[2022.04.27] Ice Jewels Vol.16

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: Ice Jewels Vol.16, pg 28 (https://weibo.com/1712950240/M25Gkonf4)

Info: 

https://www.kazi.co.jp/icejewels/backnumber/vol16/vo16.html

https://www.amazon.co.jp/アイスジュエルズ-16-KAZIムック/dp/4807296825/

 

 

Special Contribution Yuzuru Hanyu × Ice Jewels: Yuzuru Hanyu writes about the truth behind the quadruple axel

 

The quadruple axel was officially recognized/certified for the first time in the world at the Beijing Olympics. Yuzuru Hanyu himself explains his own quadruple axel using selected cuts from a series of 82 photographs.

 

Spoiler

On the recognition of the 4A (quad Axel)

Q: How do you feel about having the world's first officially recognized/certified 4A?

 

A: To be honest, I do feel happy about it. If I were to express how I truly felt at the time, it was a result born from my training and effort, all aimed at success. There were times of discouragement and disappointment (when I couldn't land it successfully or didn’t execute it perfectly), and also times of frustration and pain. But I’ve come to fully accept the result. This is my Axel. This is my 4A. I’m proud of it, and I still feel that way. My ankle didn’t recover right away, it may still take quite some time, but I think I need to continue practicing hard. I want to carry forward what I learned, the experience I gained, and the positive feelings I had at the [Beijing Winter Olympics], and bring that into my training.

 

Summary of the Beijing Winter Olympics

 

Q: This was your third time participating in the Olympics. Compared to the previous two, did you feel a different kind of appeal?

 

A: For me, the Olympics truly are the greatest stage for figure skating as a competitive sport. At my first Olympics, the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, I felt a sense of fear. There were many things I didn’t understand, and I was simply thinking, “I have to give everything I’ve got in this moment!” Although I did make some mistakes, I managed two clean performances in the short program (SP), so I really gave it my all. In the free skate (FS) afterward, even though there were also mistakes, I fought with the determination that I would accumulate every last 0.1 point I could, all the way to the very end.

 

At my second Olympics, the Pyeongchang Winter Games, I was incredibly nervous (laughs). I had confidence, but sometimes just having confidence isn’t enough, and there were also areas where I hadn’t practiced enough, so I was really tense. In the SP, where even the slightest mistake couldn’t be allowed, I had this mindset of “this is a really tough jump” going into the second half of the program, and I stayed nervous all the way through. The level of tension I felt during that final Lutz in the FS, only Pyeongchang brought that out in me.

 

But I believed wholeheartedly that all my effort, pain, worries, and sorrow would be rewarded in that one moment. Because I held onto that power of belief so strongly, that gold medal meant more to me than anything. It's a really precious treasure. Honestly, even now, if I look at my Pyeongchang gold medal, I might cry (laughs).

 

Third time at the Beijing Winter Olympics... it’s hard to sum it up in one sentence. It was difficult. I had to attempt things in the actual competition that I hadn't yet successfully landed, but I had built up the best practice leading into it. You could say my emotions were a complicated mix. When it came to the 4A and all of my performance, just like in Pyeongchang, I had full confidence. Everything was going smoothly. Even though there were some issues and mistakes, nothing happened that really shook me mentally. I was able to stay focused in a very good state. Physically as well, I was in peak condition. Even if unexpected things occurred or my attention was diverted, it was all within my expectations. Because of that, I was perfectly prepared. During the 6-minute warm-up before the SP, I made sure not to interfere with my own 4S traces and gave it everything I had. Even at the moment I failed the 4S, I was able to deliver a performance that reflected my full concentration. Of course, I felt frustrated, but now I believe that simply being able to skate that program properly held real meaning.

 

Then, the next day, I got injured. I found myself thinking, “Why now at the Olympics?” I stared blankly at the Olympic logo on the practice rink. It wasn’t a long moment, but to me, it felt like an incredibly long time. The pain was very intense, and from my own experience, I immediately understood that I wasn’t in a condition where I could jump. I still tested my jumps, just to be sure.

 

While I was on the rink, the option of withdrawing never once crossed my mind. But that night, I was deeply conflicted. The pain was severe, and I started to resent myself for being unable to live up to the expectations of the people who supported and cheered for me. All the training I had built up until that point, the confidence I had gained, the hope that I could land the 4A—it felt like I had lost it all. I kept asking myself: “Why did I work so hard up until now?”

 

I consulted with the Team Japan doctor and was told that if I could endure the pain, I would be allowed to compete. And so, I arrived at the official practice on the day of the free skate. I had already taken painkillers, which should have been starting to work, but even during my off-ice warm-up, the pain was so intense that I couldn’t even walk normally. I clenched my teeth and forced myself to jog.

Since the doctor was with me, I asked once more if it was really okay to compete while enduring this pain, because I wanted to skate no matter what. The doctor crossed his arms, thought for a moment, and then gave me the go-sign.

 

From that point on, I gradually got used to the pain. If it was just pain and I could endure it, then I could push through no matter what. Being able to skate on the Olympic stage, if all it took was bearing the pain, I would endure as much as necessary. But in reality, it wasn't just the pain. My range of motion was also limited. Still, I told myself that didn’t matter. I jumped with everything I had, and of course, landed on my right ankle as usual. Though I lost my balance due to the limited movement, thanks to the sensitivity and strength I’ve built up until now, I stubbornly pulled myself back and was able to move. Even though practice on the ice still hurt, with the determination of “I can skate” and “I can land the 4A in the competition,” I kept on jumping.

 

During the actual free skate competition, I was still battling pain during the warm-up. Only during the 6-minute practice and the official competition did the pain disappear completely thanks to painkiller injections. Jumping on the foot with reduced pain made me feel like I could do anything. Whether it was the 4A during the 6-minute practice or the 4A in the competition, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of fear; I challenged the jumps as if success was the natural outcome. Because of this mindset, both during the 6-minute practice and the competition, I was able to perform the 4A with a level of precision completely different from before. And the other jumps and my overall performance too, because of that ankle sprain, because of the pain, and because of everyone’s support, it’s precisely thanks to all of these factors that I was able to deliver that program.

 

When the free skate ended, I did feel emotional pain. I wondered, “What form did all the time and effort I put into the 4A and trying to win gold at the Olympics take?” But at the same time, there was also a sense of accomplishment that I had delivered a performance I could be proud of, that was true to Yuzuru Hanyu’s style. With the support of those around me, and the encouragement of everyone out there, I skated that performance with a body full of battle scars, and I think that the performance was very in line with my style. Because of everyone’s support, I was able to deliver that performance. And for that, I feel incredibly grateful.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu’s Determination

Q: Please share a message for your fans.

 

A: Right now, I feel truly happy, and it's all thanks to everyone. I need to say that again. The performance I gave was possible only because of the support I received from all of you. That’s what made me feel happiness. I’m truly grateful. I couldn’t live up to everyone’s expectations, and I’ve blamed myself deeply, wondering if I had wasted the strength of your support. But I received your warm words, your voices reached me, and I hope that perhaps, even just a little, my performance reached you too. Up until now, I have been working hard all along, leaving traces in different forms, and this makes me feel that I have truly been rewarded. I am really very thankful. From here on, I’ll continue to work hard so that you can keep looking forward to Yuzuru Hanyu the person and his skating. Please continue to support me from now on, too!