MOSCOW — A few days after tanks rolled past Megasport Arena in a warm-up for the upcoming May Day parade, Toronto's Patrick Chan used his own heavy duty artillery to capture his first men's world figure skating title.

This could be the start of the Chan dynasty.

The 20-year-old did it in impressive fashion, breaking world records Thursday for his long program with a score of 187.96 and for overall score with 280.98 points. He broke three world records in two days in becoming the 12th Canadian man to win gold at the world figure skating championships.

“It was surreal,” said Chan afterwards.

Chan wasn't flawless, but he didn’t need to be after giving himself a huge 11-point lead after setting a new world record in the short program the day before.

What he was, though, was gutsy.

He showed a ton of poise after just holding on to awkwardly land his opening quad jump. It was supposed to be a combo but he couldn't land the back half, a triple toe-loop. So on his next jump — another quad toe-loop — he added the triple toe-loop and nailed it just as his “Phantom of the Opera” music reached a crescendo. That gave him the much needed combo.

Chan had the whole package as he's displayed all season, not just the quads — which he added amid much hype. He's got the balance and rhythm, beautiful edges to his skating, an innate flow where everything blends together.

He didn't just break the world record held by Daisuke Takahashi of Japan; he obliterated it by 12 points for the long program and 16 points for the overall.

“I was thinking maybe 300 (points),” said Chan, who always thinks big.

This is a guy who wants to be dominant a la Roger Federer and Tiger Woods, and he's off to a great start.

“I always think I want to be one of those skaters where people will be like 'Remember that generation when Patrick was skating,” Chan said in an interview with the Star this month. “Remember how he pushed the envelope and did everything better than everyone else … It wasn't a matter of luck or fluke that he was put in that situation.

“I think about it a lot. That's why I think of Roger quite a bit because I'd like to dominate like they did and open people's eyes and make them realize what you really need to do to be the best. Sure, working hard will do it but there's so much more to working hard in just one area.”

The 20-year-old had said that because of the month-long postponement of the championships, which were moved from Tokyo because of the natural disaster there, that he thought the skater who handled it best mentally would win.

It would turn out to be Chan, who took a big jump in maturity in terms of the way he prepared this season.

“I just think he's outworked everybody this year, too,” said his coach Christy Krall. “He's been very diligent about his off-ice training, he's watching his nutrition. He has a whole new way of warming up. He's become a different man this year.”

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Chan wasn't sure heading into the Vancouver Olympics if he would continue skating afterwards. He has plans for a life outside the sport, but a disappointing fifth-place finish convinced him there was much unfinished business.

“I knew I could do better than I did at the Olympics,” he said. “The Olympics did not turn out the way it was supposed to. This season has turned out the way last year was supposed to. If I hadn't kept skating after the Olympics, I wouldn't be happy and skating with ease and enjoying myself every day. Instead, I'd be kind of pouting and be miserable.”

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