New Olympic skating champion Nathan Chen the 'Quad King' and 'Rocket Man'

Three-time figure skating world champion and now Olympic gold medallist Nathan Chen strapped on his first pair of skates aged three after watching his two older brothers play ice hockey.

His parents, Chinese immigrants Hetty Wang and Chen Zhidong, got him figure skates instead - and changed the course of the sport in the process.

The 22-year-old Chen on Thursday upstaged reigning champion Yuzuru Hanyu at the Beijing Games to claim the only major prize that had eluded him, an Olympic gold medal.

Chen's route to China, where he still has relatives, was a story of determination and learning from disappointment.

"Even if a great skate happens or a bad skate happens, I don't think wholesale changes should occur," Chen said before winning Olympic gold.

"Stick to your strengths, stick to what you know how to do, keep pushing forward."

Chen became the first skater to hit five different quadruple-spin jumps in competition, landing a quad toe loop, Salchow, flip, loop and Lutz.

The number and variety of quad jumps Chen can work into a routine brings a dynamic that few rivals can match, provided Chen performs them with his typical near-flawless precision.

High above the rink, Chen soars with a power equal to his flamboyant style and showmanship when his skates dig into the ice. Together, they have drawn applause from fans and high marks from judges.

At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Chen helped the US take a team bronze medal, but struggled in his short programme and was 17th before delivering an unprecedented six quad jumps in his free skate which helped him finish fifth overall.

After that experience, Chen won his next 13 competitions over more than three years, including three consecutive world championships in 2018, 2019 and