In his final practice before skating for the Olympic gold medal, Nathan Chen made sure to take in the moment.
He stood alone at the edge of the rink in Beijing on Thursday and looked around at the stands and the arena, and at the Olympic rings at every turn. Unlike at the 2018 Winter Games, when he finished fifth overall, he was soaking in the experience of competing at the Olympics, win or lose.
And with that new appreciation, and also a well deserved rush of joy, Chen won. He was the last skater to perform in the free skate, and the entire Olympic arena seemed to hold its breath as he performed to an Elton John medley.