RICHMOND, B.C. -- Sporting a grin a mile wide, Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan was greeted by dozens of fans and autograph seekers when he arrived at Vancouver International Airport on Monday.

Chan, carrying a camouflage backpack over his black warmup jacket, held his own video camera up to capture the scene. The 19-year-old from Toronto was swarmed by reporters and television cameras shortly after he entered the arrivals area.

"I'm just enjoying the ride," Chan said. "This is why we live to do this. Moments like this."

Chan is hoping to win Canada's first men's figure skating gold medal at the Vancouver Games. After speaking to reporters, the world silver medallist signed some autographs and thrilled some fans by posing for pictures.
"It's almost surreal," Chan said of the reception. "It's the first time I've been nervous coming off a plane because I knew what was coming up. It's really cool to be here."

Autograph collector Ken Redekop of Maple Ridge, B.C., got Chan to sign a glossy photo of the young skater in action.

"It was a bit overwhelming," Redekop said. "We haven't really had so many media here. I think he was overwhelmed just to see everybody."

It has been a challenging season for Chan. He has had to deal with a bout of the flu and a torn calf muscle that kept him off the ice for weeks. Coach Don Laws also announced that he was quitting as Chan's coach with just a month to go before the Games.

However, Chan was in top form last month when he captured his third straight national title. He'll need a repeat performance when the action begins at the Pacific Coliseum on Feb. 16.

Evgeni Plushenko of Russia is back to defend his Olympic title and Swiss skater Stephane Lambiel -- who won Olympic silver four years ago in Turin -- will also return. Japan's Nobunari Oda and Daisuke Takahashi are also medal contenders along with Americans Jeremy Abbott, Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek.

The strong field doesn't intimidate Chan.

"I'm pretty confident," he said. "You can't really predict anything but I'll definitely skate my best. The competition is not the other skaters, it's me. I'm just competing against myself. I have to do my job and if I do my job properly I should come home with a medal."

Chan was one of several Canadian athletes to touch down in Vancouver on Monday. Skip Kevin Martin and the men's curling team also arrived along with skicross racers Chris Del Bosco and Ashleigh McIvor.