Patrick Chan exclusive: On Uno Shoma's longevity, Ilia Malinin's quad Axel, and his life after figure skating
The three-time world champ and triple Olympic medallist calls present-day men's figure skating "truly amazing," and also reflects on what his sport journey has taught him for life in the real world.
Figure Skating
In an office cubicle somewhere in Vancouver, a three-time Olympic medallist dons button-down shirts, but still has an eye cast on the global figure skating stage.
"Men's skating is very exciting to watch right now," says Sochi 2014 double silver medallist Patrick Chan in an exclusive sit-down. "To witness the quadruple Axel is something I never believed I would see in my lifetime. And now I'm curious to see who's in it... who's at the top [over this next Olympic cycle]."
Chan, who also won team gold in PyeongChang 2018 to go along with his individual and team silvers from 2014, has pivoted to the business world since retiring from competition in mid-2018, first working as a commercial real estate agent and recently transitioning to wealth management.
"Adaptability is one of the many skills that I've taken from skating with me," explained the three-time Olympian. "When there's times when it gets tough to see the positives or you face some disappointing moments, I've learned in the past to rewire my brain and perspective to keep motivated and determined - and keep your eyes on the long term goal."
But while Chan hasn't chosen the coaching or choreography path, he's not only invested in watching the skating, he's also serving as an event ambassador for the coming World Figure Skating Championships in Canada, set for Montreal 20-24 March.
He also became a father in 2021, he and fellow former figure skater Elizabeth Putnam welcoming a boy, Oliver.
"Being a dad has really changed my life," Chan told Jackie Wong of Rocker Skating in a recent interview.
He also has plenty to say about the state of men's figure skating right now, too.
Patrick Chan on Uno Shoma vs. Ilia Malinin
The last time a world championships was held in Canada, Chan swept his third of three consecutive titles in 2013, setting him up as an Olympic favourite alongside a fast-rising Hanyu Yuzuru for Sochi.
While Montreal was rescheduled from the Covid cancellation in 2020 to this year, the event still looms large in all four disciplines, perhaps most pointedly in men's singles, where the American teenager Ilia Malinin appears poised to capture a first world title.
Chan, who was part of the era that made quad jumps de rigueur in men's skating, has watched Malinin's quad Axel with astonishment.
"I have such a huge appreciation for that; to push the boundary and climb Everest when no one else has done that," he tells us plainly.
But can Malinin maintain that physicality over the next two years while also continuing to develop his artistry? Two-time and reigning world champion Uno Shoma would like to continue to be a factor, and another Japanese skater, Kagiyama Yuma, has bounced back in earnest this season after an injury-hampered 2022-23.
"Shoma is the last of my 'comrades' who is still competing, and he's still in it, and that's what I look for in a skater," Chan said of Uno, who won individual Olympic silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022.
"I fear that we'll see a lot of skaters injured and drop out of the sport because the body can't keep up with the demand of the technicality of [skating]," Chan said.
Even as Uno has voiced his doubts about the effort it'll take to push Malinin through to Milano Cortina 2026, Chan thinks it would be wise for him to stay around - only should Shoma so choose.
"I think he should totally go [to the next Olympics]", Chan said of Uno. "This is an opportunity for him. A lot of the competitors that he dealt with are no longer competing. He's put in his time; he's a familiar face. He's come back year-after-year, on a consistent basis.
"Shoma is a veteran. I hope to see him go to 2026. I think it would be his best chance to become an Olympic champion."
Could Nathan Chen make a comeback?
"I found it a lot harder."
That's Chan's immediate memory of his hiatus from skating, which took place from February 2014 to October 2015 before making a comeback for the pending 2018 Olympics.
"It was much more challenging. I almost felt like I was a step behind everybody right off the bat."
While it appears that reigning Olympic champion Nathan Chen won't make a move to come back ahead of the 2026 Games, he's left the door open to that possibility as he finishes his college degree.
"If Nathan chooses to come back, it's going to be a battle, a fight," Chan said. "It's probably going to be the most challenging time in his career.
"But if anybody could do it, I think Nathan could do it," he continued. "There's a good reason why he's Olympic and world champion. He's a very intelligent young man and highly skilled; highly tuned into his body. So I think he could he could do it. He could come back on top if he chose to come back, because he's seen it all. He has the experience.
There are certainly no pending comebacks for Chan, who is now 33 and settled into the life after. But he says his lessons from skating are applicable on a daily basis, even as his office has become... well, an office.
"[Everything] skating taught me has helped me to continue to believe in myself... and in industries that I never thought I would be in," he said. "I decided to take a step away from skating and sports. That was a really, really scary environment to be in, where no one really knew who I was. And I had no experience and no accolades to back me up.
"It was a rude awakening, but it was something that I felt like I wanted to do to challenge myself and to gain new skills," he added. "So I think that's the other underlying skill that comes along with being an Olympian: You're always hungry for a challenge; and you're always hungry to learn and improve and grow your repertoire of knowledge, whatever that might look like."