Timothy Goebel

Timothy Goebel, Olympic and World Medalist

P.S. - Unable to attend the gala? You can still support Ice Theatre of New York by placing an ad in our 2026 Benefit Journal, or simply making a donation!

Timothy Goebel: One Quad King celebrates another

By Lynn Rutherford for ITNY's 2026 Benefit Gala

Nathan Chen and Timothy Goebel share much in common, starting with a nickname: “Quad King.”

Chen earned the moniker from about 2016-2022, when his eventual mastery of five different quadruple jumps – sometimes done in a single program – revolutionized the sport and led the six-time U.S. champion (2017-22) to three world titles and the 2022 Olympic crown.

“I should have patented that nickname,” Goebel says, laughing. “Nathan became Quad King after me, but it took 10 or 12 years.”

Actually, it was closer to 15 years. Like Chen, Goebel, a 2001 U.S. champion and 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, has an impressive string of competitive firsts: As a junior, he landed the first-ever quad salchow; at 1999 Skate America, he was first to land three quads (two salchows and a toe loop) in a single free skate, a layout that would still be competitive more than a quarter-century later. But even he was awed by Chen’s technical abilities.

“I’ve known of Nathan since he was just coming on the scene as an intermediate (competitor), around age 10,” he says. “Obviously, you could see not only the competitiveness, but a really strong technique, clearly really good body awareness, all those types of things.”

At the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City, Missouri, Chen became the first skater to land five different quads in a free skate, including toe loop, salchow, loop, flip and lutz.

“I remember going to U.S. nationals, when he had just started to do the wide set of quads, just wanting to see it live and see what it looked like,” Goebel says. “I went to the practices, and I thought, ‘Okay, this is something generational. This is special.'”

His admiration for Chen reaches far beyond quad technique, to qualities that can’t always be taught, like mental fortitude.

“To be as consistent as Nathan was in high-pressure situations for the better part of six years, that’s something that’s innate to the person,” Goebel says. “There are really only a handful of U.S. skaters who have had that kind of longevity. Nathan is one of them, Michelle (Kwan) being another that comes to mind in the recent past.”

Chen and Goebel share many characteristics away from sport. Both studied for bachelor’s degrees – Chen at Yale University, Goebel at Loyola Marymount University and, later, Columbia University – while still competing. Post-Olympics, Chen completed a year of study at Goucher College to prepare for medical school; Goebel earned an Executive MBA in Business Analytics from New York University.

“For me, education was always a focus, and skating was a privilege,” Goebel says. “Based on the academic success Nathan and his siblings have had, it’s clear that within his household, it was very important to be a multi-faceted person – to pursue excellence but also have a clear plan of what you were going to do after your competitive career. And it’s a wonderful example Nathan sets for the next generation to go and have your competitive success, have your Olympic moment, and then explore other facets of life.”

The Illinois native, who now makes his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, has built a career in the technology industry, working for companies including Google and Nielsen. He continues to give back to his sport, currently serving on U.S. Figure Skating’s Board of Directors.

“I think, time permitting, Nathan would make a great addition to the Board, and I would love to work with him,” Goebel says. “There are tons of great U.S. Figure Skating alumni ITNY could have tapped to be a co-host, so I’m thrilled they chose me to celebrate Nathan and all of his achievements, on and off the ice. He will be an Olympic champion forever, obviously, but he’s also quite an accomplished young man outside of sport.”

We are thrilled to have Timothy Goebel as one of our 2026 Gala Co-Chairs!

This program is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy C. Hochul and the New York State Legislature. ITNY is also supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council, and NYC Council Members Abreu, Bottcher, Powers and Marte. ITNY's Manhattan programming is funded in part by a grant from the New York City Tourism Foundation.

Additionally, ITNY receives funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Daniel & Corrine Cichy Memorial Foundation,The Lisa McGraw Figure Skating Foundation, the Will Sears Foundation, and its generous private patrons.

Photo Robyn Roth-Moise