Overview

• Chen confirmed six months before Milano Cortina that he will not defend his 2022 Olympic title, saying he is satisfied with his achievements on the ice
• He has not officially retired and plans to apply to medical school with interests in cardiology or oncology and their relationship to genetics
• Since February 2022, Chen has focused on academics at Yale and co-founded Your True Step skating camps to mentor the next generation of athletes
• His decorated résumé includes two gold medals at Beijing 2022, three world championships and six U.S. national titles
• With Chen out of the field, 20-year-old Ilia Malinin—fresh off the first competitive quadruple Axel and back-to-back world titles—now stands as the overwhelming favorite for 2026 gold