First-place Nathan Chen poses with his medal at the 2021 US Figure Skating Championships Men’s Championship in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Olympic figure skating champion Nathan Chen withdrew from the world championships on March 16 because he had been dealing with what he called “a ‘” Annoying injuries”.
The three-time defending champion was replaced by Camden Purkinen for Team USA in Montpellier, France.
“I am disappointed to have to withdraw from the world,” Chen said in a statement. “I’ve been training for this competition since I came back from Beijing. My injury has been dealt with and I don’t want to risk further injuries due to practice and competition.”
Chen, 22, was one of the stars of the Winter Olympics, winning the gold medal in the exciting “Rocketman” free skate that had eluded him four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Chen also helped the Americans win the team silver medal, which could turn into gold until the results of a doping investigation involving the Russian team are known.
Chen has not lost at the World Championships since finishing sixth in 2017. His dominance began the following year, and his three-peat was only interrupted by the cancellation of the 2020 tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He could have been the first skater to win four titles in a row since American star Scott Hamilton in 1981-84.
