Nathan Chen will marvel audiences at the Olympics with up to eight quadruple jumps between two programs, but his skating was rooted in another sport.
Hockey.
Chen, when he began skating at age 3 at a 2002 Olympic practice rink in his hometown of Salt Lake City, followed his two older brothers to hockey practice. He wanted to be a goalie.
The youngest of five children played both sports -- also training ballet -- until his prodigious talent in figure skating became apparent. A U.S. novice title at age 10. A U.S. junior title at age 12. A world junior bronze medal at 14. A U.S. senior title at 17.
Now an Olympic gold-medal favorite, Chen receives a reminder of his hockey roots in a commercial for Super Bowl LII, which airs Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Chen, meanwhile, is expected to make his Olympic debut later next week in the Olympic figure skating team event.
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