? That’s a tough question. It doesn’t immediately come to mind, but I think NBA players are cool. They’re dressed in a cool style during their games.” Or, “About my meals, my mom always makes sure I eat a balanced diet: protein, carbohydrates, three servings each of fruits and vegetables. I’m 18 and growing so I don’t limit myself. If anything I have to be careful about eating too little. By the way, when I was in Sapporo the ramen was the best! Super delicious. I really love ramen and sushi.”

His frank and friendly nature impressed upon me his genuineness. “He’s a really good person,” I thought.
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Part II of SPUR interview. Part III will be the last.

When people speak of their dreams they hold power in their eyes. Nathan Chen gives that same impression when he speaks of skating. “At Helsinki Worlds I attempted 4 different quads, 6 altogether. Whatever the situation I maximize my efforts to draw out my potential. I’m self driven, and learn from that because I want to raise myself to a higher level. At Helsinki I didn’t get the results I had hoped for, but it was a valuable experience to test how I would jump under the pressure, fatigue, and stress.” His speech is filled with passion. The excitement of Helsinki is revived. He remembers his pride and his disappointment. Nathan challenged, failed, and finished in 6th place.

I inquire about it. Six quads, the most severe program layout to date. I wonder if it will be necessary at the Pyeongchang games. “I think it’ll depend on the situation. At Worlds I obviously didn’t get a good result. At the Olympics the same tactic may not be the only appropriate one. I’ll need to speak with my coach. As I approach the Olympics, how far will I want to push myself? And will my body be able to withstand it? Will I be able to remain injury free? Is that really the very best way?　It’s something we’ll have to carefully consider.”

Nathan’s voice is low and deep. More that of an adult than a youth.　A greater meaning can be heard in his words. He’s thinking of winning in Pyeongchang. The US team will be decided next January at US Nationals. It hasn’t yet been decided whether he will be there, but he is determined to win at the Olympics. “My goal is to win. To get the gold medal, of course. And since I have a goal I’ll be able to persevere. Heading towards Pyeongchang I want to build up the finer points. I want to level up my components and spins and present myself as a whole package skater.” Nathan says he’ll overcome each challenge one by one, and to do that he believes it’ll be necessary to skate consistently. “I’m working hard to present a consistent program so I’ll be chosen for the US team at Nationals.” As long as there are no accidents Nathan will probably represent the US on the big stage.　Whatever his tactics, whichever he deems best, it has no relevance. He continues to grow. Nathan Chen is the “Heaven-Sent Child” of jumps. He possesses four different quads. He can land a quadruple lutz combination. It can’t be said that he is extremely consistent, but he is unquestionably a prodigy.
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sheetz said:
Part II of SPUR interview. Part III will be the last.
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Thank you so much for all your hard work!!

There are some nice touches in the writing but I always worry when a writer is trying to suss out character based on one interview. It's one thing to make observations about the subject's appearance, tone, etc. but you would have to be with someone for a while and talk to their friends and family to find out something deeper about them.
 
I really think what Nathan wants to achieve this season is almost herculean. From his music choices, to the complexity and depth in the choreography/expression to the technical content he wants to include along all that. It'll be so exciting to watch his journey and would be so so satisfying if he does manage to put everything together in one performance. I think he's on the right path though, and just hope he'll keep on pushing further and further.
 
shine said:
I really think what Nathan wants to achieve this season is almost herculean. From his music choices, to the complexity and depth in the choreography/expression to the technical content he wants to include along all that. It'll be so exciting to watch his journey and would be so so satisfying if he does manage to put everything together in one performance. I think he's on the right path though, and just hope he'll keep on pushing further and further.
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Yup, and fingers crossed he stays injury-free throughout the whole journey.
 
sheetz said:
Nathan is going to be on Kelloggs cornflakes boxes.

http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/kellogg-s-olympic-push-begins-winter-games/311072/
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As part of the Kellogg sponsorship, Nathan is also featured in one of their video advertisements, which can be seen on youtube here.

And I know that Nathan's voiceover re: his goals in the video are filtered through their larger 'What Gets You Started' Campaign. But it's also so fascinating to here him talk about his mindset when competing, and how he attacks his goals step-by-step. I also like that you can see him writing 'Level 4 Spins' and 'Performance' as two of his goals in the video as well. Go Nathan!
 
I'm getting misty eyed now. I expected him to get endorsements and Coke and Nike were huge. But on a cereal box? That's like a dream come true! I don't even eat corn flakes but I'll definitely buy a box now!
 
frida80 said:
I'm getting misty eyed now. I expected him to get endorsements and Coke and Nike were huge. But on a cereal box? That's like a dream come true! I don't even eat corn flakes but I'll definitely buy a box now!
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Can someone explain to me what is the significance of being featured by Kelloggs cereal boxes? I have a feeling it's a bigger deal than I understand but not sure why? :laugh:
 
shine said:
Can someone explain to me what is the significance of being featured by Kelloggs cereal boxes? I have a feeling it's a bigger deal than I understand but not sure why? :laugh:
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Being on a cereal box is kind of a sign that you've made it as an Olympic athlete. Basically all the great American Olympians have been on cereal boxes.
 
shine said:
Can someone explain to me what is the significance of being featured by Kelloggs cereal boxes? I have a feeling it's a bigger deal than I understand but not sure why? :laugh:
Click to expand...

sheetz said:
Being on a cereal box is kind of a sign that you've made it as an Olympic athlete. Basically all the great American Olympians have been on cereal boxes.
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Sheetz pretty much explained it. If you're on a cereal box, you considered one of the best athletes of the games. Micheal Phelps and Simone Biles both got their own boxes. It's a really big deal.
 
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