The 2018 Winter Olympics are just around the corner. As one of the most popular sports in the Games, figure skating is on people's minds; fans are itching to learn more about the figure skating, and which figure skaters will be representing the US. Many fresh faces will be taking the ice with high hopes of walking away with the gold.
The US has three women, three men, three ice dance pairs, and one pairs team in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
There are five distinct competitions: men's single skating, women's single skating, pair skating, ice dancing and the team event. Figure skating competitions will span 12 days of the games, with things kicking off February 8.
Medals for the men's event will be handed out on February 16, and medals for the women's will be handed out on February 22. If you're confused about the short program and free skate when it comes to the Olympics, it's important to know that in both the men's and women's events, 24 of the 30 competitors will advance from the short program to free skate. (Think of it as a qualifier).
Read on to learn more about the US Singles Women's Teams.
Bradie Tennell
Bradie Tennell poses for photographers after the medals ceremony for the Championship Ladies during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the SAP Center on January 5, 2018 in San Jose, California.
Age: 20
Height: 5'6"
Hometown: Carpentersville, Ill.
Coach: Denise Myers, Jeremy Allen
Bradie placed 7th at the ISU World Jr. Championships in 2017 and 11th at the ISU World Championships in 2016. On her website, she says her favorite thing about skating is "performing for an audience. I love the energy that comes from a stadium full of people, and being able to incorporate that energy into my performance."
Bradie has battled a lot of sports injuries over the course of her career. In 2015, after winning the US junior title, she was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her back, according to Cosmo. She was forced to wear a back brace all summer and wasn't allowed back on the ice until 2016.
Mirai Nagasu
Mirai Nagasu 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.
Age: 24
Height: 5'4"
Hometown: Arcadia, California
Coach: Tom Zakrajsek
Nagasu is a two-time Olympian (2010 and 2018). She placed 4th at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. She began skating in Pasadena, California, at the age of 5. On her website, Nagasu writes, "My parents used to take me golfing every day because that was the career they wanted me to have. They took me ice skating one day because we couldn’t go golfing due to the rain, and after that I kept asking to be taken to the skating rink."
Karen Chen
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.
Age: 18
Height: 5'0"
Hometown: Fremont, California
Coach: Tammy Gambill
Chen is the 2017 US Champion, and two-time Bronze Medalist (2018 and 2015). She finished 4th in her senior Worlds debut in 2017. Chen began ice skating at 4 years old and started competing when she was just 6.
In 2011, Chen won gold at the national intermediate level. She then won gold again as a novice in 2012. She placed fourth at the junior level of the US Championships. On her website, Chen says her favorite thing about skating is "Being able to fly across the ice and being able to spin until my fingertips tingle is one of my favorite feelings in the world. It is one of the many reasons why I love skating."
