Beijing Olympics 2022 spotlight - Nathan Chen 'unintentionally pushed’ by rival Yuzuru Hanyu ahead of skating showdown

Nathan Chen has nothing but respect for Yuzuru Hanyu — but at the Winter Olympics, he will be looking to deliver a blow to the Japanese figure skating legend and his passionate fan base. On paper, and for the uninitiated, the American should be the favourite for the title, having won the world title in the blue riband singles event on the past three occasions. But Hanyu is the reigning and double Olympic champion and for most, he is the GOAT — the greatest of all time — and many argue there has never been a talent like him.

Ad/> Hanyu is likely to try and become the first skater ever to cleanly land a quadruple axel in competition, a goal he has targeted for his entire life. The move requires four and a half revolutions in the air, and he has admitted in the past that training to achieve it has taken its toll on his body. Beijing 2022Beijing spotlight: Hanyu to land figure skating first at Winter Olympics?11/01/2022 AT 09:59 Chen does not agree when it has been put to him that pulling off the move has become an obsession for the Japanese athlete, but speaking to NBC, he was in awe at what he is trying to achieve.

“Listen, if I was two-time Olympic champion, I would not be in this sport anymore, you know. I would be long gone,” Chen said. “If I was in his position, if I could do one quad toe and still try to medal, okay, I’m good.

The fact he is still trying to push himself to do something no one has ever done before is unreal.” As of Thursday, the day before the opening ceremony, Hanyu is yet to be seen in practice in Beijing. It has prompted a trending topic of ‘where is Hanyu?’ on Weibo, the Chinese social media platform. Chen, meanwhile, has been training — fully masked — at the venue.