Nathan Chen, the reigning figure skater champion, is touted as one of the greatest of all time. Besides skating, Chen is also pursuing a degree in statistics at Yale. Chen is also the author of his memoir, “One Jump at a Time.” In a recent interview, he shares some bites on his journey through the sport and the support he received during a tough phase. He made his Olympic debut in the 2018 Olympics and had an unwavering focus on the gold. A falter he made shattered his Olympic dream that year, which he considers the most dreadful setback and a crucial lesson for life. In connection with this, Serena Williams shared words of encouragement. Chen recounts her impactful gesture in a recent interview.
Serena Williams reached out to Nathan Chen after his placing 17th in the 2018 Olympics.
The 18-year-old Chen was struck by despair after his performance in the 2018 Games. However, he ended in fifth place in men’s singles. Williams, a co-athlete but a legend in her sport, stepped forward to give an encouraging pat on his back.
What did Chen say about Serena?
Recalling the day, he said, “It was really cool to be able to hear from someone who’s been through so much and more, and to just give me some support and some words of encouragement.” Besides, he said they have stayed in contact “to a small extent.”
Chen had shared his delight several times in the past at the tennis superstar’s gesture.
He once described her as “She’s an amazing athlete, an amazing role model and now an amazing mom. It was really amazing for me to have her reach out (to me).”
Chen congratulated Williams on her amazing career.