OLYMPICS

Chen Wins 6th Straight US Figure Skating Championship

Jan 9, 2022, 2:39 PM | Updated: Jan 10, 2022, 2:45 pm

Nathan Chen poses with his medal after winning the Men's Competition during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 09, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

BY DAVE SKRETTA, AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nathan Chen blazed through an entertaining free skate Sunday to win his sixth consecutive title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, solidifying his status as one of the favorites for next month’s Beijing Olympics.

Despite a couple of rare falls, he won the free skate with 212.63 points for a total of 328.01.

NATHAN CHEN DOES IT AGAIN! 🏆 #ToyotaUSChamps22 pic.twitter.com/66Sj5W1Zdi

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) January 9, 2022

That gave him the title by nearly 26 points over 17-year-old wunderkind Ilia Malinin.

Chen’s six titles are the most since Todd Eldredge won his sixth in 2002, and the first to win six in a row since two-time Olympic champion Dick Button won seven straight in the 1940s and ’50s.

NATHAN CHEN CONTINUES HIS REIGN. 👑@nathanwchen wins his sixth consecutive U.S. national championship title!@USFigureSkating x #ToyotaUSChamps22 pic.twitter.com/ENW5SmNS1L

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) January 9, 2022

Vincent Brown took the bronze medal by less than a point over Jason Brown.

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