[2019.09.20] Sponichi interview after ACI'19

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2019.09.20

 

Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2019/09/20/kiji/20190920s00079000157000c.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20190920055617/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2019/09/20/kiji/20190920s00079000157000c.html

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, the instinct of a champion: "When I was skating, I always wanted to win, it's amazing"

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (24, ANA), the men's figure skater who won the gold medal at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, responded to a joint interview after finishing his first competition of the season, the Autumn Classic (Oakville). He placed second at last season's World Championships and has made a fresh start this season. What is the blueprint for the present and future of this absolute champion who is craving victory? The words of the man who is on the offensive gradually became more passionate.

 

Spoiler

— You placed second at the World Championships in March. What did you think about when it came to closing the gap with Nathan Chen (USA)?
"In the end, I think the only option is to increase my base value. I still believe that earning high GOEs (Grade of Execution) is crucial. But even with that, there’s a limit to how much you can gain from GOEs. And, well, judging is still based on people’s evaluations. So ultimately, I feel like it comes down to landing more difficult elements — that’s what it takes."

 

— You mentioned a layout with five quadruple jumps. Is that because you're aiming for a structure that can beat Chen?
"More than trying to beat him, I’m always thinking about the most difficult layout I’m capable of doing. Of course, the layout he used at Worlds isn’t the best he can do either. If he really wanted to, he could push it even further. So when he does bring everything he’s got, I know I need to be in a position where I can still win. That’s how I see it."

 

— Last season, when you included the quad toe–triple Axel sequence, you said that even if it got a negative GOE, you still wanted to do it.
(Laughs) "Yeah, looking back, I really think I was kind of floating after the PyeongChang Olympics. But when I actually tried the 4T–3A, I had a strong desire to land it cleanly. In the end, I managed to pull it off nicely during the season. I’d been doing it a lot in shows too, and I really wanted to be the first person to officially land it in competition. That desire was strong, and I think I was able to come to terms with it — to feel satisfied and at peace with it."

 

— In the end, you've returned to focusing on winning.
"Yes, that’s right. Of course, I still have a strong desire to win. I wish I could have won just by feeling that way, but I realized it’s not that simple. I know I need to acquire the Axel as a weapon as soon as possible. And before that—well, it’s not that I’m thinking of taking things step by step—but I’m starting with the Lutz. I’m getting the sense that I can use it more consistently now. Rather than strictly following a sequence, I want to decide what to include based on whether it’s necessary or not, whether it’s the right time or not."

 

— You once said, “I don’t want to be pathetic.”
"Yeah, I absolutely hate the idea of people saying, ‘Ah, Yuzuru Hanyu’s done for.’ That’s the last thing I want. So today, how should I put it… I do feel like I gave it everything I had. But when I look at the scores, I just think, 'Ugh, that’s so lame.' I really feel that way. So I’ll train a lot more. Seriously."

 

— What does “pathetic” mean to you?
"I feel like every year at Autumn Classic and Skate Canada, I end up being pretty pathetic." (laughs) "I go into them thinking, ‘Man, this is not cool.’ But honestly, I’ve always had huge ups and downs—either really good or really bad. I’m the kind of person who can say something is good when it is, and call it bad when it’s not. I think I’m the harshest judge of myself. And this time, I can clearly say: it was bad.
Still, I’m always chasing that feeling—like when I went clean with SEIMEI or Ballade No.1. Or the feeling I had with Hope & Legacy at Worlds in Helsinki. I’m always trying to surpass that version of myself who was perfect back then. I have this overwhelming desire to go beyond even that.
And only when I do, maybe then I’ll finally be able to say, 'Yeah, that was cool.' I mean, saying something was ‘cool’ sounds kind of weird, but maybe I’ll be able to feel like I finally achieved something meaningful as an athlete.
Everything else just feels… not cool."

 

— It sounds like you have a lot you want to accomplish, but rather than thinking about “this season,” it seems like time just keeps slipping by.
"Yeah, I guess it’s more like I’m just doing what I can, when I can. There are always limits to what’s possible in any given moment, so I’m doing what I can within those limits, and if that leads to results, then great.
I really feel like there’s still room for me to grow, and I’m training with that in mind. There was a period where I felt like I’d hit a wall, especially with the Axel — it felt like such a thick wall that I wasn’t sure if I could ever break through. But now, I’m starting to feel like I actually might be able to do it.
I want to keep trying new things, gathering information, and getting stronger as I go."

 

— When was that “period” of doubt, and what kind of wall was it?
"It was probably around last year’s Autumn Classic — before and after. There was a time when I thought, ‘This isn’t the time to be working on the Axel.’ It just felt way out of reach. I could land it with a harness, but without one, it didn’t even feel close to rotating.
But recently, I’ve finally started to get some rotation going. During last season, I really didn’t have the time to train the Axel, and I was also dealing with injuries. I was completely focused on getting ready for Worlds.
But looking back now, maybe all that ended up helping my training more than I realized."

 

— There’s been some talk about 2022. How clearly are you thinking about that year?
"That’s the question everyone wants to know, huh… (laughs) But honestly, to me, 2022 just feels like a natural extension of my competitive career. It’s not like I have this burning desire to compete there or to win at all costs.
What I feel most strongly right now is that I just want to land the Axel. And once I can do that, I want to skate a perfect Origin program. That’s my biggest motivation."

 

— So your current goal is to land the Axel and perfect Origin?
"Yeah, even if that takes three or four years (laughs). I just want to take it slowly and carefully, making sure I don’t break my body in the process."

 

— What comes after reaching your goal?
"Hmm… I used to think about that a lot. But things have changed so much — the environment I’m in now is really far from the one I had imagined.
I mean, I’m incredibly supported by so many people — it’s almost overwhelming. Even though this might have been just a lower-tier competition, it’s not like anyone involved treats it like it’s less important.
Of course, the support team is amazing, but even the event staff, the security personnel… I feel like I’m being treated in a way most athletes never are. And more than anything, I want to live up to that. I think that’s the strongest feeling I have.
It’s no longer so much about “I want to become this” or “I want to do that.”
To be honest, I always thought I’d win the Olympics in PyeongChang, retire, go pro for a year, make some good money — that’s what I pictured ever since I was a kid.
But then… I don’t know. After PyeongChang, I sort of thought, ‘Should I try the Axel?’ and ended up continuing without a super clear goal. And now, here I am, skating and finding competition genuinely fun again.
So yes, I want to land the Axel, perfect Origin, perfect Otonal — all of that matters to me. But at the core of it, I think what I want most is to deliver performances that meet the expectations of the people who continue to support me.
How long I’ll feel that way or keep going… I don’t really know."

 

— At Worlds, you once said, “Losing is the same as dying.” How strong is your desire to win now?
"For this competition, I actually wasn’t focused much on winning or losing. More than anything, I really wanted to land everything cleanly and complete the layout I had planned.
But in that sense… yeah, I didn’t quite achieve what I wanted. I’m left thinking, ‘What if I had done this differently?’ or ‘Maybe that could’ve been better.’
It’s like… I’m really in a phase where I’m facing those challenges head-on. It’s hard to put into words, but…
At Worlds, I felt that I just couldn’t reach the top, and that loss really hit me. It made me feel, ‘Wow, I really want to win.’
Like I said earlier — it wasn’t even about PyeongChang. From when I was a little kid, I imagined going to the Olympics at 19, again at 23, winning both, and retiring. That was always the plan in my head, even since kindergarten.
So after that, I didn’t have much of a hunger for victory anymore. I think maybe during last year’s Grand Prix Series I did start to feel like I wanted to win again.
At Worlds — yeah, if I had gone clean, maybe things could’ve been different. But still, your actual performance reflects your true ability. And I felt that difference in ability when I lost, and it really stuck with me. It made me want to win again, badly.
For this competition, I was trying to keep those feelings in check, and my main goal was to perfect my performance.
But at the heart of why I skate now, there are two big reasons: the gratitude I have for everyone who supports me and the desire to live up to their expectations — and the frustration of that loss.
I think those two things together are what’s pushing me to give it everything this season."

 

— What does it mean to live for the quadruple Axel? I can’t even imagine what those days are like.
"It feels kind of like being a monk in training." (laughs) "Honestly, I imagine even if paparazzi showed up, they’d be bored out of their minds. I just go to the rink, train, come home, eat, work out, take a bath, and go to bed. That’s it." (laughs)

 

— In the midst of that, have you found any kind of enjoyment outside the rink?
"This is starting to sound like I’m some really sad person…" (laughs) "I mean, I don’t really go out. I’ve never really found joy in going out, ever since I was a kid. I don’t particularly think it’s good or bad — it’s just how I am.
But during the Fantasy on Ice shows, getting to interact with all kinds of artists is really stimulating for me. As a performer, it’s a chance to see and learn all these different ways of expressing yourself. So maybe it’s not exactly 'fun' in the usual sense, but it’s incredibly fulfilling.
Those moments were truly enjoyable, and I think of them as a kind of 'fantasy' that I got to experience in that season. Of course, I pushed my body pretty hard, especially my feet, and that took a toll. But in a way, that period became a sort of emotional and mental reset for me during the off-season.
This year, I haven’t really taken much of a break at all — I’m spending my days fully focused on skating.
Well… I do still enjoy playing video games." (laughs)

 

— What’s the condition of your right ankle now? There was talk that it has fewer tendons than usual. What would happen if you got the same kind of injury again?
"Honestly, I’m not really sure what would happen. But I do know I’m much more prone to sprains than the average person. Even back in Russia (in November last year), I didn’t think it would swell up that much, but it just suddenly ballooned, like boom, and I really wondered if my foot would even fit in the boot.
I don’t know exactly what it is, but yeah — I definitely have to be careful.
Right now, though, there’s no pain — not in the right ankle or the left. I do feel a bit of that lingering ache from old injuries, especially when I wake up in the morning, but that’s about it.
I don’t think it’s affecting my skating or competition. Still, I know the risk of injury for me is clearly higher than it is for most people."

 

— Thank you very much.
"I’m not retiring or anything, okay? Not even close!"

 

— What game are you into right now?
"Right now, I’m playing Fire Emblem."
(Which console?) "Switch."

 

— We’re looking forward to seeing your Axel.
"I’m gonna land a beautiful one. Seriously — I’m gonna make it really beautiful.
Watch me, world!"

 

(End)