Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan has admitted that he is "disappointed" to have failed to win gold in the men's free skating at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The 23-year-old finished second behind Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, who became the second-youngest man ever to win the event at the Games.

"My plan was to take all the elements one thing at a time," the Japan Times quotes him as saying. "I wanted to focus on myself, but I made several little mistakes. Figure skating is hard.

"There was a lot of pressure to win the gold for Canada, but I really wanted to do it for myself. Feeling the medal slip away was definitely a lingering thought. I'm disappointed, but life goes on."

Kazakhstan's Denis Ten finished third and won the bronze medal.