[2022.07.19] Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference - Transition to Professional Figure Skating

[yuzurujenn]

Compilation of articles & interviews relating to his 'Statement of Determination' press conference held on 19 July 2022, announcing his transition to professional figure skating.

[yuzurujenn]

2022.07.19

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51137.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220719083113/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51137.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu announces his intention to retire from frontline skating: "I have decided to continue skating as a professional athlete"

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. It was the first time in 149 days since the exhibition at the Beijing Olympics on February 20th that Hanyu spoke publicly. He appeared in a suit and bowed deeply. "I have decided to continue skating as a professional athlete," he said.

 

Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

A press release sent to media outlets in advance stated, "We will hold a press conference as a place for Yuzuru Hanyu to express his determination." At the ice show "Fantasy on Ice" in May, Hanyu's skating had also evolved as an artist, but at the time, he was not available for interviews. At the Beijing Olympics, he said, "It doesn't matter whether it's a competition or an ice show," and "I hope to continue to cherish and perfect figure skating, which I love, as Yuzuru Hanyu."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51147.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114071519/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51147.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] "I will continue skating as a professional athlete"... Announces his intention to retire from competitive skating

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the two-time Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from frontline competition.

 

　At the beginning of the press conference, he said, "I have been able to work hard up to this point thanks to all of your support. I am truly happy to be able to fulfill my figure skating career as Hanyu Yuzuru, with the power of all of your support. I have decided to continue skating as a professional athlete."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

　A press release sent to media outlets in advance stated, "We will hold a press conference as a place for Yuzuru Hanyu to express his determination." At the ice show "Fantasy on Ice" in May, Hanyu's skating had also evolved as an artist, but at the time, he was not available for interviews. At the Beijing Olympics, he said, "It doesn't matter whether it's a competition or an ice show," and "I hope to continue to cherish and perfect figure skating, which I love, as Yuzuru Hanyu."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114071736/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] The challenge of the quadruple axel continues "while pursuing my ideal"... Intention to retire from frontline competition

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. He will no longer compete in competitions and will pursue his career as a professional athlete.

 

　In his opening remarks at the press conference, Hanyu expressed his gratitude, saying, "I would like to thank all the teachers who have helped me grow as Yuzuru Hanyu and as a person, and all the teachers who have taught me figure skating. I would like to thank all the people who have cared about me."

 

　He also made a famous statement that he will continue to challenge himself to succeed in the quadruple axel: "I will continue to challenge myself, including the quadruple 1/2 jump, and aim for a higher stage. As a professional athlete, I will do my best in pursuit of Yuzuru Hanyu's ideals. I will continue to work even harder in the future."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51150.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230603212411/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51150.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] "I got what I needed out of this result" "I had thought about retiring after the Pyeongchang Olympics"

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. He will no longer compete in competitions, but will pursue a new path as a professional.

 

　When asked how he arrived at this decision, Hanyu said, "I have no intention of competing in any more competitions. I have already achieved everything I needed to in terms of competitions and results. I also feel like I no longer seek recognition for that. I was wavering, but from the beginning I had decided to retire after the Pyeongchang Olympics."

 

　Even though she will no longer be competing in competitions, she will continue to challenge herself as a professional with the quad axel (four and a half rotation jump). "I think, 'I don't have to land it in competitions,'" she said. "I believe I can pursue my ideal figure skating even outside of competitions. That's the decision I've made."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51155.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114071944/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51155.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] Final decision to be made after Beijing Olympics: "I don't think I need to stay on this stage forever"

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the consecutive Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. From now on, he will walk a new path as a professional.

 

　Regarding his decision, he said, "I didn't feel like my career as an athlete ended here, but there were many times when I wanted to turn professional." He continued, "I thought about when to turn professional after every match. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, I really thought about a lot of things after each match. As a result, the final decision came when I came back after the Beijing Olympics and was recovering my ankle, and when I thought about a lot of things, I thought, 'Maybe I don't need to stay on this stage forever.' I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to make it a stage where I could properly convey to everyone how hard I had worked."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220719145518/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] "I will put all my energy and all my focus into my new path as a professional," "I might make myself even more nervous"

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the consecutive Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. From now on, he will walk a new path as a professional.

 

　When asked by the press if she would ever miss the tension of competitions in the future, she answered definitively, "Absolutely not." She continued, "That is because I want to do things in my future activities that will definitely allow people to experience the tension of competitions. I want to skate in a way that makes people tense up every time, so that they don't feel like they can relax because they're no longer competitors, but that they can experience the tension that comes from giving it their all. In fact, I might make them even more nervous. I want to put all my energy and all my nerves into each and every performance."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51162.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220719094643/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51162.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu press conference] "Yuzuru Hanyu is always a burden to me"... He reveals his honest thoughts on his journey as the absolute champion

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the consecutive Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. From now on, he will walk a new path as a professional.

 

　Looking back on his journey as an absolute champion, when asked by the press "Hanyu Yuzuru, have you ever had any difficulties living as Hanyu Yuzuru?", Hanyu answered, "Hanyu Yuzuru is always a heavy burden to me." "Even when I stand on the stage here, I get really nervous. In that sense, I always wish to be perfect myself, and I want to be a better Hanyu Yuzuru. I'll continue to think, 'It's heavy,' but there are still a lot of people who see me like this and support me. I always spend my time thinking, 'Hanyu Yuzuru is heavy,' but I've tried to live in a way that I'm not ashamed of. I want to continue to live as Hanyu Yuzuru as I go on."

 

　Hanyu, a native of Sendai City, overcame the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 and the PyeongChang Olympics in 2018. He was the first Winter Olympic gold medalist to receive the People's Honor Award. At the Beijing Olympics, where he was aiming for a third consecutive victory, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel (four and a half rotation jump) in the free program, but fell, and was the first in the world to be recognized by the International Skating Union. Despite an injury to his right ankle, he did not hesitate to attempt the big dream move, making history again at the Olympics. He missed the World Championships in March due to a sprained right ankle.

 

　Hanyu made his senior debut in the 2010-2011 season, and won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row from 2013 to 2016. He won a total of seven medals at the World Championships, including victories in 2014 and 2017. At the Olympic Games, he won in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, becoming the first skater to win consecutive titles in 66 years.

 

[yuzurujenn]

2022.07.19

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51151.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221007231640/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51151.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] "I don't feel lonely at all. Please continue to look forward to my work"... Q&A Part 1

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the consecutive Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. The following are Hanyu's opening words.

 

　-Do you feel any sadness about the decision?

 

　"I don't feel lonely at all. In fact, when I was first thinking up the text for this press conference, it was written about my future activities, but I felt like it wasn't quite like that. I thought it should be more determined and more hopeful, so now I feel like I can proudly say, "Please continue to look forward to me." So I don't feel lonely at all. I want to work even harder from now on, and I think there will be more opportunities for people to see my skating in various ways, not just in limited places like competitions, and I would like to create those opportunities, so I hope everyone will look forward to it."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51152.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114072510/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51152.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] The Olympics are "proof that I am alive"… Q&A Part 2

 

Spoiler

　Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. At the press conference, he also spoke about the Olympics in which he won two consecutive gold medals in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, and landed the first quadruple axel in human history at the Beijing Games in February of this year.

 

　-What do the Olympics mean to you, Hanyu?

 

　"For me, the Olympics were the two consecutive victories I won. They are important things that have put me in the position I am in now and allowed me to make these statements. In addition to that, of course I wasn't successful in my challenge at the Beijing Olympics, but I continued to pursue my dreams and keep working hard. In a sense, I think it was a place where I was able to prove that, so I'm more than anything glad that everyone saw me and thought I was cool, that they wanted to support me, and that it gave me the opportunity to think about moving forward, even if just a little bit. Of course, if I were to assign meaning to each Olympics one by one, it would become a really long story, but for me, it's proof that I'm alive. It's also proof that I continued to walk this path together with everyone, that I worked hard, and I think it's also a foundation for me to keep working hard in the future."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51157.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221007224515/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51157.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] "I want to continue to work hard towards my dreams and goals"... Q&A Part 3 

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front lines. He spoke about his thoughts as an athlete and his future stance.

 

　-What have you been able to stick to as an athlete up until now, and what do you want to continue to stick to?

 

　"I want to continue challenging myself. To be honest, I find it very difficult to draw the line. The line between being an athlete as a competitor and an athlete as a professional is very vague, so if I were to become a professional now, would that mean I am a professional? It's that kind of world, so there is no other way to say it, but I don't think my feelings have changed that much. Anyway, I want to continue to work hard towards my dreams and goals, and I want to continue to be more responsible, responsible for my words, responsible for my actions, and fulfill my activities as an athlete. Of course, I strongly hope to succeed in a quadruple axel jump, share it with everyone, and perform it in front of everyone."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51160.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114072720/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51160.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] "For me, skating is like being alive"… Q&A Part 4

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. Hanyu has led the Japanese figure skating world at the forefront and expressed the appeal of the sport on the ice rink to the world. He spoke about his feelings about skating.

 

　- There is always an image of being stronger and higher. What inspires you to do that?

 

　"I strongly think that's because I'm an athlete. I've never been satisfied with the status quo, and I've always wanted to get better. Whether it's jumps or the musical expression that figure skating requires, I'm always looking forward to getting better, and I think that's why I've been able to keep skating for so long. For me, skating = living, and in life, there are bound to be times when things go well and times when they don't, and you get comments about that, people are happy about it, and there are all kinds of things that happen, but on the other hand, there are also all kinds of times when you stagnate. I think that those things really come through in skating, and I think that that's what figure skating is to me. So it's not because I set a record or got the highest score or did a difficult jump, but rather because I wanted to do more difficult things in my normal life, or simply because I wanted to be praised more when I was younger, and I feel like I've been able to work hard just because of those feelings."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51165.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220719104800/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51165.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] "I want to continue to pursue the ideal of figure skating from the era I loved"... Q&A Part 5

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. The leading figure who supported the golden age of Japanese figure skating, competing against many overseas skaters, spoke about his thoughts on skating, which he has pursued.

 

　-As a champion, he led the way during an era when quadruple jumps were at their peak.

 

　"When I started skating and admired the top figure skaters, it was a big deal if you included two quadruple jumps in your program. There weren't so many different kinds of quadruple jumps like there are now, and you might have two of one type, or there was the triple axel, and that was the era. Then quadruple jumps disappeared again, and an era came when you could win without jumping quadruples, and so on, and we have come to where we are now.

 

　But I liked it, and it still is, the figure skating I like is the skating of the era that I admired. So, in that era, if you were asked whether you would win if you jumped three quadruple jumps, the answer was no, and if you jumped a lot of triple axels, the answer was no. It was performances that you could feel something from the heart. I want to continue to perform in a way that makes people think, "This person wants to see me perform."

 

　I can't really evaluate on my own whether I have been able to perform like that up until now, but I would like to perform more like that in the future, and the rules of competitive figure skating will change again, and there are small changes to the rules every year, so there may be more changes to the rules from now on, and various other things may happen, but I would like to continue to pursue the ideal form of figure skating that I pursued in the era when I loved it."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51171.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20220723012459/https://hochi.news/articles/20220719-OHT1T51171.html?page=1

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu Press Conference] Thanks to fans: "I'm not retiring or anything. Please continue to support me"... Q&A Part 6

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu (ANA), the back-to-back Olympic champion in men's figure skating, held a press conference in Tokyo on the 19th and announced his intention to retire from the front line. Hanyu has been conveying the charm of figure skating both at home and abroad. He expressed his gratitude to the many fans who have supported him.

 

　-What does your fans mean to you, Hanyu? Any message for your fans?

 

　“Again, well, it’s difficult to explain in one word, but it’s because of the people who support me that I’m here speaking, that I’ve been able to skate up to this point, and that I’m able to continue to pursue skating even further in the future. To be honest, I don’t think that I’m a special person or that I have any special powers or anything like that, but I think that I have the strength because everyone supports me more than most, and that it’s only because of the power of their support that I’ve become better.

 

　For example, if I were only supported by around 10 people from now on, I'm sure I would be overwhelmed just by receiving the feelings of those 10 people, and I probably wouldn't be able to devote my days to just skating like this.

 

　However, in the midst of all this, everyone had high expectations of me, and when I was able to live up to those expectations, even more people had higher expectations of me, and that cycle was really important to me, and I want to continue that cycle, and I want to continue performing in a way that lives up to everyone's expectations in that way, so honestly, from the bottom of my heart, what I feel right now is, "Please continue to look forward to me," and "Please continue to watch me." To be honest, I feel that more than anything that I don't want to say thank you here, because it's not over at all. I'm not retiring or anything, so from here on I'll get even better, and I'll work hard to perform in a way that makes people think it's even more worth watching, so please continue to support me."

 

[yuzurujenn]

2022.07.19

 

Source: https://globe.asahi.com/article/14673858

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250114111535/https://globe.asahi.com/article/14673858

 

[Full text of the press conference + video] Yuzuru Hanyu: "I'm not retiring. I'll get even better" - eager to continue with the quadruple axel

 

Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu held a press conference in Tokyo on July 19th and announced his retirement from competitive skating. He will turn professional and continue to challenge himself to perform the quadruple axel, which he achieved for the first time in an official competition at the Beijing Olympics.

 

Spoiler

The press conference, billed as a "place to declare my resolve," began at 5 p.m. Hanyu, dressed in a suit, began by saying, "I've been able to get this far thanks to the support of so many people. I'm really happy to be able to fulfill my role as a figure skater. I've decided to continue skating as a professional athlete."

 

He then stated the following:

"I'm really nervous. Please forgive me if I make a mistake. I will no longer be compared to other athletes as an athlete, but I will accept myself, look at my weaknesses and my past self, and challenge myself to perform a quadruple 1/2 jump."

 

Although Hanyu missed out on a third consecutive gold medal at the Winter Olympics held in Beijing in February, he attempted a quadruple 1/2 jump (4A). Although it was deemed to have an insufficient rotation, it was the first time he had performed it in an International Skating Union (ISU)-sanctioned competition.

 

Hanyu had been considering retiring from competition after winning his second consecutive gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics, but said, "I began to think that I could pursue my ideal skating even outside of competitions."

 

Full text of the press conference

Hello, I am Yuzuru Hanyu. Thank you very much for coming to this event. First, I would like to express one more thing to you.

 

As some of the reports have stated, many things have been said, but I would like to express my deepest gratitude to those who have always taken my feelings into consideration and announced my decision through the media, including my fans who have supported me up to this point, and to those who have always thought about my decision and expressed my feelings through the media. Thank you so much.

 

I've been able to get this far thanks to all the support I've received. I've been able to work hard to get to this point. And I've received so much support from everyone here, including the media and cameramen.

 

With the support of everyone, I am truly happy to be able to pursue my career as figure skating as Yuzuru Hanyu. Although I still have a lot to learn, I have decided to continue skating as a professional athlete.

 

I'm really, really, really nervous. I'm just a humble person, so please forgive me if I use bad language or stumble over something.

 

From now on, as a professional athlete and competitor, I will no longer be constantly compared to other skaters.

 

However, from now on, I would like to continue skating while accepting myself and continuing to fight against my weaknesses and my past self.

 

I will also continue to work even harder on my quadruple axel jumps, with a strong desire to perform them in front of everyone, and I will continue to do my best. I hope you will continue to support me as I continue to fight.

 

And as a person, I want to make the choice to cherish and protect my heart.

 

The things I've worked hard for and the people who support me appreciate them, watch them, and feel something from them. That makes me really happy. I want to cherish that happiness too.

 

As I make various choices, it would make me very sad if people were disappointed or didn't want to watch me anymore, but I will continue to work harder and harder so that people still want to watch my skating and think it's worth watching, so I would be very grateful if you would continue to support me.

 

To the many people who have supported me up until now, no matter what decision I made, at any time, even at this press conference, they have always sent me supportive comments like "Do your best" and "I know you're nervous, but we're rooting for you," and they have always really saved me. Thank you so much.

 

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the teachers at kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, high school and university who have raised me as Yuzuru Hanyu and as a person, as well as to the teachers who taught me figure skating.

 

Also, to those who have cared for me and my heart, I am truly, truly, truly grateful.

 

I wanted to say my decision with my own mouth, so I couldn't tell the people I care about beforehand, but they still took good care of me without saying a word, and it made me realize how important the people I care about are to me, and that I want to continue to cherish them in the future. Thank you so much for taking care of someone like me.

 

I will continue to work even harder. I want people, including those who have never seen skating live before, to think, "I'm glad I saw it," and "It's definitely worth seeing." I will continue to work even harder.

 

I will continue to challenge myself, including with quadruple a half jumps, and do my best to reach even higher levels.

 

From now on, I will continue to work hard as a professional athlete, cherish the sport of figure skating, and pursue the ideals of Yuzuru Hanyu.

 

Please continue to support me as I continue to fight. Thank you so much for today. There are still many things I cannot say from my own mouth, just from what I have thought, so please ask me lots of questions. Then I think I will be able to speak. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

 

 

 

(Question and Answer session follows)

 

--Why did you decide to retire from competitive sports? Do you feel lonely about that decision?

I don't feel lonely at all. Actually, when I was thinking about the announcement for this press conference, I was asked to write about future activities, but I felt that it wasn't quite like that.

 

I had thought that it would be something more determined and more hopeful, so now I feel like I can proudly say that I want everyone to have high expectations of me in the future.

 

So I don't feel lonely. I want to work even harder from now on, and I think there will be more opportunities to show my skating in various ways, not just in limited places like competitions, and I want to create more of them, so I hope everyone will look forward to it.

 

-- Speaking of Hanyu, he has competed in the Olympics three times and won two gold medals, giving people dreams, inspiration and hope. I think he has gained a lot from it himself. Looking back on the Olympics now, what would you say in one word?

As for the Olympics, of course for me they are important things that have allowed me to win two consecutive gold medals, to be in the position I am in now, and to be able to make these statements. In addition to that, although my challenge at the Beijing Olympics was not successful, I still continued to pursue my dreams, continued to work hard, and in a sense I think it was a place where I was able to prove that.

 

In that context, I'm most pleased that this has been an opportunity for people to see us and think, "Wow, that's so cool," or "I want to support them," and also to think about how they themselves want to move forward, even if it's just a little step.

 

Of course, if I were to assign a meaning to each and every aspect of the Olympics, it would become a long story, but for me it is proof that I am alive, and proof that I have continued to walk this path together with all of you and worked hard, and I think it also serves as a foundation for me to continue working hard in the future.

 

--Is it correct to say that you have decided not to take part in any more competitions? Please tell us how you came to that decision, and if you were in any turmoil.

I don't intend to enter any more competitions. I feel that I have already achieved what I should have achieved in terms of competitions and results, and I no longer seek any recognition for them. That is how I have come to this point.

 

Of course, I was unstable at times, but I had already decided to retire by the time of the Pyeongchang Olympics.

 

I don't like the word retirement, so I don't like to use it much, but when I was 16 or 17 years old in an interview, someone asked me, "What will you do if you win the championship two years in a row?" and I was able to say from the bottom of my heart, "No, that's where it all begins," and that's how I really feel now.

 

I thought that the PyeongChang Olympics would be the start of my career as a professional skater and a professional athlete, but there were several competitions where I hadn't won a gold medal, including in the quadruple axel or at the Four Continents Championships, so I continued on, wanting to win one.

 

My continued focus on the quadruple axel led me all the way to the Beijing Olympics, but now I'm thinking that it doesn't have to be in a competition.

 

I think that I can pursue things like the direction I want to work in in the future, or the ideal form of figure skating that I envision, even outside of competitions.

 

I thought that people would be able to see me more outside of competitions, so I made this decision. I want to continue to work hard as an athlete, including on the quadruple axel.

 

--You have achieved so much, and your words and actions have had a huge impact on society, making so many people happy. What is it that you have within yourself, that is unique to you, that has allowed you to become such a person?

I don't really feel it myself so I don't know, but as Yuzuru Hanyu who is here now, if I were to look at it objectively from a really far distance, for example from where the camera is now, or from above, I wonder what kind of person Yuzuru Hanyu is... I can be here because of all the support I receive.

 

It's not because Yuzuru Hanyu has something special, or because I have done something myself, but because of all the changes in my environment, and the fact that people have come to watch my performances in various ways, and I have the opportunity to speak and be listened to, I feel like I am a really lucky person to receive such special support.

 

It was an opportunity for me to think about things like I need to try harder, to think about different things, what kind of words would be best, what I should be thinking about, and so on.

 

It's not like I'm creating anything, but I strongly feel that it's because of all of you've supported me in this way, because so many people have supported me, that I'm able to get my message out here and speak out. On top of that, I wanted to do my best to meet those expectations, and even exceed them, so I think that's how I've been able to do this.

 

However, I think that I am just an athlete, and I think that as I continue skating and perform various performances in the future, I will be able to show many different sides to myself. Among them, I am not a celebrity or an idol, and I want to continue working hard to be someone who is seen as cool as an athlete and who shows various hopes and dreams as an athlete.

 

--Please tell us again what you think you have been able to maintain as an athlete up until now, and what you would like to continue to maintain in the future.

I want to continue challenging myself in the future. To be honest, I find it very difficult to draw the line.

 

The line between being a competitive athlete and a professional athlete is very vague, so if I were to say "I've become a professional" now, would that mean I'm a professional? That's the kind of world it is, so there are some things I can't say for sure. But I don't think my feelings have changed that much.

 

Anyway, I want to continue to work hard towards my dreams and goals, and I want to continue to be more responsible, be responsible for my words and my actions, and continue to fulfill my activities as an athlete.

 

I really hope to be able to successfully complete a quadruple axel jump and share it with you all, or perform it in front of you all.

 

--You will likely continue your activities as a professional athlete, but do you have any specific plans or new activities in mind at this point?

These are just things I've been thinking about and have only just discussed a few things, but there are a number of specific things I'm trying to move forward with.

Having said that, I've only just shared the idea in my head, so I don't know if it can actually be realized, and I'm sorry but I feel hesitant to give any specific details.

However, for example, when I was a competitor, I was limited to things like exposure before competitions and performing during competitions, but I would like to continue doing things like presenting skating in a way that is more suited to the current era, showing shows that fans and even people who have never seen skating before would want to see, and providing places and performances that will satisfy my supporters.

 

I can only give a rough outline. It's a bit difficult to say a specific time frame, but I hope you'll look forward to it. I'm sorry I can only make this comment.

--When did you come to that decision? Was there a time when you thought about leaving your competitive career? And what was the biggest deciding factor that led you to that point?

Yes, there were many times when I thought that my career as an athlete was over and that I wanted to become a professional.

 

As I said earlier, when the PyeongChang Olympics ended, I thought, I want to move on to the next stage...

 

It's strange that she would retire because of negativity, because I have the impression that in figure skating, only amateurs are active.

 

I think it's really strange. In fact, when players who participated in Koshien say that they worked hard at baseball, won the Koshien tournament, and became professionals, does that mean they're retiring? If you say that, it's not true.

 

I think it's the same thing. Rather, this is just the start, and I think it's important to think about how I'm going to present myself and how hard I can work. In that sense, I feel like I've made a new start.

 

In response to the previous question, "When did you decide to turn professional?", I thought about it every single match. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, I thought about a lot of things after each match, really a lot of things. I competed while thinking things like, "Am I working hard in the wrong direction?" or "Am I not trying hard enough?"

 

As a result, I came to the final decision after the Beijing Olympics. After I came back, I took some time to heal my ankle. It hurt so much that I couldn't skate, so during that time, I thought about a lot of things and decided that I didn't need to stay on this stage forever.

 

I made the decision because I wanted to get better and stronger. In fact, the other day, there was Fantasy on Ice, and when I skated there, it was the last time I skated as an amateur skater, but even then, I thought to myself again, "I want to stand on a higher stage." "I want to go to a stage where I can show everyone how hard I've worked."

 

-- Having won an Olympic medal and set various records, I wondered, as someone reporting to you, if there is a point where you are satisfied, but I have a strong image of you always looking ahead, getting stronger and reaching higher. What is it about Hanyu that inspires you to do so?

I strongly believe that this is because I am an athlete. I have never been satisfied with the current situation, and I have always wanted to improve.

 

Whether it's jumps or the musical expression that figure skating requires, I've always looked forward to getting better, and I think it's because of that that I've been able to continue skating.

 

For me, skating is like living, and in life there are times when things go well and times when they don't.

 

Sometimes people say things about it, sometimes they're happy about it, and so on, but on the other hand, there are also times when it feels like things are stagnating, and I think that these things can be felt in skating.

 

I think that this is what figure skating means to me, so it's not because I set a record, got the highest score, or landed a difficult jump, but rather because I wanted to do more difficult things in my everyday life, or simply because I wanted to be praised more when I was little. I feel like I've been able to work hard just because of those feelings.

 

--Around last year, you said, "I'm the best I've ever been." I remember that. I think that's true. It's a shame, but do you ever miss the tension of a competition?

I can say with confidence that I will never miss the tension of a competition. That's because, as I mentioned earlier, as I'm thinking about my future activities, I want people to experience the tension of a competition.

 

I'm not thinking about creating competitions or tournaments or anything like that, but I think the kind of Hanyu Yuzuru that people want to cheer for is the one who keeps challenging himself, the unique sense of tension, and the performances that come from that. I want to skate in a way that makes people feel that way, not the kind of skating that makes people feel relaxed because he's no longer an athlete, but the kind of skating that makes people feel more tense every time, the kind of tension that comes from doing it all at once, so I don't think that's the case.

 

In fact, it might make them even more nervous, and I might become even more nervous myself. I want to pour all my energy and all my nerves into each and every performance, and in a sense, give it my all.

 

--The era in which you have competed has seen the rise of quadruple jumps, yet as a champion you have been able to lead the pack at a high level, as symbolized by the quadruple axel. What do you think about being able to lead the pack while still being a champion? In the future, other skaters may attempt quadruple jumps, or perhaps even quintuple jumps, so please share your expectations and thoughts on the future.

 

When I first started figure skating and there were top skaters that I looked up to so much, it was an incredible thing if they included two quadruple jumps in their program.

 

It wasn't like today when you could do many different kinds of quadruple jumps, you could do two of one type, there was a triple axel, etc. Then quadruple jumps disappeared, and then there was an era when you could win without doing quadruple jumps, and so on, and we've come to the present day.

 

But the figure skating that I loved, that I like, is the skating of the era that I myself admired.

 

In those days, if you were asked whether you would win if you landed three quadruple jumps, the answer was no. If you were asked whether you would win if you landed a lot of triple axels, the answer was no.

 

I want to continue to perform in a way that makes people feel something more and more deeply, and makes them want to watch me act.

 

I can't fully evaluate whether I have been able to perform that kind of thing, but I would like to perform more like that in the future. The rules for competitive figure skating will change again from now on, and there are slight changes to the rules every year, so there may be many things that happen again, but I would like to continue to pursue the ideal form of figure skating that I have been striving for since the era that I loved.

 

--During the Beijing Olympics, you said, "It may have been an unrewarded effort." How do you look back on your efforts as an athlete? Also, how do you think it will translate to your career as a professional skater?

I mentioned that there was a time when I thought I wanted to finish my competitive career after winning back-to-back gold medals at the PyeongChang Olympics and get even better as a professional, but I think that if I had stayed the way I was, I might have ended up never feeling the way I work hard now, or how I can improve. I think that it might have ended in a real sense.

 

At that time, there was still a phase where quadruple jumps, Lutz and flips, and in a sense jumps that symbolize the new era, were becoming more and more common, but in pursuit of these jumps, it was also common for figure skaters to reach their peak age of 23 or 24, the age at which they would retire from competitive skating, the age at which they would no longer improve, would plateau, and it would be difficult to maintain their skills.

 

But for me, I feel that I have grown a lot since I finished the PyeongChang Olympics at the age of 23 up until now, including in my jumping technique.

 

I think I've come to this point because I've learned what kind of effort I need to put in and what kind of ingenuity I need to come up with. In that sense, I think I'm at my best right now.

 

Because of that experience, even if I turn 30, or even if I approach 40 - I'm not sure if I'll still be skating until I'm 40 (laughs) - I get a little excited thinking that there will be no more things that I thought I couldn't do at this age.

 

In that sense, I think it's really good that I continued on right up to the Beijing Olympics, that I kept working really hard, that I could say I tried as hard as I could, and I hope that I can continue to improve by trial and error, trying different ways of working hard and striving in different ways.

 

--As an athlete, you were called the absolute champion, and I think you were an athlete who was highly praised for your humanity, based on your everyday words and actions. From our perspective, you always appear perfect, but now that you have reached the end of your competitive career, honestly, were there any difficulties in living as Yuzuru Hanyu, or were there any burdens about your existence that you can only reveal now?

It's difficult because I've lost sight of the definition of who I am, but to me, Yuzuru Hanyu's existence is always a burden. A very heavy one.

 

When I speak at press conferences like this, when I take to the stage, or when I'm asked to declare my resolve, I get incredibly nervous, to the point where everything I'd been thinking up until then goes flying away, and I get so nervous that my hands and feet turn blue.

 

I have a strong desire to be perfect myself, and I want to continue to be perfect, and become an even better Yuzuru Hanyu, so I think I'll continue to feel heavy and under a lot of pressure.

 

However, amidst all of this, there are many people who see me like this and support me, and also, like during the Beijing Olympics, when I felt a little down and my spirits started to drop, I said many things like my efforts were not rewarded, that there is such thing as unrewarded effort, and that I can't truly say "happy" from my heart, but I am glad that people understand that this part of me exists, and that there are people who support me the way I am.

 

I always think that Yuzuru Hanyu is a heavy weight. But I have tried to live my life in a way that I don't want to be ashamed of the existence of Yuzuru Hanyu, and I want to continue to live as Yuzuru Hanyu in the future, and as I said in my earlier declaration of determination, I don't want to neglect my heart. There have been many times in my performances up until now where I felt really empty inside.

 

Tears would come out of my eyes for no apparent reason, or I would have trouble eating.

 

To be honest, some things were said that shouldn't have been said, and there were times when I thought there was no need to hit them so hard, so a lot of different things happened.

 

As a person, there were times when I found it difficult to trust many people and didn't know who I could trust.

 

But I think that's probably not just because of Yuzuru Hanyu, but because everyone feels that way, and I think that everyone is suffering to a greater or lesser extent.

That's why I think it's okay for me to continue to take care of my heart as I go about my life.

 

Now I think that before my heart becomes even more empty, I need to start taking care of myself just as the people who have taken care of me have.

 

So I'm very happy that people have felt different things by supporting me, that they say it's a part of their lives, that it's their purpose in life, and I intend to continue doing so in the future. However, I also hope that it will be one of the opportunities for people to take care of their own hearts.

 

--You said you were a professional athlete, but the fact that you used the word athlete sent a strong message that you are not retiring in your mind, and that being a professional means being an athlete. That's why I would like to ask Hanyu, as an athlete, how much of the quad axel is in his hands, and since he has declared that he will continue, I think he feels better now than he did in Beijing. Please tell us your determination regarding the quad axel once again.

 

To be honest, I felt that figure skating shouldn't show such a painful side of itself.

 

When we're performing, we try really hard. There's a part called "Kiss and Cry" where the scores are announced, and we can't collapse there, but we skate with all our might every time, to the point where we really do collapse.

 

Even so, I think ice shows are often seen as glamorous stages and entertainment, but I want to be more like an athlete.

 

I want everyone to see me take on more and more difficult challenges, and to see me continue to take on challenges, to continue to fight. I chose these words because I want people to have high expectations of me.

 

In fact, regarding the quadruple axel, I think I had a really good experience at the Beijing Olympics. In fact, because I had received a painkiller injection at the time, I didn't feel anything and wasn't scared at all, so I was able to give it my all and attempt the quadruple axel. But now, I'm waiting for my right ankle to recover, and it's no exaggeration to say that at that time I was really working hard for the quadruple axel. Compared to that, I've had ice shows recently and haven't had the time to work on the quadruple axel, so maybe I'm worse than I was before.

 

Right now, I am constantly practicing four and a half times a day. It is because of the knowledge I gained back then, and because of the knowledge I gained at the Beijing Olympics and before that, that I feel like I can do more even now, and I feel like I can do more. Recently, I have been participating in ice shows, and I am discovering new perspectives almost every day, so in that sense, I feel excited and hopeful that I can get even better from now on.

 

In reality, I may be worse than I was back then, but I thought I had no room to grow at the time of the Beijing Olympics, but now I feel like I have a lot of room to grow. Please look forward to it. Thank you.

 

--I believe that I have been allowed here today on behalf of the fans, so what do the fans mean to you, Mr. Hanyu? Could you give a message to the fans once again?

Again, it's difficult to put it into words, but it's because I have people who support me that I'm able to speak here, skate, and continue to pursue my skating to the fullest.

 

To be honest, as I said earlier, I don't think of myself as a special person or that I have any special powers or anything like that.

 

I really think that I have the strength to do it because I receive more support than most people, and that it's only because of the power of that support that I've only been able to get better.

 

If, for example, I had only been supported by around 10 people, I would probably have been overwhelmed just by receiving the feelings of those 10 people, and I probably wouldn't have been able to devote myself solely to skating.

 

However, in the midst of all this, everyone had high expectations of me, and when I lived up to those expectations, even more people had higher expectations of me. This cycle was really important to me, and I want to continue this cycle in the future, and I want to continue performing in a way that lives up to everyone's expectations.

 

To be honest, what I really feel right now, from the bottom of my heart, is that I want everyone to continue to look forward to it and to continue to watch it.

 

To be honest, I feel that I shouldn't say "Thank you" here, and since it's not over yet, I'm not retiring or anything, so I'm going to get better from here on out and work hard to give performances that are worth watching. Please continue to support me. Thank you.

 

--You said earlier that you would "cherish your heart," but if you had to pick three things as your top priorities in life as you become a professional athlete, what would they be?

Thank you (laughs). Three? Ah, that's difficult. Three, well... first of all, make an effort to succeed. That's my number one priority, my top priority. And that includes the quadruple axel. I want to succeed in the quadruple axel too.

 

I want to work hard to achieve the ideal performances that I aspire to, and I say "performances" here, but as I perform various performances, I want people to say that I'm definitely better than I was back then, that I've improved from my past self. That is my number one priority right now.

 

Two more. That's right. Wow, that's difficult. This may not be because I've become a professional or anything like that, but I want to be beautiful as a human being.

It's difficult to express everything in words, but I want to always cherish myself so that even if my tomorrow-year-old self looks at my present-day self, they'll think, "Wow, I really worked hard yesterday," and I want to live my life in a way that I can be proud of.

 

And the third one is, well, it's difficult. Well, well, I guess there is something. Ah, yes. I would like to give the third one as not to neglect your studies, to always keep studying.

 

Of course, I see this as moving away from the sport of figure skating and onto a new stage, a step up to a higher level, but I also want to continue learning for a long time to come.

 

I've been thinking about a lot of things, about myself, about how I want to improve my dancing, and how I can use it on the ice. It's about mechanics, kinesiology, ergonomics, etc.

 

Or how a performance is viewed, how it is evaluated, etc. I want to continue to study things like that and become a deeper and deeper person, and I want to become a deeper figure skater, so I want to be someone who can always keep learning and updating myself.