Chan skips NHK Trophy to focus on training

[November 04, 2017]    (Reuters) - Olympic figure skating gold medal hopeful Patrick Chan has pulled out of next week's NHK Trophy Grand Prix event in Japan to focus on his preparations for the Canadian national championships and the Pyeongchang Games.

Patrick Chan (CAN) performs in the exhibition gala during the 2017 Skate Canada International figure skating competition at Brandt Centre. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports

The 26-year-old three times world champion made the decision to focus on training after a disappointing fourth place at last week's Skate Canada Grand Prix event, Skate Canada said in a statement.

Chan, who won individual and team silvers in Sochi in 2014 before taking a season off, will be going for a 10th Canadian national title in January before heading to South Korea for the Olympics.

The NHK Trophy in Osaka is the fourth leg on the seven-stop Grand Prix circuit.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Sudipto Ganguly)

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