At just 15, Mitchell Gordon has arrived on figure skating's biggest stage.
The next time the Connaught Skating Club member will be participating at the national championships, his competition will include current world champion Patrick Chan. That's the elite company the Grade 10 student finds himself in after his stunning junior men's gold medal performance at the recent 2012 Canadian Championships in Moncton.
Gordon has no choice but to compete in the senior men's division and preparations are already underway for the next significant step in his promising career.
"One of the first things I thought of was I will be going to senior men's now," said Gordon. "From what I understand (after winning junior men's) I basically have no choice. Everything is still sinking in about the the win and what it means (to my career)."
Gordon headed east with modest expectations. The 2011 national Novice champion was making his debut in junior men's but did have an impressive resumé going for him, including representing Canada last fall at an International Grand Prix event in Estonia where he placed seventh.
He, along with coaches Keegan and Eileen Murphy, would have been satisfied with a top five finish and personal best scores. That goal, however, was adjusted when Gordon sat third after the short program. It was a similar position he was in when he had earlier won the Pre-Novice and Novice national titles where his free skate vaulted him to the top of the podium.
"I was very comfortable with my position," Gordon recalled. "Last year I was fourth going into the free skate and this time it was even better. "There were three flights of six skaters and I was the first to go in the last group.
"I didn't really feel that tense about it. It was a program I had been basically skating all year and was very comfortable with. I just had to go out there and get it done."
Gordon did just that. He had seven jumping passes in his four-minute long program, consisting of six triple jumps and six doubles, three of which were in combinations. In total, there were 30 rotations and he executed all of them.
His score of 109.66 was the best of the night and gave him a 161.04 total. Next to take to the ice was Eastern Ontario's Peter O'Brien who also turned in a strong free skate but his 108.57 score still left him slightly behind Gordon at 160.26 The gold medal was secured when short program leader Joel Bond of Northern Ontario scored 94.26 for his free skate and finished with an overall score of 146.56.
"After the short program, we knew it was possible. We did not focus on the win, though. He was trained for the moment. It was only a matter of laying it down" said Keegan Murphy.
"It is an example of inner desire to give 110 percent in a moment when there is no room for error. Some athletes thrive off this and some back down from it. At Connaught, we try to create scenarios within the training environment that will help our skaters handle such moments in competition. Mitchell is the perfect example of this."
Gordon is already preparing to find more time in his already hectic schedule to increase his training sessions. He also knows his opportunity to represent Canada at upcoming international events has risen significantly as a junior men's national champion.
"The first time I went to Europe it was mainly for the experience with little in the way of expectations," said Gordon. "Now it's more of a guarantee I will get the opportunity to go."
Murphy added he is looking forward to the work ahead of preparing for the next level. The process will start with two new programs choreographed with Mark Pillay.
"Over the next couple months, we will begin work on the triple axel and quadruple toe loop," said Murphy. "The biggest obstacle through training over the next season will be to balance new programs, developing new skills, international competitions and the personal expectations of the process.
"Mitchell is a perfectionist, it is our job to help give him perspective on his progress and development."
Eileen Murphy had more to celebrate as another one of her other skaters and parttime Connaught member Larkyn Austman won silver in Novice Women's. Connaught's Shawn Ceuvas also skated to a solid seventh place showing in Novice Men's.
Gordon becomes the first ever Connaught skater to win a Junior national title and the result is a reflection of the entire program and the hard work put in by the coaches.
"As a coach, this is a very special time," added Murphy who oversees all of Connaught's programs as director of skating. "For the long days, months and years that it takes to bring an athlete to the national or international stage, I am so happy that all of our hard work has paid of with these remarkable championships, not only in Mitchell, but in many of our other developing athletes.
"His achievements are an inspiration to all of our young skaters. "
