It's Official: These Are the 16 Figure Skaters Repping Team USA in Beijing

Image Source: Getty / Joosep Martinson - International Skating Union / Contributor; Getty / Icon Sportswire / Contributor; Getty /
Matthew Stockman / Staff

With the 2022 US Figure Skating Championships coming to a close last weekend, the US Olympic Figure Skating team has been made official — and friends, we've got some fun skaters to watch in Beijing. There's three-time world champion and quad king Nathan Chen, history-making 16-year-old Alysa Liu, and pairs skater Timothy LeDuc, who is the first out nonbinary Winter Olympian in history. In ice dancing, the couples of Madison Chock and Evan Bates and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue have traded national championships for a few years now; we could see either pair (or both!) on the podium in Beijing. To put it simply, there'll be a lot to watch on Olympic ice this year.

In the US, Olympic figure skating teams aren't chosen just based on performance at nationals; in other words, nationals don't double as a kind of Olympic Trials. US Figure Skating selected skaters based on their overall body of work and consistency as well as their performances last weekend, which, of course, led to some difficult decisions. On the men's side, rising star Ilia Malinin placed second at nationals while nailing a handful of difficult quad jumps. (He's only 17, btw.) However, the selection committee decided fourth-place finisher Jason Brown would join Chen and fellow 2018 Olympian Vincent Zhou in Beijing, causing some heated debate in the figure skating community. (Our take: they're both worthy, and we're just glad we weren't the ones making the decision.)

This selection process also made it possible for Liu and pairs skaters Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier to successfully petition for their places on the team despite dropping out of nationals due to positive COVID-19 tests. All of the skaters will be eligible to compete in their individual competitions as well as the team competition in Beijing.

So, with all the controversy behind us (. . . right? Right?!), keep reading to learn more about the world-class figure skaters repping the US in Beijing next month.

To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning Feb 3 on NBC.

01
Mariah Bell
Getty | Joosep Martinson - International

Mariah Bell

Mariah Bell has dazzled us for years with her gorgeous routines; we couldn't be happier that she brought back her breathtaking "Hallelujah" free skate for this season. Consistently high-level performances plus her first gold at the US Championships this year cemented Bell's spot on Team USA. The 25-year-old doesn't have a quad jump, so she'll have her work cut out for her at the Olympics, but her beautifully choreographed programs will be must-watch TV.

02
Karen Chen
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Karen Chen

Karen Chen took a break from figure skating during the 2018-2019 season, allowing some injuries to heal up while applying to colleges. She started classes at Cornell University, but has paused her education for this Olympic cycle, and that decision is working out pretty well for her. The 2018 Olympian placed second at nationals with two solid programs and will look to improve on her 11th place finish from PyeongChang.

03
Alysa Liu
Getty | Joosep Martinson - International

Alysa Liu

Alysa Liu has quickly made her mark on US figure skating. The 16-year-old already has two national championship golds to her name, and, in 2018, she became the first US woman to land a quad jump in an ISU (International Skating Union) competition. Liu wasn't able to defend her title this year due to a positive COVID test (she only skated her short program), but her jumping prowess and consistently high scores over the last two years earned her a spot at Beijing 2022.

04
Nathan Chen
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Nathan Chen

If you follow figure skating even a little, Nathan Chen needs no introduction. The six-time US champion and three-time world champion has been nearly unbeatable since his fifth-place finish at the 2018 Olympics, winning every competition he's been in except one. And Chen is roaring into Beijing on the back of a record-setting short program at nationals. Known for his combination of artistry and soaring quad jumps, the 22-year-old enters the Olympics with major determination and a fresh mindset. The stage is officially set for another epic battle with Japanese skater and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.

05
Vincent Zhou
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Vincent Zhou

Don't sleep on Vincent Zhou. The bronze medalist at this year's US Championships struggled in his long program, but his short program was only three points off of Nathan Chen's and he finished just behind Chen at the 2018 Olympics as well. The two-time US silver medalist is poised to make a splash (and maybe play spoiler?) in Beijing this year.

06
Jason Brown
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Jason Brown

Jason Brown is one of the most beloved American figure skaters, and for good reason. His programs are routinely breathtaking, characterized by gorgeous choreography sequences and skating skills. While Brown, the 2015 US champion, doesn't often land quads in his programs, the routines are always audience favorites. Expect to see a standing ovation or two when he competes in Beijing.

07
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
Getty | Atsushi Tomura - International S

Madison Chock and Evan Bates

Ice dance pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates are known for their creative and boundary-pushing choreography, often using contemporary music; this year, their rhythm dance is set to "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish. They're currently ranked No. 1 in the world, so it's no surprise that they took home gold at the US Championships and are medal favorites heading into Beijing. Chock and Bates are looking for their first Olympic podium finish after placing eighth in 2014 and ninth in 2018.

08
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue
Getty | Joosep Martinson - International

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue finished fourth at the PyeongChang Olympics, a mere .02 points behind bronze medalists Maia and Alex Shibutani, so this ice-dancing pair is coming to Beijing with plenty of motivation. The pair recently announced that they'll retire after the 2021-2022 season, so the 2022 US silver medalists have one more shot at the Olympic podium.

09
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker
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Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker have won three straight ice-dancing bronze medals at the US Championships and most recently placed ninth at the 2021 World Championships. They executed a clutch free dance to secure their berth to Beijing in what will be the pair's Olympic debut. Get ready for smooth, graceful skating and lovely musical interpretations from this pair.

10
Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier
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Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier

Pairs skaters Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier were forced to miss nationals after Frazier tested positive for COVID-19, but their strong performances over the past few years — including a 2021 US Championship gold — in which they scored the highest combined point total in the competition's history — helped the pair earn their spot in Beijing. Knierim competed in the 2018 Olympics with husband and then-skating partner Chris Knierim, earning a bronze in the team event, but Beijing will serve as Frazier's Olympic debut.

11
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc
Getty | Atsushi Tomura - International S

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc

Two US Olympic spots were available for pairs, and Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc nabbed the second by winning gold at the US Championships this year. The pair has placed ninth in two world championships and will make their first Olympic appearance this year, but LeDuc has already made history in the sport: they are the first openly gay skater to win pairs gold at the national championships and will be the first nonbinary athlete to compete at any Winter Olympics.