14 March 2013 | 14:29

Figure skating: Chan leads with record-setting score

Patrick Chan is well on his way to defending his title after producing one of the greatest short programmes of his career at the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday, AFP reports. The 22-year-old Canadian was rewarded Wednesday with a score of 98.37, the highest ever recorded for the opening round. The twice world champion delivered a rock solid quadruple-triple jump combination and a picture perfect triple Axel in a performance that had the crowd at the Budweiser Gardens arena on its feet. Chan was the only man among the four gold medal favourites to skate to his potential. It was a night when stellar performances were the exception as one by one, the other contenders faltered, finishing out of the top three. While it is unlikely Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, (ninth with 75.94) can claw his way back to grab a medal in Friday's final, his countryman Daisuke Takahashi (fourth with 84.67) and Spain's Javier Fernandez (seventh with 80.76) still have a shot at the podium. Currently in second place (91.56) is unheralded Denis Ten, of Kazakhstan, who delivered a flawless yet less technically difficult programme than Chan. Canada's number two, Kevin Reynolds, who scored an upset with his recent win at the Four Continents Championship, posted 85.16 points to sit third thanks to his two quadruple jumps. Veteran Frenchman Brian Joubert was fifth with 84.17.

Patrick Chan is well on his way to defending his title after producing one of the greatest short programmes of his career at the 2013 World Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday, AFP reports. The 22-year-old Canadian was rewarded Wednesday with a score of 98.37, the highest ever recorded for the opening round. The twice world champion delivered a rock solid quadruple-triple jump combination and a picture perfect triple Axel in a performance that had the crowd at the Budweiser Gardens arena on its feet. Chan was the only man among the four gold medal favourites to skate to his potential. It was a night when stellar performances were the exception as one by one, the other contenders faltered, finishing out of the top three. While it is unlikely Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, (ninth with 75.94) can claw his way back to grab a medal in Friday's final, his countryman Daisuke Takahashi (fourth with 84.67) and Spain's Javier Fernandez (seventh with 80.76) still have a shot at the podium. Currently in second place (91.56) is unheralded Denis Ten, of Kazakhstan, who delivered a flawless yet less technically difficult programme than Chan. Canada's number two, Kevin Reynolds, who scored an upset with his recent win at the Four Continents Championship, posted 85.16 points to sit third thanks to his two quadruple jumps. Veteran Frenchman Brian Joubert was fifth with 84.17.

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