Karen

Chen

Quick Facts

• Specialty: Singles 

• Daughter of Hsiu-Hui Tseng and Chih-Hsiu Chen

• She has a younger brother, Jeffrey, who is a competitive ice dancer

• Started skating at age four (after watching Michelle Kwan compete) and started competing at 6

• Published a memoir, Finding the Edge: My Life on the Ice, in 2017

• Enjoys painting and drawing in her free time

Biographical Information

Karen Chen is an American figure skater and Olympian, specializing in women’s singles. She was born in Fremont, California, and began skating at the age of four, inspired by watching Michelle Kwan perform. She made her senior debut in the 2014-15 season.

Chen won her first U.S. National Championship title in 2017, securing her spot at the world championships, where she placed fourth. She later competed at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, finishing 11th in the women’s event. Four years later, she returned to the Olympic stage, helping Team USA secure a silver medal in the team event at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Chen has earned multiple Grand Prix medals and national podium finishes. In addition to her skating career, she is a student at Cornell University’s School of Human Ecology, with plans to work in physical therapy with young figure skaters. She also authored a memoir, Finding the Edge: My Life on the Ice, sharing her journey as an athlete.

Olympic Experience

• 2-time Olympian; 1-time Olympic medalist (1 gold)
  • Olympic Games Beijing 2022, gold (Team - Mixed), 16th (Singles - Women)
  • Olympic Games Pyeongchang 2018, 11th (Singles - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2022 – 8th (Singles - Women)
• Years of participation: Singles - Women 2017, 2021, 2022
• Top finish: 4th – 2017 (Singles - Women), 2021 (Singles - Women)