The most inspirational performance at last weekend's B.C. Yukon Sectional Skating Championships was delivered before he even stepped on the ice.
Daniel Chen's skating career looked to be over nine years ago. Growing up in China, his promising future in the sport came to a sudden end when the only skating rink in his hometown closed its doors.
"The city I grew up in the southern part of China only had one ice arena and it was private," explained Chen. "Skating was just not popular and it eventually went out of business."
Chen, who was a three-time national silver medalist at the Novice level, turned his attention to school and eventually moved to Canada on his own to study at UBC, earning degrees in economics and psychology. The number of rinks in Metro Vancouver attracted him to public skating sessions.
"I did some skating on my own here but they didn't allow me to do (any jumping) because they were afraid I would get hurt," laughed Chen. "Everything here was hockey, hockey but then one day I saw an ad for Connaught having an open house."
Chen talked with Connaught's director of programs Keegan Murphy and told him about his skating background. It wouldn't be the first time a skater had approached the club's top coach and suggested he was better than he was.
"He told me he used to compete and do all these triples," smiled Murphy. "I just rolled my eyes and said show me a double axel. It would at least show if he was legit or not."
Chen executed the jump and was invited to join the club's senior competitive group. At 27, and having to build his programs around a new scoring system, it seemed a stretch to suggest he would consider competing again. Yet after four months of hard work, Chen entered his first event during the Victoria Day Weekend, skating a short program.
"I didn't do great but it really didn't matter," said Chen. "After many years, I had a second chance to skate and compete again. It was really exciting for me."
He has since poured in several more months of training and added a long program which he performed on Saturday night at Minoru Arena. Chen finished third out of three skaters, placing behind club mate and champion Mitchell Gordon, as well as Richmond native Kurtis Hori.
"My goal is to compete at the nationals," added Chen. "If I don't do it this year then I will try again next year. I know I'm getting old as a skater so I will have to see. But I still love competing and the club has been so supportive which I'm very grateful for. It's an honour to represent them. I have improved so much, not just as a skater but as a person too."
During the dog days of training when some skaters might have a tough time even coming to the rink, Murphy will promptly remind them what Chen has gone through and how he savours just to be on the ice.
"His story is so heartbreaking in that he has skating taken away from him at such a young age as a talented person," Murphy added. "Having him here is a reminder to other kids that if they are having a rough day that at least they get to do this. They're not having to worry about a rink being shutdown.
"Right now it's about hitting a personal best every time for Daniel and that's what he is doing. We are really supportive of him being here."
