BEIJING, China — It has been 12 years since Team USA won an individual gold medal in men's figure skating and the team's 2022 Winter Olympic contenders are hoping to end the dry spell.
Hoping to be among the ranks of Evan Lysacek's 2010 gold medal status, the three men representing the stars and stripes during the Beijing Games are Nathan Chen, Jason Brown and Vincent Zhou.
Zhou isn't a newcomer, but his name is rising to stardom among some figure skating greats. Zhou has already shown off his skills during the free skating event and he has been tapped to represent Team USA during the men's single short program Monday at 8:15 p.m. EST.
Here are five things you may not know about the Olympian.
He's a history-maker
The 21-year-old athlete comes to Beijing with a record under his belt.
During his Olympic debut in 2018 at PyeongChang, Zhou became the first skater to land a quadruple Lutz jump in the short program. Though he finished sixth, he skated off the ice making history at his first games.
Beijing is in his blood
The Chinese American was born in California to Chinese parents. Both his parents emigrated from Beijing in 1992 and eventually became computer scientists who have worked in Silicon Valley. His mother eventually quit her job to support Zhou's figure skating dreams.
In an Instagram post, Zhou talks about how his mother is one of the most dedicated people he knows, a trait that likely rubbed off on the Olympian. In another post, he wishes his dad a Happy Father's Day, adding that his sacrifices have helped get the family to where it is today.
Zhou's older sister Vivian has also developed her own talent as a violinist and diver. The two took Mandarin classes growing up, were raised to be bilingual and to pursue an education. At last report, Vivian was attending MIT.
Zhou has beat Nathan Chen before
Often compared to Olympic favorite Nathan Chen, a fellow Team USA member, the two have competed against each other.
Others have speculated Zhou was selected for the free skate to help keep Chen's Olympic workload focused.
However, Zhou is not a second-pick, but strategic use of talent.
The 21-year-old won the bronze medal at the World Championships in 2019, and won his first Grand Prix title in 2021 at Skate America, beating both Nathan Chen and Uno Shoma, according to Team USA's website.
Though they won't be competing against each other during the Olympics, it's important to note the Team USA figure skaters will help the red, white and blue make its mark at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Skating with his Chinese heritage
Zhou was raised to keep his Chinese heritage close, a fact that is often seen on the ice.
"Both his maternal and paternal grandparents live in China, and Zhou said his choosing of 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' for his free skate in the Olympic season was a nod to his Chinese heritage," according to the Olympics website.
His figure skating fashion often draws cultural inspiration as well as a dragon may make an appearance in a costume or two.
Olympian and college student
Between figure skating practices and competitions, the 21-year-old athlete is also a student.
Zhou studies at Brown University in Road Island. Enrolling in 2019, the athlete has taken a gap year and plans to return in the fall.
Vincent Zhou skating for the gold
His Team USA bio indicates his goal is to win an Olympic medal and start his own sports consulting business. Zhou said in an interview that he was undecided about his major but has found interest in business management and business development.
Zhou has a chance to make history again during the Beijing Games. He will take to the ice Monday, Feb. 7 at 7:15 p.m. EST.