US Olympic Figure Skating 2018: Top Men, Women Superstars and More

The USA figure skating team will be hoping to improve on a successful 2014 Games when it takes to the ice in Pyeongchang, South Korea, this month for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In Sochi, the Team USA earned its first gold medal in ice dancing as Meryl Davis and Charlie White topped the podium, while it sealed a bronze in the inaugural team event.

Russia dominated the figure skating on home soil, though, picking up five of the 15 medals available, including three golds, but there could be room for the USA to fill the power vacuum left behind by the ban of Russia. 

The lineup for the 2018 U.S. Olympic figure skating team has been confirmed:

The team is comprised of:

Men: Nathan Chen, Adam Rippon and Vincent Zhou

Women: Bradie Tennell, Karen Chen and Mirai Nagasu

Ice Dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, and Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani

Pairs: Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim

Top Stars

Nathan Chen

Chen stands alone as the undefeated male skater in the world this season, and he is the reigning U.S. champion two years in a row, having also won the 2017 Four Continents and the Grand Prix Final.

He specializes in quadruple jumps and landed five in one program to win the 2017 U.S. Championships—a first—and he did the same again to win the 2018 U.S. Championships in January, per the U.S. Olympic Team's official Twitter account:

The 18-year-old finished more than 40 points ahead of his nearest competitor, Ross Miner.

He told Jason Duaine Hahn of People magazine:

"There are times when as an athlete or as a person you kind of lose some motivation for what you're doing, but for me my biggest goal is to make that Olympic team. My biggest goal is to be on that podium for the Olympics and every single day when I wake up, I know that's my goal and what I'm working for—I've worked my entire life for this moment and I'm not just going to give it up that easy."

Chen is not only set to be one of the top American stars in Pyeongchang, he's also one of the best hopes for a gold medal.

Bradie Tennell

Like Chen, 20-year-old Tennell appears to be peaking at the right time to shine at the Olympics.

Tennell announced her arrival on the scene as a youngster when she won gold in the junior event at the 2015 U.S. Championships.

After dealing with stress fractures in her back for the next two years, she was able to return to fitness and won the senior event ahead the United States' other Olympic hopefuls, per sports writer and broadcaster Nick McCarvel:

As noted by Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, Tennell's biggest asset is her ability to avoid falls, particularly when landing jumps.

Such consistency will play into her hands when she takes to the ice in Pyeongchang, with clean programs vital to be in contention for medals.