GANGNEUNG, South Korea – Was it all too much for Nathan Chen? The expectations, the hype, the pressure? Was the only undefeated male skater in the world this season just not ready to handle the bright lights of the biggest stage in his sport?
Inevitably, these questions will now come. Of course they will. When a two-time U.S. national champion who is known for his jumps and favored to win an Olympic medal can’t complete one clean jumping pass in more than five minutes on the ice in two short programs at the Olympics, something is most definitely up.