With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
'Quiet assassin' Karen Chen gears up for Olympic figure skating
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Free Skate during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Short Program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 03: Karen Chen competes in the Championship Ladies Short Program during Day 1 of the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 03: Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Short Program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Free Skate during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 03: Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Short Program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
SAN JOSE, CA - JANUARY 03: Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Short Program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Karen Chen reacts at the end of her program in the Ladies Free Skate during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Free Skate during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
There's another Chen preparing to take the ice at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Karen Chen is 18 years old and a first-time Olympian — just like American men's champ Nathan. Beyond that, the two have no relation.
Chen, who trains in Riverside, has earned the nickname the "Quiet Assassin." In her personal life, she's soft-spoken and shy but on the ice she transforms into a powerhouse.
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Short Program during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 3, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Chen won gold at the U.S. National Championship in 2017 but it didn't come easy. She was battling a virus just days before.
Support for LAist comes from
"Sometimes, I just feel like, you know, this is so hard. There's doubts. Maybe I can't do this. And then I surprise myself and I pull through, I do it," she told our media partner, NBC4.
In these Winter Games, some of Chen's stiffest competition will likely come from her teammate Mirai Nagasu, who last week became the first American woman to land a triple axel in Olympic competition.
Karen Chen competes in the Ladies Free Skate during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
(
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
)
Hopefully, she'll do better than Nathan Chen. He had a disastrous short program, stumbling on all of his required jumps and finishing 17th. With nothing to lose, he skated a fiery long program, landing a historic six quads and bringing him up to fifth place.
Some observers think Karen Chen could be a dominant force in women's figure skating in four years, at the 2022 Olympics.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high. -
The study found recipients spent nearly all the money on basic needs like food and transportation, not drugs or alcohol. -
Kevin Lee's Tokyo Noir has become one of the top spots for craft-inspired cocktails.
Best of LAist