Ones to Watch

Ones to Watch: Karen Chen

BEIJING, China — Karen Chen seriously considered quitting figure skating after a disappointing finish in Pyeongchang, but she’s back and one to watch in the upcoming Olympic games.

Chen finished 11th in South Korea in 2018 and then started at Cornell University.

She put college on hold for one last chance at gold.

Chen is known for her spinning. She began figure skating at six years old and shares a hometown with one of the skaters she looks up to most.

“If I had to narrow it down to one, I would say Kristi Yamaguchi because we’re both from Fremont, California, and she would sometimes show up at the rink,” she said. “Like she is my mentor, and an incredible human being.

Joining Chen on the U.S. Women’s Figure Skating Team is Mariah Bell and 16-year-old Alysa Liu. None is expected to medal because the Russian women have dominated the sport lately, but there’s a chance those predictions are wrong.