Los Angeles Times

Helene Elliott: Nathan Chen's fire still burns thanks to his mother and others who inspire him

Nathan Chen of Team United States skates during the Men Single Skating Short Program on day four of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on Feb. 8, 2022, in Beijing, China.

LOS ANGELES — After Nathan Chen had impressed a panel of figure skating judges at the Beijing Olympics last February by performing a vibrant and challenging free skate program that lifted him above a formidable field and secured his long-awaited gold medal, he had to face his toughest judge:

His mother.

Beijing-born Hetty Chen, who cleaned houses and worked as a medical interpreter to finance his figure skating career and the pursuits of her four older kids, had advocated for him. Coached him. Protected him, too, though her thrifty purchase of white hockey skates instead of the standard black wasn't a hit.

She also had a way of keeping him

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