Patrick Chan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Patrick Chan
Patrick Chan at the 2015 Grand Prix Final
Personal information
Full name	Patrick Lewis Wai-Kuan Chan
Alternative names	Chan Wai-Kuan
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1990-12-31) December 31, 1990 (age 34) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Home town	Vancouver, British Columbia
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Began skating	1996
Retired	April 16, 2018

Patrick Lewis Wai–Kuan Chan (born December 31, 1990) is a Canadian former competitive figure skater. He is famous for his amazing skating style, which is known for its artistry and grace. Patrick Chan is considered one of the greatest Canadian male figure skaters ever.

He won a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the team event. He also won two silver medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics in both the men's and team events. Patrick was a three-time World champion (2011, 2012, 2013). He also won the Grand Prix Final twice (2010 and 2011). He was a three-time Four Continents champion (2009, 2012, 2016). Plus, he won the Canadian national championship ten times!

Patrick Chan set new world records for his short program and free skating in 2011. He was the first skater to break the 100-point mark in the short program. He also broke the 200-point mark in the free program. He won over 30 medals in ISU competitions. He announced his retirement from competitive skating on April 16, 2018.

Chan at the 2016–17 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

About Patrick Chan's Life

Patrick Lewis Wai–Kuan Chan was born on December 31, 1990, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is the only child of Lewis and Karen Chan, who came to Canada from Hong Kong. His father grew up in Montreal, Quebec, and enjoyed sports like table tennis and golf. His mother was a tennis champion in her home city.

Patrick's Chinese name is Chan Wai–Kuan. When he was five, he showed talent in downhill skiing. But after his family moved to Toronto, he focused on other sports. He loves many sports, including taekwondo, tennis, golf, and mountain climbing.

Patrick speaks English, French, and Cantonese fluently. His parents wanted him to learn many languages. So, his father spoke French to him, and his mother spoke Cantonese at home. Patrick learned English from his daily life in Ontario. He finished high school in 2009 from a French-language school in Toronto.

Patrick has received many awards outside of skating for his achievements. In 2008, Asia Network magazine named him Asian of the Year in arts and sports. In 2020, Patrick married Canadian former pair skater Elizabeth Putnam. They have two sons, born in September 2021 and 2024.

Patrick's Skating Journey

Starting His Skating Career

Patrick Chan began skating in 1996. He first wanted to learn to play hockey. But he soon became very interested in figure skating. His coach, Osborne Colson, made him practice basic skating skills for 30 minutes every day. Patrick said his smooth skating style came from this early training.

In 2001, when he was 10, Patrick won a bronze medal at the Canadian Junior National Championships. He won national titles at different levels in 2003, 2004, and 2005. His win at the 2005 Canadian Championships earned him a spot at the 2005 World Junior Championships. At 14, he was the youngest skater there.

In the 2005–2006 season, Patrick started competing in the ISU Junior Grand Prix. He won gold in Montreal and placed fifth in the Junior Grand Prix Final. He also competed at the senior national level for the first time, finishing seventh. His first coach, Osborne Colson, passed away in 2006. Patrick then worked with Shin Amano for six months.

Moving to the Senior Level

Chan (right) on the podium at the 2007 Skate America

At 16, Patrick decided to compete at the senior international level. He placed fifth at the 2006 Trophée Éric Bompard and seventh at the 2006 NHK Trophy. In 2007, he won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships. This was the first time a Canadian male skater won a medal at this event since 1984.

Patrick started working with coach Don Laws in 2007. He won a bronze medal at the 2007 Skate America and gold at the 2007 Trophée Éric Bompard. In 2008, he won his first Canadian national title at age 17. He finished ninth at the 2008 World Championships.

Becoming a World Champion

Chan during his exhibition at the 2009 World Championships

In the 2008–2009 season, Patrick won gold at two Grand Prix events. He won his second Canadian national title in 2009. He also won gold at the 2009 Four Continents Championships. At the 2009 World Championships, he won a silver medal.

In 2009, Patrick got sick with H1N1 swine flu, which caused a muscle injury. He had to withdraw from some competitions. In January 2010, he changed coaches to Lori Nichol and Christy Krall. He won his third Canadian national title in 2010.

Patrick competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Canada. He finished fifth overall. He then won his second world silver medal at the 2010 World Championships.

Setting World Records

In the 2010–2011 season, Patrick started landing his quadruple toe loop jump in competitions. He won gold at the 2010 Skate Canada International and silver at the 2010 Cup of Russia. He then won his first Grand Prix Final title. He also won his fourth Canadian national title.

At the 2011 World Championships, Patrick set new world records. He scored 93.02 points in the short program and 187.96 points in the free skating. His total score was 280.98 points, also a new world record. He received three Guinness World Records certificates for these achievements.

In the 2011–2012 season, Patrick continued his success. He won gold at the 2011 Skate Canada International and the 2011 Trophée Éric Bompard. He then won his second Grand Prix Final title. He also won his fifth Canadian title and his second Four Continents title. In March 2012, he won his second straight World title at the 2012 World Championships.

More Championships and Olympic Medals

Chan at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup

For the 2012–2013 season, Patrick worked with new choreographers, Jeff Buttle and David Wilson. He won gold at the 2012 Cup of Russia and a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final. In January 2013, he won his sixth Canadian national title.

At the 2013 World Championships in Canada, Patrick won his third World title in a row. He set another world record in the short program.

In the 2013–2014 season, Patrick won gold at the 2013 Skate Canada International and the 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard. He set world records in both the short program and free skate at the Trophée Éric Bompard. He finished second at the Grand Prix Final.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Patrick helped Canada win a silver medal in the team event. In the individual men's event, he won a silver medal, finishing just behind Yuzuru Hanyu.

Patrick took a break for most of the 2014–2015 season. He returned to competition in the 2015–2016 season. He won his fifth Skate Canada title and his eighth national title. He also won gold at the 2016 Four Continents Championships.

Final Competitive Seasons

Chan skates his short program at the 2018 Olympics

In 2016, Patrick moved his training base to Canton, Michigan, to work with coach Marina Zueva. He won his sixth Skate Canada title, breaking a record. He also won his ninth Canadian national title. At the 2017 World Championships, he set a new personal best in the short program.

In his final competitive season (2017–2018), Patrick moved to Vancouver and trained with coach Ravi Walia. In January, he won a record tenth Canadian title.

Patrick represented Canada at his third Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He won his first Olympic gold medal and third Olympic medal overall in the team event. He finished ninth in the individual men's event. He officially retired from competitive skating on April 16, 2018.

Patrick's Skating Style

Patrick Chan is known for his incredible skating skills. Many experts say his skating is very advanced.

Skating Skills and Artistry

Olympic champion Alexei Urmanov once said that Patrick Chan's skating techniques were "outstanding beyond all competitors." He is often called the "King of Skating Skills." This is because of the excellent training he received from his first coach, Osborne Colson.

Patrick's ability to move smoothly on the ice is amazing. He uses the edges of his skate blades very well, which helps him control his speed. This allows him to gain speed quickly for his jumps. His programs are also known for their beautiful flow and connections between elements. He can skate on one foot for a long time and make complex turns. His deep knee bends and use of blade edges give him a unique style. Since he was young, he was praised for his smooth skating, covering a lot of ice, and being able to act during his performances.

Coach Marina Zoueva said that Patrick is "primarily a performer, not a jumper. He lives by movement on ice." Many believe Patrick changed men's figure skating by showing how important both technical skill and artistry are.

Jumping and Spinning

Patrick is known for his six types of triple jumps (Axel, Lutz, Flip, Salchow, Toe Loop, Loop). This includes the Triple Axel, which has 3.5 turns. He also performs two types of quadruple jumps (Toe Loop, Salchow). From 2011 to 2013, he successfully landed quad toe loop jumps in his programs at the World Championships. He landed his first Quad Salchow at age 25.

One of Patrick's strengths in jumping is his 4T–3T combination, which received very high scores at the 2014 Winter Olympics. His main weakness in jumping has sometimes been his Axel jumps.

In terms of spinning, Patrick has consistently received high scores (Level 4) since he was 15. His Camel Spin is especially well-regarded.

Patrick's Records

Patrick Chan broke world records seven times during his career.

Awards and Recognition

• TD Canada Trust, Chinese Canadian Youth of the Year (2007)
• Asia Network magazine, Asian of the Year in Arts and Sports (2008)
• Ontario Sports Awards, Ontario Male Athlete of the Year (2009, 2011-2013)
• The Globe and Mail, Power List Top 30 (2009)
• Lou Marsh Trophy (2011)
• CBCsports.ca Canadian Athlete of the Year (2011)
• Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, Syl Apps Athlete of the Year Award (2011)
• Sportsnet Canadian Athlete of the Year (2011)
• QMI Agency Canadian Male Athlete of the Year (2011)
• Lionel Conacher Award (The Canadian Press' Canadian male athlete of the year) (2011)
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)
• Jean Lumb Foundation, Jean Lumb Award, 10th Anniversary Commemorative Award (2007)
• Jean Lumb Foundation, Jean Lumb Award, 15th Anniversary Commemorative Award for Outstanding Achievement (2012)
• John Ralston Saul Award (2012)
• Order of Sport, marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (2024)

Skating Programs

Chan at the Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Men's singles

Chan at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships

Chan about to perform his The Phantom of the Opera free skating at the 2009 Skate Canada International

Chan performing his Viva la Vida exhibition program at the 2009 Festa On Ice show

Patrick Chan performed many different programs throughout his career. These programs included music from classical pieces to popular songs. He often worked with famous choreographers to create his unique routines.

Programs After 2018

Competitive Highlights Summary

Chan (centre) at the 2008 Skate Canada International

Chan (centre) at the 2011 World Championships

Chan (centre) at the 2012 World Championships

Chan at the 2010 Skate Canada International

Chan (centre) at the 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard

Chan at the 2009 World Championships

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Patrick Chan para niños