Patrick Chan wins silver at worlds

carwing

Two small errors in his free skate likely cost Patrick Chan a goldmedal Thursday night at the world figure skating championships in LosAngeles.
' r; v5 W1 z  stvb now,tvbnow,bttvbToronto's Chan finished second behind American Evan Lysacek and just ahead of France's Brian Joubert, who took home the bronze.! M0 I# Z5 x7 L$ R+ G2 ^
Chan's silver marks the second year in a row Canada has medalled inthe men's event. Jeffrey Buttle of Smooth Rock Falls, Ont., won goldlast year.公仔箱論壇3 E# @9 P+ K" p2 U0 H8 q
"Jeez, I thought I was just going to walk home with a bronze, but towin a silver medal is just like icing on the cake," Chan said afterwatching Joubert fall twice during his free skate.5.39.217.77! H2 O  A, j6 \. N; E3 y
"Getting off the ice, I had a huge smile on my face because I justdidn't expect to be where I am now after just my second worlds, and I'monly 18. It's a big shock. It's going to be weird going back to highschool, because I have to be a regular guy again."5.39.217.77! w1 N. ^+ ?# V3 m0 O2 e
Small mistakes proved costly Skatingto music by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Chan made two errors in his free-skateprogram, turning a planned double toe loop into a single, and doublinga planned triple loop. The mistakes only cost him about four points inhis score, but with the top three skaters so tightly bunched, there wasno room for error.公仔箱論壇, M" @9 q6 v# ~0 S4 e. V
Chan was third after the short program, in which many people feltthe judges short-changed the Canadian in his marks. However, there wereno surprised looks or jeers from the crowd about his marks in the freeskate.5.39.217.77* `: f9 |+ y" r, [9 u
Lysacek turned in the skate of his life for the gold, scoring 159.53 for his long routine, 4½ points ahead of Chan's 155.03.$ N" p  F: w# U0 a. K1 |3 g  a9 Z
"I've been looking forward to this event for the last few years,ever since I found out it was coming to the Staples Center," Lysaceksaid. "I think that nervous energy was a positive for me, because Iturned it into adrenalin."
9 ?" x9 H4 _+ Q4 }5.39.217.77Chan was ninth in his world championship debut last year in Sweden,but with Buttle's retirement and Chan's spectacular season heading intoL.A., the young skater found himself a favourite.
6 ^$ O- x+ d# ]( H0 {0 J/ j' ltvb now,tvbnow,bttvbHe opened the season with a pair of Grand Prix victories, won theCanadian championships and then dominated a strong field to win the ISUFour Continents event last year in Vancouver.公仔箱論壇) j0 k, v: F+ f9 o4 s
This week, Chan found himself in the spotlight off-ice, when Joubertcriticized all the male skaters who don't have a quad jump in theirrepertoire.