The 2022 figure skating season was defined by historic performances at the Beijing Winter Olympics and the Montpellier World Championships. Key gold medalists included Nathan Chen, Anna Shcherbakova, and the pairs team of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong. These athletes achieved peak technical scores through quadruple jumps and intricate artistry, setting benchmarks that remain influential in 2026.
The Men’s Individual Discipline: Nathan Chen’s Strategic Mastery
In 2022, Nathan Chen solidified his legacy as the "Quad King" by securing the Olympic gold medal in the men’s singles event. Looking back from 2026, Chen’s performance in Beijing is still regarded as the gold standard for balancing extreme technical difficulty with choreographic engagement. His road to the 2022 gold was a narrative of redemption following a disappointing short program in 2018.
Technical Prowess in the Short Program
Chen’s short program, set to "La Bohème," was a masterclass in precision. He successfully landed a quadruple flip and a quadruple lutz-triple toe loop combination. The technical element score (TES) was bolstered by his ability to maintain high Grade of Execution (GOE) marks, which are awarded for the quality of the jumps, including the height, landing flow, and air position. In figure skating, the "plus-five" GOE is the highest possible reward, and Chen frequently neared this limit in 2022.
The "Rocketman" Free Skate
The highlight of the 2022 Olympic season was undoubtedly Chen’s free skate to a medley of Elton John hits. He executed five quadruple jumps, a feat that required immense cardiovascular conditioning and mental focus. The strategic placement of these jumps is critical; skaters often place high-value combinations in the second half of the program to earn a 10% base value bonus, although the physical toll makes this extremely difficult. Chen’s ability to transition from the intensity of the jumps into a hip-hop-inspired choreographic sequence showed a range of movement that few "technical" skaters possess.
The Women’s Individual Discipline: Innovation and Consistency
The 2022 women’s field was marked by a divide between pure technical power and balanced artistic programs. At the Olympics, Anna Shcherbakova emerged as the gold medalist, while the World Championships in Montpellier saw Kaori Sakamoto take the top spot.
Anna Shcherbakova’s Olympic Resilience
Anna Shcherbakova (representing the ROC) won the 2022 Olympic gold by demonstrating remarkable composure under pressure. Her free skate included two quadruple flips, one in combination with a triple toe loop. Beyond the jumps, Shcherbakova’s highlights often focused on her musicality and "performance" component scores. In the ISU Judging System (IJS), the Program Component Score (PCS) evaluates skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation. Shcherbakova’s ability to tell a story through her movements allowed her to edge out competitors who had higher theoretical technical ceilings but lower consistency.
Kaori Sakamoto’s World Championship Dominance
Following the Olympics, the 2022 World Championships provided a platform for Kaori Sakamoto of Japan to shine. Sakamoto’s gold medal performance was characterized by powerful edge work and immense speed across the ice. Unlike her peers who relied on quadruple jumps, Sakamoto focused on the absolute perfection of triple-triple combinations. Her highlights from 2022 are often used by coaches today in 2026 to demonstrate "deep edges"—the ability to lean far into the ice during turns to generate power without visible effort. Her double axel, in particular, was noted for its massive ice coverage, a technical hallmark of her style.
Pairs Skating: The Perfection of Sui Wenjing and Han Cong
The 2022 Olympic pairs event concluded with a historic win for China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong. Competing on home ice, they delivered a performance that combined high-risk technical elements with deep emotional resonance.
The Quadruple Twist Highlight
One of the most significant highlights of their 2022 gold medal run was the successful execution of the quadruple twist lift. In this element, the male partner throws the female partner into the air, she rotates four times horizontally, and he catches her. The level of trust and timing required is extraordinary. Due to the high risk of injury and the physical demand on the female partner’s core and the male partner’s catch, the quad twist has become rare in 2026, making Sui and Han’s 2022 execution a definitive historical moment for the sport.
Artistic Synergy in "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
The pair’s free skate to "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is frequently cited for its sophisticated choreography. In pairs skating, "unison" is a specific technical criterion where both skaters must move as a single entity during side-by-side spins and jumps. Sui and Han’s 2022 highlights show near-perfect synchronization, which contributed to their record-breaking scores. According to official Olympic records, their victory was secured by a margin of less than one point, emphasizing how every minor technical detail matters at the elite level.
Ice Dance: The Artistry of Papadakis and Cizeron
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France claimed the 2022 Olympic and World gold medals, ending the season as the most decorated ice dancers of their era. Their highlights are less about jumps (which are not permitted in ice dance) and more about the technicality of the "twizzles" and "one-foot turns."
World Record Rhythm Dance
Their 2022 highlights include a rhythm dance set to a modern urban pop theme, which challenged traditional ice dance aesthetics. They achieved world-record scores by maximizing their Levels of Difficulty. In ice dance, elements like the "Stationary Lift" or "Pattern Dance Type Step Sequence" are graded from Level 1 to Level 4. Papadakis and Cizeron consistently achieved Level 4s across the board, combined with nearly straight +5 GOEs.
The "Elegance" Factor
The French duo was known for their "hydroblading" and innovative transitions. By 2026, their 2022 "Elegance" program is still studied for its use of "soft knees"—a technique where the skater maintains a deep bend in the knee to absorb shocks and create a seamless flow between movements. This creates the illusion that the skaters are floating rather than pushing against the ice.
The Team Event: A Multi-Year Resolution
The 2022 Olympic Team Event gold medal is a unique case in figure skating history. While the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) originally finished first on the ice, a protracted legal battle regarding a doping violation by Kamila Valieva led to a significant redistribution of medals.
In January 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a definitive ruling, which resulted in the disqualification of Valieva's results. Consequently, the International Skating Union (ISU) updated the standings. The United States was elevated to the gold medal position, Japan to silver, and the ROC (following the deduction of Valieva’s points) was moved to bronze. This decision was finalized well before the 2026 season, and the members of the U.S. team—including Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, Karen Chen, Alexa Knierim, Brandon Frazier, Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue, Madison Chock, and Evan Bates—are officially recognized as the 2022 Team Gold Medalists.
Comparison of 2022 Gold Medalists by Event
The following table summarizes the primary gold medalists from the two most significant competitions of the 2022 season.
| Discipline | 2022 Olympic Gold Medalists | 2022 World Championship Gold Medalists | Key Highlight Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Singles | Nathan Chen (USA) | Shoma Uno (JPN) | Quadruple Jump Density |
| Women's Singles | Anna Shcherbakova (ROC) | Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) | Technical Precision & Flow |
| Pairs | Sui Wenjing / Han Cong (CHN) | Alexa Knierim / Brandon Frazier (USA) | Quad Twist & Synchronization |
| Ice Dance | G. Papadakis / G. Cizeron (FRA) | G. Papadakis / G. Cizeron (FRA) | Twizzle Levels & Artistry |
| Team Event | United States (USA)* | N/A | Strategic Depth Across Fields |
*Medal awarded following CAS ruling and ISU redistribution in 2024.
Technical Requirements for 2022 Gold Medal Performances
To achieve gold in 2022, skaters had to meet rigorous technical benchmarks set by the International Skating Union. These requirements can be categorized into three main pillars:
- Jump Revolutions: In the men’s field, at least three types of quadruple jumps (Lutz, Flip, Salchow, or Toe Loop) were typically required to stay competitive for gold. In the women’s field, the 2022 season represented the height of the "quad revolution," though Sakamoto proved that high-quality triples could still win if the components were superior.
- Spin Levels: All gold medalists in 2022 achieved "Level 4" on their spins. This requires specific "features" such as a difficult entry, a change of edge during the spin, and a minimum of eight revolutions in a difficult position (like the "pancake" or "layback").
- The Choreographic Sequence: Introduced to allow for more creativity, the choreographic sequence (ChSq) became a highlight for 2022 winners. Unlike other elements, it has a fixed base value, but the GOE can vary wildly. Nathan Chen’s 2022 choreographic sequence in "Rocketman" is often cited as the reason for his high PCS scores.
Common Questions Regarding 2022 Figure Skating Results
Who won the 2022 Olympic figure skating gold medal for the United States?
Nathan Chen won the gold medal in the Men’s Singles event. Additionally, following the 2024 resolution of the team event doping case, the entire U.S. Figure Skating Team was awarded the gold medal for the Team Event. This included singles skaters Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, and Karen Chen, as well as the pairs and ice dance teams of Knierim/Frazier, Hubbell/Donohue, and Chock/Bates.
Why was there a delay in the 2022 Olympic Team Event medal ceremony?
The ceremony was delayed due to a positive drug test for trimetazidine involving Kamila Valieva of the ROC. Because Valieva was a "protected person" (under age 16) at the time, the legal proceedings were exceptionally complex. It took until 2024 for the Court of Arbitration for Sport to finalize the disqualification and for the ISU to redistribute the medals, which eventually saw the U.S. team receive their gold medals in a special ceremony.
What are the "highlights" usually referred to in 2022 skating videos?
Highlights typically refer to the successful execution of high-value elements. For Nathan Chen, this is his five-quad free skate. For Sui and Han, it is their quadruple twist. For Papadakis and Cizeron, it is their world-record rhythm dance. These clips focus on moments where the Technical Element Score (TES) spiked due to high-difficulty maneuvers.
How did scoring change after the 2022 season?
Following the 2022 Beijing Games, the ISU implemented several changes to the judging system to emphasize skating quality and safety. This included adjustments to the age eligibility (raising it to 17) and refining how the Program Component Scores (PCS) are calculated—reducing the categories from five to three (Composition, Presentation, and Skating Skills) to reduce overlap and improve judging clarity.
The Legacy of the 2022 Champions in 2026
As of 2026, many of the 2022 gold medalists have transitioned into professional careers or coaching roles. Nathan Chen, after completing his studies at Yale, remains a prominent figure in the sport, often appearing in high-profile ice shows that prioritize artistic innovation over competitive jump density. Sui Wenjing and Han Cong have taken on ambassadorial roles for winter sports in China, influencing a new generation of pair skaters who are currently competing in the 2026 season.
The technical benchmarks set in 2022—particularly the integration of quadruple jumps into cohesive programs—remain the blueprint for modern skating. While the "quad revolution" has stabilized due to the increased minimum age for senior competition, the performances of Shcherbakova and Sakamoto in 2022 continue to be used as case studies for how to manage the transition from junior-level technical power to senior-level artistic maturity.
Final Recommendations for Fans and Researchers
For those looking to study the 2022 highlights in depth, it is recommended to utilize the ISU’s official YouTube channel and the International Olympic Committee’s archives. These platforms provide high-definition footage along with the "Judges’ Scores" (Protocols). Reviewing the protocols is essential for understanding how a gold medalist like Nathan Chen or Kaori Sakamoto built their scores; it allows you to see the exact base value of each jump and the specific GOE additions provided by each judge. Understanding these technical sheets is the best way to move beyond a surface-level appreciation of the sport and into a deeper technical understanding of why these specific athletes became 2022 champions.
