SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 18, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Reigning U.S. champion Nathan Chen from Salt Lake Figure Skating won his fifth straight U.S. title Sunday afternoon, becoming the first man to accomplish the feat since Dick Button won his fifth title in 1950.
Chen earned 208.36 points in Sunday’s free skate to total 322.28 points at the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, said a news release from U.S. Figure Skating.
“(Winning my fifth straight title) means the world to me,” Chen said. “(Dick Button) is a true skating icon. It feels incredible to be trying to chase something that someone like that has done. I’m nowhere near the level that he was at, but it’s cool to be mentioned in his realm.”
Vincent Zhou, who skates with SC of San Francisco, medaled at his fifth consecutive U.S. Championships, earning the silver medal with 291.38 total points. Zhou scored 183.59 points for Sunday afternoon’s free skate.
Jason Brown from Skokie Valley SC medaled at his third straight U.S. Championships, earning bronze with a 176-point free skate for 276.92 total points. Yaroslav Paniot, who skates with All Year FSC, finished fourth with 266.97 total points.
Chen was the final of four champions that were crowned this week. Bradie Tennell from Skokie Valley SC won the ladies title on Friday night, while Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue from Lansing SC took the ice dance crown and Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier from DuPage FSC/All Year FSC were atop the podium in pairs, the news release said.
The 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships will continue this week with Junior level competition.
