Why Did Figure Skater Nathan Chen Refuse to March With Team USA at the Opening Ceremony of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022?

Published 02/04/2022, 7:37 AM EST

It’s finally here. The Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 is back and athletes from different countries will showcase their talents on the grandest stage of them all. The much-awaited Winter Olympics promise to be a gala extravaganza. It all starts with the opening ceremony with the Parade of Nations, a mainstay of the mega-games. However, American figure skater Nathan Chen won’t take part in this year’s ceremony.

The sensational figure skater is focusing on his discipline, and is completed locked in to get his first gold medal.

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Nathan Chen will skip the opening ceremony

The sensational skater previously appeared for Team USA at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Marching his way to glory, Chen claimed the bronze medal for Team USA during the team figure skating event. Hence, this year, he’ll be looking to improve on his performances and win the gold medal.

Arriving with confidence, Chen will be looking to dominate the Winter Olympics and wants complete focus on the competitions. USA Today reporter, Tom Schad, spoke about why he is not appearing for this year’s opening ceremony.

“I already did it once. And (it’ll be) close proximity with a lot of people. I’m sure it will be safe, but I compete in a couple more days, so at this point, (I’ll just) focus on that,” said Chen.

Nathan Chen also said he's not planning to walk in the opening ceremony tonight.
"I already did it once," he said. "And (it'll be) close proximity with a lot of people. I'm sure it will be safe, but I compete in a couple more days, so at this point, (I'll just) focus on that."
— Tom Schad (@Tom_Schad) February 4, 2022

As the Olympics are happening amidst the pandemic, healthcare has been a major concern. Athletes have been cautious about contracting the Covid-19 virus, which could derail their plans. Hence, Chen also wants to prioritize his safety.

WATCH: Team USA’s Flag Bearer John Shuster’s Family Gets Emotional as He Breaks the Big News on Video Call

Can Nathan grab a medal?

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Chen has performed well in the latest team figure skating competitions and looks to be in fine form. He scored 111.71 to give the USA a lead in the team figure skating competition. He spoke to an NBC reporter after the competition and is enjoying his time in Beijing.

“Honestly, I’m just here to have fun, and I was able to do that. So I’m really happy,” said Chen.

Everything is looking good for Nathan Chen. He is one of the best figure skaters in the world and the current World Champion will be hoping to go big this year.

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Jacob Gijy is a US Sports and NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Gijy finished his Masters in Counselling Psychology and worked in a hospital for 2 years before his passion for sports compelled him to find his way to sports journalism. A fan of the great Tim Duncan, he is always ready to pick up a debate with anyone who does not offer the center the respect he deserves.