Story by Susan D. Russell * Photos by Stephan Potopnyk
Patrick Chan, one of Canada’s brightest stars, is aiming to shine at the world’s greatest ice show in Vancouver next February.
The young dynamo is an intelligent, precocious teenager who possesses a fun loving nature. But behind the joviality lies a competitive spirit that loves to win, and when he hits that Olympic stage, gold is going to be the only thing on his mind.
WORLDLY EXPERIENCES
The last two years have been an amazing journey for Chan. In 2008, at age 17, he caused the upset of the Canadian skating season by dethroning Jeffrey Buttle, the three-time reigning champion and the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, at the national championships.
When Chan headed to Worlds two months later there was almost no pressure riding on his young shoulders. “It was the Jeffrey Buttle show in Sweden and everyone was focused on him,” Chan acknowledged. “It was great for me because no one worried about how I did.”
But placing ninth in Gothenburg was a personal disappointment for Chan. “That result inspired me to work harder and it definitely motivated me,” he said. “Whenever you don’t do as well as you wish, you always want to do better the next time. It was always in the back of my mind that I needed to do better the next season.”
A year later it was a brand-new ball game. Buttle had retired and Chan claimed his second national title. The young Canadian headed to the 2009 World Championships as a serious contender for the first time. |
Archive > Patrick Chan: Taking It One Step at a Time
