Chan faces tough contenders in Olympic debut
Toronto resident's coach resigned one month before Olympic Games
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | 11:42 AM ET
By Lindsey Craig, CBC Sports
Canada has high hopes for 19-year-old Patrick Chan of Toronto. (Geoff Robins/Getty Images)Canada's Patrick Chan will make his Olympic debut Tuesday in the men's figure skating short program, which begins at 4:15 p.m. PT at Pacific Coliseum.
Those eager to watch him will have to be patient — Chan skates 24th in the 30-man contest.
Also competing for Canada is Vaughn Chipeur of Calgary, who will skate ninth.
Nineteen-year-old Chan, a Toronto resident, has been touted as a strong medal contender in the build-up to the Games. But most of the accolades stem from previous seasons. Chan won the 2009 Four Continents competition and is the 2009 world championship silver medallist.
This year, his season has been fraught with problems — an illness during high performance camp, a tear in his calf muscle that kept him off the ice until November, and a disappointing sixth place finish at his first Skate Canada competition.
Then there was the resignation of his coach a month before the Games began.
Still, Chan has told reporters that he's feeling confident about his chances and that he's in good hands with his longtime choreographer, Lori Nichol, and technical adviser Christy Krall.
Despite the recent shakeups, many observers believe the young Canadian has what it takes and will rise to the occasion in front of his home crowd.
But even at his best, the trilingual teen faces a field of tough, experienced competition.
Russia's Evgeni Plushenko, the 2006 Olympic gold-medal winner, is looking to become the first man in nearly 60 years to achieve back-to-back Olympic victories.
The Russian drew the 10th position for Tuesday's event. He'll be the first of the top contenders to perform.
Plushenko, known for his technical abilities, left the competition circuit after the Torino Games. He returned this season for the first time in three years, and is proving he hasn't lost his touch.
Vying against him is Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel, who came second to Plushenko at the 2006 Games. He'll skate 19th on Tuesday.
Finishing second to Plushenko is a habit Lambiel wants to change. The two-time world champion also recently finished behind the Russian at the European championships, which Plushenko claimed.
Unlike his nemesis, Lambiel is known for his artistic abilities.
Also on Chan's radar will be a solid U.S. contingent that includes 2009 world champion Evan Lysacek, who came fourth at the Torino Olympics. He'll perform in the 28th position.
U.S. national champion Jeremy Abbott is also in the mix, along with teammate Johnny Weir, the eccentric 2008 world championship bronze-medal winner.
Other men to watch include the 2007 world champion Brian Joubert of France and the three-man Japanese contingent.
The free skate component will take place on Thursday.
