Patrick Chan will be the focus of Canadians Thursday evening, as he attempts to become the first ever Canadian to win a gold medal in the day’s marquee event, men’s figure skating.
Don’t hold your breath however, as he sits seventh overall after the short program.
On Tuesday, Chan made some clear errors with footwork and did not attempt a quad, which seems to be the standard set by Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko, who was flawless.
Chan will need a miracle performance in the free skate if he hopes to overcome the leaders, but told the Toronto Star regarding the quad, “I have been training for the last few weeks without doing it, I don’t see why I need to add it.”
The other ‘main event’ occurring on ice Thursday night will be men’s hockey at Canada Hockey Place. Martin Brodeur is expected to make his debut in goal as Canada faces Switzerland.
After a confident 8-0 win over Norway on Tuesday, Canada hopes to keep it going against a surprisingly talented Swiss squad who provided a 2-0 upset win in Turin, four years ago.
Earlier in the day at the Richmond Olympic Oval, Canadian longtrack speedskaters Christine Nesbitt and Kristina Groves will be competing in the 1,000 metres.
Groves of Ottawa is looking to add to her 3,000m bronze medal won just days ago, however both women are World Cup leaders this season, and are considered gold medal contenders in the event.
Emily Brydon is the strongest Canadian in the women’s super combined slalom that also goes Thursday. Brydon is expected to challenge favoured American Lindsey Vonn, who is going for her second alpine gold medal in as many days.
Cheryl Bernard’s and Kevin Martin’s undefeated Canadian curling rinks will also be in action, as preliminary round robin matches continue.
Halfpipe snowboarder Sarah Conrad of Halifax will make her second Olympic appearance as her event takes place at Cypress Mountain.
There are four Canadians in the female individual 15-kilometre biathlon, and Jean-Philippe Le Guellec of Quebec City is in the 20km race.
Finally, Melissa Hollingsworth and Jeff Pain begin skeleton heats at the Whistler Sliding Centre Thursday, but the competition doesn’t finish until Friday.