*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist
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Source: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404595791158182157
https://ameblo.jp/ostrum6/entry-12863465099.html
https://ameblo.jp/ostrum6/entry-12865889504.html
https://hanyusan.tumblr.com/post/184228196917/an-interview-from-yuzurus-olden-days-2011
Yuzuru Hanyu: The Debut of a Rising Star
(Interview Date: September 13, 2010, at Ice Rink Sendai)
(The Sendai Ice Rink in Izumi Ward, Sendai. It was only two years ago that I first interviewed Yuzuru Hanyu at this very rink. Back then, he was a young and promising ‘rising star’ who, despite still competing in the novice category, had managed to secure third place at the All-Japan Junior Championships. I never imagined that just two years later, I would be interviewing him about his ‘transition to the senior ranks.’)
After winning the World Junior Championships last season, I never expected to receive so much media attention… To be honest, I was truly shocked by the level of anticipation. But I don’t feel pressured by it. If anything, I feel more motivated, thinking, "Well, then I’ll just have to work even harder!"
Did you imagine I'd move up to the senior level so soon? Well, neither did I! (laughs) My time in the junior ranks… it really was so short, wasn't it? Even though I'd won the World Junior Championships, at first I still didn't feel confident about competing at the senior level. For a while, I had a strong desire to stay in juniors a little longer. I really didn't want to move up to seniors just yet… But by June, I no longer felt that way. During the off-season, I had the opportunity to take part in quite a number of ice shows, and people kept saying things like, "Do you best!" and "You're moving up to the senior ranks this season!" Hearing those words over and over again… my desire to remain in juniors gradually faded until there was almost nothing left of it.
Moving up from the junior ranks to the senior ranks — just like when I first appeared in Cutting Edge (2009), or when I moved up from the novice ranks to juniors — it's another new challenge for me. So I want to make a fresh start, leave my junior days behind me, and show everyone a new Yuzuru Hanyu.
My first competition after moving up to the senior ranks will be the NHK Trophy! Oh, that's right! I was actually a flower boy at the NHK Trophy held in Sendai in 2007! (laughs)
That happened to be the season when spectators weren't allowed to throw bouquets onto the ice. So although I was technically a flower boy, all I really did was watch the competition from the side of the rink. The week before that, I'd competed at the All-Japan Junior Championships at the same venue and finished third. I was really happy with that result, so I watched the competition in high spirits. But back then, it never even crossed my mind that I would one day compete in this very same event. It feels almost as though I'm still the same person I was back then, and yet somehow I've already moved up to the senior ranks… It's almost like the version of myself from that time has simply leapt straight into the present.
(Compared to when he was a flower boy, he's grown so much taller and can even jump a triple Axel now. And yet, Yuzuru Hanyu's friendly, unreserved smile is just as it was back then. Surely, anyone looking at him would find themselves thinking, "He's already in the senior ranks?")
For the Grand Prix series, I’ve been assigned two events: the NHK Trophy and one other competition. I want to do my best and live up to everyone’s expectations. At the NHK Trophy, I’ll be competing against Ross Miner and Denis Ten, while in Russia, I’ll be competing against Gachinski. I’ll probably run into Song Nan at one of the events, too.
It’s a shame that Plushenko, whom I’ve been looking forward to competing against for such a long time, has withdrawn...
These are the skaters I competed against back in my junior days, at the World Junior Championships and the Junior Grand Prix Final. Although Denis Ten wasn’t in particularly good form at the World Juniors, the fact is that I’ve made it this far by beating these guys. So I have a very strong feeling that I absolutely don’t want to lose to them now that we’re in the senior ranks! Yeah, I’m actually quite competitive, you know (laughs). But this season, more than ever before… I find myself less concerned with what other skaters are doing. Or rather, I suppose it’s more accurate to say that I simply don’t have the time to worry about them.
After all, I’m still far from feeling confident... Hehehe, I actually said it out loud (laughs). The jumps are one thing, of course, but what’s even more important is the program itself. I still don’t have the technical ability to skate this free program properly. The rules have changed this season, making spins more difficult. Step sequences have become more difficult, too, and on top of that, the program Coach Abe choreographed for me is incredibly demanding. Last season, when I was still in the junior category, the free skate was four minutes long and included sections where I could pause to perform—in other words, moments when I could catch my breath. But this season, even though the free skate is 30 seconds longer, there isn't a single moment to rest!
I really have to skate at full power for the entire four and a half minutes. So when I practice the program… I find myself thinking, “There's still so much time left?” or “It's so long, and so difficult!” It's physically exhausting, but even so, I have to make sure I perform it well and express my own style. Honestly, there are so many things that make me anxious. I'm still nowhere near confident. So, this isn't the time for me to be worrying about how the other competitors are doing. Rather than focusing on others, I first need to get my own act together. That's how I feel right now.
Would it be better to approach this with a mindset of enjoying it more? I mean, I do want to enjoy it... but I shouldn't enjoy it too much. After all, this is a competition. While it’s fine to enjoy the tension or the pressure, I feel it would be absolutely wrong to treat competition itself as something fun. Especially the NHK Trophy… Until now, I've been a skater who has hardly ever appeared on television, and yet my very first competition after moving up to the senior ranks is the NHK Trophy. Seriously, isn't this a competition that's broadcast nationwide? At first, it felt like a world that had nothing to do with me, something that existed only inside the television screen. Even though my participation had already been decided, it didn't feel real at all that I would actually be competing there. Back then, I was still thinking, "Well, I can just go and enjoy myself." But when it got to two months before the competition, then one month before, it finally began to sink in: "This is a competition!" and "I'm actually going to compete in it!" Only now have I finally started taking things seriously and really pushing myself.
(This interview was conducted ahead of his first competition in the senior ranks. He was filled with anticipation for the big stage, but also fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. That autumn, a whole whirlpool of emotions was swirling inside Yuzuru Hanyu. He repeatedly made remarks such as, “Since everyone has expectations of me, I can't let them down,” while also revealing just how much he struggled with the demanding free skate and the quadruple jump. And yet… when the results came in, he had finished in fourth place! What's more, he had achieved the remarkable feat of successfully landing a quadruple jump in his very first competition. Yuzuru Hanyu proved to be far stronger than we had feared. And this strength extended far beyond his technical abilities; it encompassed every aspect of him.)
Looking ahead to my first competition, what have I been paying attention to lately? Well, the main thing I'm focusing on is making sure I stretch properly. I've recently become able to land quadruple jumps, and my triple Axel has become more consistent, but… I feel like my body is getting a little stiffer. Maybe the muscles I use to control my jumps have become more developed—in other words, the muscles that interfere with my flexibility?
To be honest, I haven't really done much stretching or flexibility training up until now. Even without stretching, my body has always been flexible enough, ever since I started skating as a child. Maybe it's because I used to practise alongside my older sister? Since I was as flexible as the other girls, perhaps I never really put much effort into taking care of that aspect of my body. But now I'm reaching the point where I really need to start paying attention to it. Going forward, I plan to work not only on stretching, but also on strengthening the muscles around my hip joints and developing my deep core muscles.
A trainer? Well, although we don't have a dedicated trainer at the rink, my father knows a fair bit about these things, so he takes on that role for me. Then there's the osteopathic practitioner who has been treating me since I was little. He's always taken such good care of me and is someone I can turn to whenever I have questions or concerns. Going forward, I plan to ask him to teach me more about the body so that I can learn how to take better care of myself. Even after moving up to the senior ranks, I still want to keep doing the Biellmann spin! I'll keep doing it no matter what. Although Plushenko gave it up halfway through, I'm going to keep doing it until my back breaks! (laughs)
(Although he says all this with such a bright, cheerful smile, his physical condition is precisely what worries us most, especially given how exceptionally gifted he is. His still-developing, slender body is already capable of landing a quadruple jump, which is proof of just how talented he is. And yet, we can't help but worry: “Is he really going to be okay?” Moreover, because Yuzuru Hanyu is so competitive and hates losing, he's even less likely to show any signs of weakness. Even when things don't go well in competition, he absolutely refuses to use poor physical condition as an excuse. And when we ask him about injuries, he tends to dodge the questions. It's certainly an admirable attitude for an athlete to have, but we really wish he wouldn't push himself too hard...)
Are there any parts of my body that are hurting right now? None at all! I'm perfectly fine. I… I don't really like talking about being injured or not being in good condition. I'm a man, after all, and I hate showing weakness! A little while ago, I even got scolded for not telling Coach Abe about my physical condition (laughs). But if I get injured or find myself in poor physical condition during a competition, I think it's because I haven't managed my body properly. Self-management is truly so important...
But I'm fine! Even if my body falls apart, I'll still land a quadruple jump! No, no, I'll make sure to take proper care of myself so I won't become a skater who disappears because of injuries. I absolutely won't disappear! No matter what happens, I'll keep competing! Ah, forget I said that just now. I ended up saying something a little too cool (laughs). Kanako is going to tease me again: "Yuzu, there you go again, trying to sound cool!"
(Even though he's still only a first-year high school student, Yuzuru Hanyu already has a strong sense of self and speaks his mind with conviction. As he goes on to make his mark in the senior ranks and finds himself with more opportunities to speak publicly, there may be people who come to regard his forthright remarks as arrogant or presumptuous. However, despite his sometimes sharp and provocative words, he is someone who holds himself to high standards while treating others with great care and consideration. Although he often makes remarks that show his competitive awareness of his rivals, he respects everyone he mentions and treasures the connections he has formed with others as something truly precious.)
The ones who support me in my skating… When it comes down to it, I guess it’s my family after all. My dad, who is my trainer; my mom, who acts as my manager; and my older sister, who skates alongside me. Back then, I simply loved skating. I was just happy to follow my sister to the ice rink and have fun skating together. I think my family are the ones who support me the most and give me the greatest strength. My mom, in particular, has recently been working really hard to make my free skate costume, which was designed for me by Johnny Weir.
And then there are my coaches… I really trust Coach Abe. She always thinks very carefully about what's best for me. It's because she choreographed my programs and guided me all the way that I was able to win the World Junior Championships. I wouldn't have made it this far without Coach Abe.
There is also a young coach, Soji Tanaka, at the rink… Whenever I work hard during practice or competitions, Coach Soji sometimes gives me presents as a little reward for my efforts. He says really cool things like, “Yuzuru is always working so hard, so I just can't help but buy him something!” (laughs). I first performed in the same show as Coach Soji at Prince Ice World’s Hachinohe performance! He was so good... Coach Soji is a jumper, so naturally, his jumps are amazing, but he can dance too. He's really cool! Having my dancing compared to his was a little awkward, though (laughs). I was surprised! And when I said, "Could you do 3A l instead of the 3F today?!" he actually made a special exception and performed an Axel just for the Hachinohe show!
Which skaters am I close to? Kento! (Kento Nakamura) He came all the way from Tokyo to join our summer training camp in Sendai, so we talked about all sorts of things besides skating. We also got really fired up practicing our jumps together. I think the training camp period when Kento came to join us was the most fulfilling part of my training this year. I always find myself working harder when there's someone I can compete with during practice. We both brought out our competitive spirits, and it made for some really good training sessions together!
And then, through ice shows, I also got to know Plushenko and Johnny Weir… Both of them praised me quite a lot! Plushenko praised my jumps, and after he taught me the Biellmann spin, I became able to spin much faster! Johnny told me, “You have a really good understanding of music. You're doing great, so keep it up!” Both of them are top athletes that I really looked up to, I loved them, I've always supported them, they're people I look up to, or rather, I dream about. To have them praise me like that gave me a lot of confidence and made me think "I really have to work hard." To me, they're like heroes, almost like gods. To be able to talk like this with them—not quite as friends, perhaps, but more in the sense of seniors and juniors—is something that makes me really happy.
If I had to say… I'm the type of person who doesn't really like being alone. Even with friends I've grown close to, for example, I might give them a gift because I want us to have matching keychains. Somehow, I always find myself wanting to connect with other people. I'm the kind of person who goes through life wanting to build a connection with each and every person. So, if I were to quit skating, those connections with people would come to an end too. I'd end up all alone… I don't want to forget the people who have formed connections with me, or those I've been connected with all this time. I feel a strong desire to express my gratitude to everyone. I'm grateful to every single person, and if possible, I'd like to give something back to them. As for what I can do to repay their kindness right now… Since skating is what I'm working hard at, I suppose the best way is to skate well and show everyone what I can do.
(Yuzuru Hanyu is about to make his senior debut. A fearless 16-year-old, undaunted by pressure as he rapidly rises to stardom. Yet, there is also a more vulnerable, lonely side to him. Doesn't that side of him shine through in his skating—in the delicacy of his performances and the sincerity of the emotions he conveys? He is blessed not only with a gifted physique and natural talent, but also with a uniquely sensitive heart, which he turns into one of his greatest strengths.)
I watched the Japan Open, a pre-season competition, live at the venue. The senior men's free skate is 30 seconds longer than the junior free skate, but when I watched it, it actually felt shorter than the junior one. That’s because the programs are so packed with content that there’s never a dull moment. Every time I watch the senior skaters perform, I find something valuable to learn from. As I continue competing, I also want to make the most of every opportunity to observe them and gain as much experience as possible.
Even though I feel like I’ve prepared well, I also realize that the junior and senior levels are completely different. Honestly, incorporating a quadruple jump is a real challenge, but it’s not just about that. Other aspects, such as skating speed and fluidity, are on an entirely different level compared to the junior ranks. I feel like this could be a major hurdle for me to overcome.
That said, if I’m being honest, part of me still sees my opponents as “big brothers.” After all, this is my first year moving up from the junior category, so I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have that somewhat naive mindset. But I know I can’t afford to think that way once the season gets underway. Now that I finally have the chance to compete against them, I have to face them head-on and give it my all. Since I’m competing in the senior division, I’m a senior skater now, too. I have to step up and fight with everything I’ve got.
First and foremost, I want to challenge myself! I still have no idea how I’ll be evaluated in the senior category or what kind of rankings I can achieve, so my first goal is to establish where I stand and see what I’m capable of at this level. Of course, the World Championships are also a goal of mine. Since they’re being held in Japan this season, I really want to qualify and compete there. But first, I want to focus on the Grand Prix series and take things one competition at a time, making sure I deliver a perfect performance at each event, with a quadruple jump included.
My first year in the senior ranks will likely be quite challenging, but I’m going to give it my all! Honestly, I don’t feel particularly pressured. I really don’t feel like I’m carrying any heavy burdens on my shoulders. For now, in my first senior season, I want to spread my wings and make sure I do everything I need to do. I’ll keep moving forward, staying grounded while allowing my wings to spread. This year is surely going to bring... a lot of changes.
By
yuzurujenn ·
