Coach Nanami Abe Talks About The Skater Yuzuru Hanyu
From the moment he arrived for the interview, Hanyu was all smiles. He greeted everyone properly and handled himself with such poise that it was hard to believe he was only in his first year of junior high school.
"It seems that at home, he’s always been taught the importance of things like 'greeting others properly' and 'be mindful of his language.' So, he does it all naturally, without me even having to say a word!" Coach Abe says with a laugh.
As for Hanyu as a figure skater, she praised him, saying, “He’s an all-around skater. There’s hardly anything he isn’t good at. His spins are very fast, he’s good at jumping, and he’s flexible enough to do both the Biellmann and the doughnut spin. He also has a good physique, with long arms and legs. Even his height may have grown by more than 10 centimeters since last year. The other kids are all very envious of him (laughs).”
On the other hand, Coach Abe points out, “He’s still only in his first year of junior high school, so he has a rather slender build. Among the men’s singles skaters, he’s still a little on the slight side. It would be nice if he could gain more strength as he gets older. However, he does have asthma, so I think it’s fine for him to gradually develop a more mature, masculine physique at his own pace.”
His jumps, including the triple toe loop (3T) and double Axel (2A), already look effortless, making us eager to see him attempt the triple Axel (3A) or even quadruple jumps. However, Coach Abe explained, “He’s still a long way off. But I did tell him that after the Junior Championships are over, we’ll start practicing the 3A and quadruple jumps.” It seems they intend to work steadily on developing these big jumps.
Coach Abe Introduces Yuzuru Hanyu’s Programs for the Season
Short Program (SP): Sing, Sing, Sing
This was a piece of music he had previously used when practicing his footwork. He really liked it, and even when he was half-asleep or in the middle of doing something else, as soon as the music started playing, he would begin moving to it. That was how we decided to use it for his short program this season. It is a lively, upbeat program with a wonderful tempo.
Free Skate (FS): The Firebird
At first, he said he wanted to skate to a piece featuring the violin, but I felt that was still a little too soon for him! (laughs) So I chose this piece instead, as it would be easier for him to interpret. The opening movement, where he crouches down deeply with his knees drawn up, represents an egg. In the first half of the program, when he has just hatched, he bounces and hops around, flying low to the ground. Around the middle of the program, he lifts his head and gazes upward. At this point, he begins to mature a little and becomes aware that there are even greater heights waiting for him in the sky. From there, the image is of him wanting to reach ever higher and spreading his wings to soar upward. I truly hope he can spread his wings and take flight, much like a bird, which also aligns perfectly with the theme of "The Firebird" (laughs).
Exhibition (EX): Sing, Sing, Sing
Although it uses the same piece of music as the short program he loves so much, the exhibition version includes vocals and incorporates a hat as a prop. It’s a routine that was put together quite quickly, right after the Japan Junior Championships, so that he could take part in the upcoming exhibition.
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