American ice skater Nathan Chen has won his first Olympic Gold medal in Beijing, with a masterful performance that set him well above the competition in the men’s single skating competition.
Yale student Chen’s joyful and energetic routine was set to a medley of songs, including Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” Every jump he performed was met with roaring cheers and claps from athletes and other spectators in the “closed loop” side of the stadium — though the other side, holding Chinese spectators, remained largely silent, according to CNN reporters in the stadium.
youtube.com/watch?v=8zVL9WY3dUw
The performance placed Chen well at the lead with a score of 218.63, combined with his short program score for a winning total of 332.60. Two Japanese skaters take the podium behind him.
He is the seventh man to win gold for the United States in men’s singles skating, according to the Olympic website.
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