Canada chooses figure skater Patrick Chan as best athlete of 2011

December 28, 2011

Patrick Chan, the world figure skating champion, was recently given two awards for his athletic prowess. Reuters Canada reports that he received the Lionel Conacher Award on Wednesday, less than a month after being awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy, which is given to the best athlete in Canada - male or female, professional or amateur - each year.

The skater was undefeated in every competition he entered this year, and the news source reports that he set records for overall scores, short program and free program at the world championships in Russia. Figure skating enthusiasts who may be out of the country for work or school during televised competitions can make calls to Canada to have their friends give them play-by-play descriptions of Chan's performances in upcoming shows.

"I never went into skating to win awards or anything, I just went into skating because I loved what I did, and it was just exciting to be on the ice alone sometimes and just skate in front of an audience," Chan told The Canadian Press. "So to be rewarded for doing something that you've worked so hard to accomplish is like the icing on the cake."

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