Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20220211
P. 31
A31
sports Diabierna 11 Februari 2022
Chen’s near-perfect skate wins long-sought Olympic gold
(AP) — Nathan Chen remembers his “Rocketman” program set to the
making the long drive with his soaring film score by Elton John. The
mother from his home in Utah statistics and data science major fin-
to Rafael Arutyunyan’s training ished with an insurmountable total of
base in Southern California. He 332.60 points, just three off his own
had started out in figure skating world record and 22 points ahead of
just a few years earlier, using his his closest competition. Yuma Kagi-
sister’s skates and sleeping in the yama and Shoma Uno of Japan took
car to follow his Olympic dreams. silver and bronze.
Ten years later, Chen sat alongside Chen also firmly put in the past any
Arutyunyan as his scores were read lingering memories of his brutal dis-
and that dream realized. appointment four years ago in Py-
eongchang, when not even a monu-
With a nearly perfect free skate on the mental free skate could rescue his
heels of a record-setting short pro- medal hopes after a disastrous short
gram, the 22-year-old Yale student program.
walked away with the gold medal at
the Beijing Games on Thursday. He “It means the world,” he said. “I’m
became the first American figure just so happy.”
skating champion since Evan Lysacek
in 2010 and capped one of the most This gold medal might not be the last on Sunday. skating across the placid ice as Kagi-
dominant four-year runs in the his- Chen takes home, either. yama’s score was read.
tory of the sport. The suave, down-to-earth Chen and
The Americans, who earned silver his Japanese rivals separated them- With a socially distanced crowd
“My mom and I grew up quite poor. behind the Russians in the team event selves from the field during their watching Thursday afternoon in
We really didn’t have much money,” Monday, were awaiting confirmation short programs, when Chen shat- Beijing, and millions back home on
Chen said. “She would just scrap to- from the IOC and International Skat- tered the world record with a flawless late-night TV, Chen soared through
gether some dollars to try to pay Raf, ing Union that “legal issues” holding performance to “La Boheme.” When his opening quad salchow. He landed
and Raf obviously knew about the up the medal ceremony were related they took to the ice for the free skate, four more effortless quads, his only
situation and thanks to the kindness to reports of doping linked to their Kagiyama and Uno made just enough slight bobble coming on a late com-
of his heart, was able to just contin- biggest star, Kamila Valieva. That mistakes to clear the way for Chen’s bination sequence, and couldn’t wipe
ue taking me in, and taking as much could ultimately elevate the U.S. to coronation. the grin from his face as he seemingly
money as we could provide him.” the gold medal, a second for Chen. reached for the sky.
Performing to “Bolero,” one of the
Arutyunyan would try to give the “I mean, I don’t really feel like I’m the most popular musical selections of The lyrics to “Rocketman” that played
money back sometimes, Chen said, most qualified person to talk about the Beijing Games, Uno under-rotat- through the old home of ping-pong
“but I would always try to stick it in it,” Chen said. “Whatever ends up be- ed a quad salchow and quad toe loop, diplomacy — “And I think it’s gonna
his pocket.” ing the case will be the case, but I’m then was dinged for his combination be a long, long time, ’til touchdown
still wrapped up in what I was able to spin late in the program to finish with brings me ’round again” — seemed
On Thursday, Chen was able to give do today.” 293 points. altogether fitting for the moment.
his old coach something priceless.
The Salt Lake City native did his part Then it was the 18-year-old Kagi- Chen basked in the spotlight in the
“I’m happy. Just emotional,” Arutyu- for the American team with a win- yama, performing to music from the middle of the ice, then headed off to
nyan said. “He made it.” ning short program last Friday. Vin- film “Gladiator,” who popped his tri- hear his scores, which by that point
cent Zhou, who was forced to with- ple toe loop and triple salchow. It was were a mere formality. Once they
Inside historic Capital Indoor Sta- draw from the individual event due still enough to score 310.05 points were read, Chen’s longtime coach
dium in China, the nation both his to a positive COVID-19 test, would and earn a fist pump in the kiss-and- raised his arm like a triumphant box-
parents immigrated from, Chen also earn a gold medal for the U.S. cry area, but not enough to add any er.
landed all five of his quads during because he performed his free skate pressure on Chen, who was calmly
Injured Robert Woods still chasing a championship with Rams
(AP) — When Robert to talk football with him and friends who would nev- depriving the Rams of a cor- plans. Woods and Cooper
Woods walked down onto amid the confetti and cel- er allow Woods to go alone nerstone element of their of- Kupp — a third-round pick
the SoFi Stadium field last ebration. through the past three tough fense for all five seasons since in 2017, several weeks af-
month to congratulate months, which also included coach Sean McVay’s arrival. ter Woods signed with LA
the Los Angeles Rams on Instead, the injured receiver the unexpected death of his — have become one of the
winning the NFC cham- had one emotional moment father. Woods believes he has come NFL’s most productive and
pionship, nobody wanted after another with teammates to terms with the enormous most professional receiving
“They were all just, ‘Come changes in his life over the duos for both Jared Goff and
here, Ro, we’re not wor- past three months. He will be Matthew Stafford.
ried about all that,’” Woods able to watch Sunday’s game
recalled. “It meant so much from the sideline knowing But Woods also plays a signif-
for my teammates just be- the Rams needed him to get icant role in the Rams’ locker
ing there for me. They have to this stage, even if he can’t room as a leader, a mentor
so much going on with the join them for the final act. and an on-field example of
football and the Super Bowl, professionalism. With the
and they just stayed support- Woods has racked up 4,626 USC product’s extensive ties
ive and included me.” yards receiving, 485 yards to his hometown, Woods is
rushing and 28 total touch- among Los Angeles’ most
Woods won’t get to play in downs in his half-decade popular players inside and
the Super Bowl this week- with the Rams and McVay, outside the locker room.
end just a few miles from who has leaned heavily on
where he grew up. His torn Woods’ polished skills and Stafford put it best when he
knee ligament sidelined him athleticism in nearly every said Woods “is the LA Rams.”
for the season in November, aspect of his offensive game