Patrik Chan

Patrik Chan

Canadian singles skater.
Date of Birth: 31.12.1990
Country: Canada

Content:
  1. Biography of Patrick Chan
  2. Early Career
  3. Junior and Senior Championships
  4. Success and Coaching

Biography of Patrick Chan

Patrick Chan is a Canadian figure skater. He was born on December 31, 1990, in Ottawa, Canada. Chan is of Chinese descent, and his traditional Chinese name is Weizhang. His father, Louis, immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong as a child, while his mother, Karen, also moved from Hong Kong when she was 20 years old. Chan attended a French-language school, which allowed him to become fluent in English, French, and Chinese.

Early Career

Chan began skating at the age of five and quickly showed promise in the sport. In 2004, he won the Canadian Championship for children, marking his first major success. The following year, he won the Canadian Junior Championship and secured a spot in the Junior World Championship, where he finished in seventh place. At just fourteen years old, Chan was the youngest competitor in the tournament.

Junior and Senior Championships

In the 2005-2006 season, Chan made his debut in the Junior Grand Prix, winning a gold medal in Montreal and placing fourth in Slovakia. This performance qualified him for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where he finished fifth. He also competed in the Canadian Senior Championship that year, finishing seventh. At the Junior World Championship, he placed sixth.

Despite still being eligible to compete as a junior, Chan decided to test his skills in the senior Grand Prix series in the 2006-2007 season. He placed fifth at the Trophee Eric Bompard and seventh at the NHK Trophy. In January 2007, Chan finished fifth at the Canadian Championship, earning him a spot in the Junior World Championship. There, he won the silver medal, becoming the first Canadian singles skater since 1984 to achieve this feat.

Success and Coaching

In the 2007-2008 season, Chan won the Trophée Eric Bompard and placed third at the NHK Trophy in the Grand Prix series. He finished fifth in the Grand Prix Final and went on to win the Canadian Championship, becoming the youngest winner in the history of the event at just 17 years old.

In 2008, Chan participated in the World Championship, finishing seventh in the short program and eleventh in the free skate, ultimately placing ninth overall. The 2008-2009 season started strong for Chan, with victories at Skate Canada and Trophée Eric Bompard in the Grand Prix series. He finished fifth in the Grand Prix Final.

Chan's first coach was Osborne Colson, who worked with him until his death in July 2006 at the age of 90. Chan then briefly trained with Shin Amano before transitioning to training with Don Laws in Florida and Ellen Burka in Toronto. This combination of coaching has helped Chan reach new heights in his career.

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