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[NEWS]

 

Former ice dancer Mark Hanretty talks about Yuzu:

 

Most Memorable Olympic Ice Skating Moments with Mark Hanretty

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RNR8Vew2Zs

 


 

 

Thanks for sharing the videos:thanks:

By the way because you mentioned the tie :wink2:

https://twitter.com/kionmama6779/status/1443591573569097742

This is from JOC Sports award 2018 backstage.
 

 


From Maison KOSÉ IG Stories :tumblr_m230pl4UqL1qfamg6:

https://twitter.com/yuzuttto/status/1484438955982745601


The Origin 2.0 costume will be on display at the Maison KOSÉ Ginza store until 26th January, if a Japanese Fanyu still wants to watch this.

 

[NEWS]

 

 




From Spanish Olympics twitter account :heart:

https://twitter.com/juegosolimpicos/status/1484482656209354752

 

 

 

 

:tumblr_inline_n18qr7hmfk1qid2nw:

 

 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1484479098713882637

 

Here the video :67638860:

 

[NEWS]

 

.....but we cannot purchase this online :(


Link to comment


Tzu-Han Ting from Taiwan is currently taking part at the 4CC. 

She admires Yuzu as her future goal and especially likes his "Hope and Legacy" :heartpound:

 

From her wikipedia page:

 

https://abload.de/img/tzu-hanqjkme.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ting_Tzu-Han

 

[NEWS]

 

 

 

  This MAD makes me very emotional  :softYuzu:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh4c4hJzBvk

 

 

 I wish Yuzu only the best for the Olympics. :tumblr_inline_n18qr7hmfk1qid2nw:



OP shares this from Japan Olympic museum :67638860:

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FJnzdyaUcAEJ0Ym?format=jpg&name=small

     

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FJnzdybUUAcb2UV?format=jpg&name=360x360

credit:@enmi_g on twitter

 

 

https://twitter.com/enmi_g/status/1484485251334238210

 

 

 

 

I have never seen this photo of Yuzu :tumblr_inline_mto5i3wxFW1qid2nw: Maybe for the introduction of the Olympic team :dontknow:

 

https://twitter.com/themainichi/status/1483788901441425409

 

[NEWS]

 

 

 


Link to comment

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1484727777765244929

:smiley-angelic001:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

 

https://twitter.com/myohmizmai/status/1484561267243163653?s=20

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

 

Here you are :tumblr_inline_n2pje2YFXq1qdlkyg:

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1484872043976073217

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/danielleephoto/status/1484916448707424257?s=21

 Practice schedule! 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].




https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485186052042412035

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485190915719577605

 

And Shizuka is right! Yuzu's accomplishments will never go away, just like we will always love and cherish him no matter what. :loveshower:

 

[NEWS]


 

 

The schedule reminds me of that the Olympics are getting closer ...:smiley_hairpull:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing. I'm feeling a bit sentimental now after seeing this. :softYuzu:

Yuzu's determination is really very impressive. :heartpound:

 

 

 

 

By the way

Anjo Cagmat Alimario (Senior Correspondent from CNN Philippines) has retweeted this post by Olympics

 

https://twitter.com/anjocalimario/status/1484134496408457217

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Link to comment

Eh? Yuzu is 7th? I thought he will be 8th.

Seven is such a lucky number though. :girlsigh:

 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485264595761922052?cxt=HHwWiIDUvfqR3JwpAAAA

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/Fran_klymydear/status/1485272651530702856?s=19

 I did not see this plot twist coming lol

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

4A is a group project between legends at this rate, I'm loving this.

 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485292646730170371?cxt=HHwWhoDQvd7y6JwpAAAA

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1485319870078398465

 

It's good to hear that he's excited. :tumblr_inline_n18qrbDQJn1qid2nw:

 

[NEWS]


 

[NEWS]


Here is the English translation:

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1485334444147892230

 



 

Here infos to the flight 🙏

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485519783353536512

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Good to know🙏

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485491711539580928

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1485554125933019137

 

https://twitter.com/Yomiuri_Online/status/1485513962917613568

 

[NEWS]

 

Wow this is really touching to see all the support for Yuzu.

:softYuzu:
I hope all the wishes will bring him good luck.:smiley-angelic001:

 


Based on this video from October 2021, Mishin has already been giving advices to Yuzu on 4A for quite some time:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-2GmfJQyAY

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Share this stats table here too, because I feel that it can't be stressed enough that Beijing will be Michal Brezina's 4th Olympics already!

Other honorable mentionings: Alexei Bychenko, Brendan Kerry and Yuzuru Hanyu will compete at their 3rd Winter Games! Shoma Uno completes the duo of Olympic medalists in men's singles, Jason Brown the quintett of the Sochi uncles and Keegan Messing the trio of the 30 year old pillars of longevity in the men's event. Congrats! :cheer:

Another note: everyone will be older than 18. Yeey!   :clapclap4:

 

https://twitter.com/Henni147/status/1485562361729761281

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

 

https://twitter.com/Beijing2022/status/1485631899674775555?s=20

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Translation of the part about Yuzu:

 

https://twitter.com/harubauer/status/1485645850072477696?cxt=HHwWgMDTufDBiZ4pAAAA

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

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Mishin in his hardcore fanyu era~ Who would have thought

(it was interesting to watch with subtitles, sorry for sharing too much :redface:)

 

 

https://twitter.com/LifeAsAmiracle/status/1485681480403718147?cxt=HHwWhsC4jevbmZ4pAAAA

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

God I can't believe in less than 1 week yuzu will arrive in Beijing! :sipping:

PC feels like last year. Jnats feels like yesterday! :cry: I'm not ready!

 

https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1485233309106196480?s=20

aaa why does Japan TV release every interview bit by bit?

Does anyone know what's his answer to the last question? :yuzupout:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


There is nothing that we do not already know in this France 24 article, but it is always nice to read about how much Yuzu inspires people and how much love and devotion his fans have for him.

 

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220125-art-and-tears-skate-star-hanyu-inspires-diehard-fans

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

New crumbs from AJINOMOTO×SPORTS :67638860:

https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1485856121407819776

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/sweety_yuzu/status/1485852194045714432

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

Here the video about it:11135030:

(see below)

https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1485895951508451328

 

[NEWS]

 

 


Yuzu's laugh is so contagious.

:space:

We already know the video, here the translation

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1485924125999009792

 

 

[NEWS]



https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1485929300750598145

 

So many good wishes for Yuzu from all over the world! :smiley-angelic001:

 

[NEWS]



Link to comment

https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1485932445241581571?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/afp/status/1485960650165788675?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

 

 

This is really sad for him.  All the best for Misha. :smiley-angelic001:

Honestly I'm really worried about Covid at the Olympics.:mellow:



If I translated that correctly a commentary on the team competition will be broadcast on "news every" tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1485930456742719488

 
This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/paul_peret/status/1485824147158872064

Perfect colours for Yuzu :tumblr_lkl6q24eyw1qfamg6: :tumblr_m230ouoWHD1qfamg6: :tumblr_lkl6q24eyw1qfamg6: :tumblr_m230ouoWHD1qfamg6:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/EleC2706/status/1486015584986877958

 

https://twitter.com/EleC2706/status/1486015869578850310

 

ETA:

https://twitter.com/EleC2706/status/1483724757828870144

 

Fortunately, there is still a true expert like Max who talks about the unfairness and incorrect application of the current scoring and judging system as it is. :clapping-smiley:

 

[NEWS]



https://twitter.com/fskatinglinks/status/1485682551830487040?s=20

 

Lots of info in this thread about how to watch the Olympics from all round the globe. Sorry if posted already!

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Korean article titled "[Beijing Rivals] ③ Figure skating 'Superstar Hanyu vs Jump Machine Chen'"

 

https://twitter.com/ky100709t/status/1486098363804094465

:giggle:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].



 

 


:happy0065:......and on this page already over 6.7 million views (currently 6.794.779). Unfortunately the video is blocked for me.

https://sports.yahoo.co.jp/video/player/6058624

 

I'm looking forward to seeing Rondo again soon, of course also TenChi.:heartpound:

https://abload.de/img/tumblr_149f4a925bfb816mkqn.gif

x

 

 

 

By the way 

Here a program notice for 29th January :happy:

https://twitter.com/orangesrgd/status/1484632812313460737

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome back on the Planet @Yuaz12.:wave: I wish you a lot of fun her.

 

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


Infos about the team event. I could not find a source, but I also have read this on weibo.

https://twitter.com/orangesrgd/status/1486246256527638529

 

 

The main Olympics media center shows illustrations by children from all over the world:11135030:

https://twitter.com/yu_iwa3/status/1486229907982094336

 

Yuzu's bielmann:heartpound:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FKAmNLuUUAIcxJE?format=jpg&name=small

 

[NEWS]


Profile the athletes from Team Japan

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2022/athletes/



Yuzu's profile picture :tumblr_inline_mto5i4jHv61qid2nw:

https://abload.de/img/yuzumekxb.jpg

Credit: @Afro Sports / JOC

https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/olympic/2022/a/hanyu-yuzuru/

 

[NEWS]


Link to comment

https://twitter.com/teamkissandcry/status/1486247322568646656?s=21

:201111231756430f6:

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https://twitter.com/wfs_jp/status/1486247536792784897?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/yzkyun_4a_mami/status/1486249689523830791?s=21

Another angle of this moment! 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1486260184096055299?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Short preview of the Figure Skaters Nr. 24 magazine:girlsigh:

https://twitter.com/inrock/status/1485898752544374791




I found this on instagram. A fan pray for Yuzu's third success at Olympics  and wave the big flag.:heartpound:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZA1O7fhjrM/?utm_medium=copy_link

Or on twitter

https://twitter.com/Pengin14/status/1484534819640209409

 

The support of the Fanyus is really impressive.

                          :softYuzu:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Yes :yes: with translation.

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

The second volunteer says she made the decision to major in Japanese after watching Yuzu's performance in Pyeong Chang in 2018. 

 

The third volunteer says she is a fan of Wu Dajing (the only gold medalist for China in 2018) and Yuzu. Yuzu related part: "This is Yuzuru's third Olympics. I hope that he does not feel too much pressure and he can enjoy the competition. I look forward to his success in (landing) 4A in Beijing Olympics. "

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


[NEWS]

 

New post by @gorin:

https://twitter.com/gorin/status/1486594826296602624

 


https://twitter.com/hattoritenjingu/status/1486605334772797440?s=21

Deepl translation: “By the divine virtue of the God of Feet, we protect Yuzuru Hanyu's feet and pray that his wish will blossom at the Beijing Olympics, just as the plum blossoms blossom.”:tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1486614027279077376

 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1486613644171673601

 

So many good wishes for Yuzu and his feet and legs. :heart:

 

May you stay healthy and happy and may you achieve your dreams and goals, Yuzu. :smiley-angelic001:

 

[NEWS]


 

 

 

This program will be shown again on 3th February:happy:

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1486217399502536704

 

 

 

[NEWS]

 

 

 

 

 

:2thumbsup: Trending in the US

https://twitter.com/elitejean/status/1486404436758958080

 




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Turkish sports news knows what's up:

 

https://twitter.com/trtsporyildiz/status/1486628797533147141

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


Nozomu Yoshioka

https://news.jsports.co.jp/skate/article/20190310222457/?p=3

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Info about the Team Japan ceremony on 29th January 

https://twitter.com/orangesrgd/status/1486755575308320768

 

I'm glad it takes place virtually.

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].



[NEWS]
 

English translation of the article on Toru Yaguchi, photographer of Hochi Shimbun:

 

https://twitter.com/orangesrgd/status/1486891290105053193

 





 

 

 

I have found only 4 differences:scratch2:

 

 

 

 

 

 

There seems to be a Fanyu at the Turkish sports channel.

:wink_star:

 

This was posted two days ago :67638860:

https://twitter.com/trtsporyildiz/status/1486416746596687872



Rough translation
 


 

[NEWS]

 

 





https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1487022691383136258

 

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1487022695241895940

 

All these people who have worked with Yuzu are so in awe of him. :tumblr_inline_mm2wbaeqQM1qz4rgp:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1486968761156612099

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1486968765569024002

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1486968768853065729

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1486968772065992707

 

Very interesting talk about the difficulties of the 4A. Yuzu is truly discovering completely new territories here. May he succeed and fulfill all his goals and dreams... and stay healthy and happy doing it! :smiley-angelic001:

 

[NEWS]


Link to comment

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1487050110647164931?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/anjocalimario/status/1487018346251898883

 

This senior correspondent of CNN Philippines is a true Fanyu. :tumblr_inline_n18qrbDQJn1qid2nw:

 

This is exactly what I thought when I saw the Olympics tweet. Yuzu is already THE greatest. :grin:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Well-done Fanyus. bullying works

His Olympics profile is now fixed and complete 

 

https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/athlete-profile-n1038834-yuzuru-hanyu.htm

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


interview with YOSHIKI

Among others he talks about Miracle. He also said he was moved by Yuzuru's win in Pyeongchang.

https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/01/29/kiji/20220129s00079000147000c.html

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


https://twitter.com/orangesrgd/status/1487303956070277122

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Fuji TV has compiled quite a number of Yuzu’s National( one Worlds) performances. You can find the video here. 
https://m.weibo.cn/status/4730934915501233#&video

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].



Good news :2Daumenhoch:


All athletes of the Olympics Team Japan tested negative. Departure to China is on 30th. 

https://twitter.com/SportsHochi/status/1487359636835487744


 

[NEWS]

 

Good and safe flight everyone :smiley-angelic001:

 

It's getting real and I'm getting more nervous.:Panik:

 



 

Photo feature of Yuzu’s development over the years (part 2) with pictures from 2010-2011

Here the direct link
https://www.jiji.com/news2/handmade/special/webstories/amp/1011hanyu/

 

https://twitter.com/jijicom/status/1487328302998163456

 

 

:agree:

https://twitter.com/MayLiu25190418/status/1487374581807874051

 

 

[NEWS]

 

 




https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1487451601921245190

 

Yuzu is such an extraordinary person in every way. No wonder he attracts and inspires other masters of their art and craft to give their all and create masterpieces together with him. :softYuzu:

 

[NEWS]


Link to comment

[NEWS]

 

Which is your favourite?

 

https://twitter.com/juegosolimpicos/status/1487419759423471620

 


A few more votes were added in a few hours. :coolio:

https://twitter.com/iyuzu520/status/1487457110782742535

What a Yuzu fan competition Olympics would have been without the pandemic!

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


[NEWS]
Japan Forward article

 

Yuma Kagiyama Takes On the Olympic Challenge with Heroes Yuzuru Hanyu, Shoma Uno
By Jack Gallagher
29 January 2022

 

 



Amber <3 

 

https://twitter.com/elitejean/status/1487582059749019650

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


 

https://twitter.com/KOLYADABOT/status/1487445645107605510

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.... and currently many votes have been added again :2thumbsup:

https://twitter.com/immoberry/status/1487621790943772673

 

[NEWS]

 



Here the photo feature part 3 of Yuzu’s development over the years from 2012-2013:girlsigh:

 

https://twitter.com/jijicom/status/1487679184931639297


Direct link
https://www.jiji.com/news2/handmade/special/webstories/amp/1213hanyu

 

[NEWS]



https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1487635837466546179

 

How cute! :tumblr_inline_mg16go8gBg1qdlkyg:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/SCMP_Sport/status/1487624105922682881

 

I like the term "full mega-watt star power". :grin:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1487782451179290627

 

Plush believes in Yuzu! :ganba:

 

[NEWS]


Link to comment



 

 

 

🙏

 

Here the video about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9UAr7SWyLY

 

 

[NEWS]

 

Thank you to Yuzu's hometown for the great support:heartpound:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes.:yes: As soon as there is any news from Team France you can find infos in the "Winter Olympic Games" thread.

Edit: I posted a photo of Kevin Aymoz, the team will fly to Beijing today.

 



Link to comment

Seimei was uploaded to the Olympic youtube channel :heart:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iafXviwIvEM

 


 

 

Yuzu is trending on Twitter :2Daumenhoch:

https://twitter.com/LiSaMoonInLeo/status/1487831806905044992

 

Mehr:68271262:

 

 

 

:hairflip:

https://twitter.com/yuzuuquadaxel/status/1487850251667001348

 

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https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1488118802605023232

 

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https://twitter.com/smpkyk/status/1488145487073267716?s=21

 

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Sorry, I couldn't resist. This idea of Xinyu lifting Yuzu in a space suit was just too tempting:

 

https://twitter.com/Henni147/status/1488188294294867968

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


Here is my automatic translation of Yuzuru's latest Ice Jewels interview (vol. 15), made with OCR and deepL. I don't speak Japanese and this is not a proper translation. I hope we will get a better translation soon.

 

Spoiler

ICE JEWELS 15 (January 2022) 

Yuzuru Hanyu Special Interview

 

がむしゃらさだけでなく経験もすべて生かして冷静に、最後まで頑張りたい

 

8カ月ぶりの公式戦となった全日本選手権を圧倒的な演技で制し、北京五輪への切符を手に入れた羽生結弦選手に、独自インタビューに答えてもらった。(Ice Jewels)

 

I want to use all my experience as well as my determination to stay calm and work hard until the end.

 

After winning the All-Japan Championships with a dominant performance, his first official competition in eight months, Yuzuru Hanyu secured his ticket to the Beijing Olympics. We asked him for an exclusive interview. (Ice Jewels)

 

 

「五輪で勝つんだ」というスイッチ

 

The switch to "I'm going to win the Olympic Games".

 

 

Q: 北京五輪が近づいてきました。3回目の五輪を迎えるにあたり、今までとは違うものがありますか?

Y: 五輪2連覇が子どものころから常に強く描いていた夢であり目標だったので、北京はあまり考えていなかった五輪となります。ある意味では気持ちが先走らずに、ピークのことなど余計な心配をせずにしっかりと練習してこられたという良い面もあれば、2連覇を強い覚悟でつかみとることができたからこそ、この五輪で、2連覇という実績を壊してしまわないかという怖さもあります。

 

Q: With the Beijing Olympics coming up, what do you think will be different in your third Olympics?

Y: Winning the Olympics two times in a row has always been my dream and goal since I was a child, so Beijing was not something I thought much about. On the one hand, it's good that I have been able to train well without worrying about my peak, but on the other hand, I'm afraid that this Olympics will destroy my previous achievements, as I was able to win two consecutive titles with a strong determination.

 

 

Q: 振り返っていただきたいのですが、日本代表のジャージを着たときに五輪への気持ちを固めたとの発言がありましたが、そのきっかけになったものは何だったのでしょうか?

Y: 世界選手権やグランプリシリーズなどでも支給される日本代表のジャージがあるのですが、五輪代表ジャージは僕にとっては特別です。袖に腕を通したときに、「五輪なんだ」という実感がわき、「五輪で勝つんだ」というスイッチがはいったように思えました。

 

Q: Looking back, you said that wearing the team jersey confirmed your desire to go to the Olympics, what was it that inspired you?

Y: There are team jerseys for the World Championships and the Grand Prix Series, but the Olympic team jersey is special for me. When I put my arm in the sleeve, I felt that this is the Olympics and I was ready to win the Olympics.

 

 

Q: 4Aについてうかがいます。4月の国別対抗戦から、12月の全日本まで、8カ月の間に経験された大きな変化を教えてください。

Y: 5月ごろはひたすら基礎の練習をしました。高く跳ぶための練習や踏み切りの角度、右足の振り上げ方などの練習をたくさんしました。結果として、7月ごろには高くジャンプを跳ぶことができるようになったように感じましたが、4回転半を回り切るためには足りませんでした。その後大きな捻挫があって、なかなかうまく練習ができない日々があったり、振り出しに戻るようなときもあり、捻挫前の4Aを取り戻すまでにかなり時間がかかりました。

10月に入って、高く跳ぶだけでは回転がかかり切らないことを感じ、回転を速くするための練習を始めました。少しずつ良くなっていく実感はあったのですが、それでも回転は足りず、毎日転倒し続けていました。

そういう日々の中で、10月末に、回転を強くかけることへの意識をやめて、まずは立つことだけを目標に練習した日があり、その時に初めて、両足の回転不足だったのですが、転ばずに耐えることができました。そこから少しずつ、軸を作ることの大切さを感じ、軸を作るだけのジャンプの練習をして、NHK杯前には立って耐えることのできるジャンプが増えてきました。その後また捻挫をして、4Aもまたやり直しになって、12月の3週目にやっと、NHK 杯前よりもしっかりとした4Aの形になってきました。

 

Q: Let's talk about 4A, what are the big changes you have had in the last 8 months, from the World Team Trophy in April until the All-Japan Championships in December?

Y: Around May I practiced the basics. I practiced a lot on how to jump higher, the angle of my step, how to swing my right leg up. As a result, around July I felt like I could jump higher, but not enough to complete the quadruple and a half. Then I had a big sprain, which made it difficult to train, and sometimes I felt like I was back to zero, so it took me a long time to get back to the 4A I had before the sprain.

In October I felt that I was not able to rotate enough just by jumping high, so I started practicing to rotate faster. I could feel that I was getting better, but I still didn't have enough rotation and I kept falling every day.

At the end of October, I had a day where I stopped focusing on rotating faster and just tried to be able to stay on my feet, and for the first time I was able to land without falling, despite the lack of rotation, on both feet. From then on, I felt how important it was to make the axis, so I practiced jumps just to make the axis, and before NHK Cup, I was able to land more jumps that I could endure standing. Then I sprained it again, and I had to redo 4A again.

 

 

Q:「軸を作る」ジャンプと、「回転をかける」ジャンプがあるとのことですが、それぞれ、どのように違うのでしょうか? また、4Aを成功するためには2つのジャンプがひとつになることが必要だとのことでしょうか?

Y: それぞれに違いがあるとすれば、意識の違いでしょうか。思いっ切り跳び切るようなジャンプと、軸に意識を集中させて、転倒しないように耐えることを大切にしているジャンプの違いといった感じです。

2種類のジャンプをひとつにするというよりも、軸を作ることを学習し切れて、意識して軸を作る必要がなくなる状態になると、思い切って回転をかけられるようになるのだと思っています。まだ軸を作るために意識すべきことがたくさんあって、無意識にできるようにはなっていないので、回転をかけ切る段階には進めていないです。

少しずつではありますが、毎日できることを積み重ねていきたいと思います。

 

Q: You say that there are "axis" jumps and "rotation" jumps. What is the difference between them? Also, do you mean that the two types of jumps have to unite to make a successful 4A?

Y: If there's a difference between them, it's the difference in consciousness. It's like the difference between a jump where you just jump as hard as you can, and a jump where you focus on your axis and try not to fall.

I don't think it's a matter of uniting the two types of jumps, but rather of learning to make the axis so well that I don't need to think about it anymore, so that I can rotate with my full energy. There are still a lot of things I need to be aware of in order to create an axis, and I'm not yet able to do it without thinking about it, so I'm not at the stage where I can rotate fully.

I would like to continue to do what I can every day, little by little.

 

 

Q: 羽生選手の4Aの助走スピードは、他のジャンプより遅く見えますが、どうしてそれでも跳べるのでしょうか?

Y: 軸が早くできるということは最高速で回れる時間が増えるということにもつながるので、スピードを落として、コントロールされた状態で軸に入ることができれば、ある程度は回ってくれるんだと思います。

 

Q: The speed of the run-up to your 4A looks slower than the other jumps. 

Y: If I can make the axis faster, I will have more time to rotate at maximum speed, so if I slow down and get into the axis in a controlled way, I think it can rotate to some extent.

 

 

Q: 北京五輪の目標を教えてください。

Y: 3連覇したいです。そして4Aも成功させたいです。

 

Q: What are your goals for the Beijing Olympics?

Y: I want to win for the third time in a row. I also want to do 4A.

 

 

Q: 北京五輪も無観客の可能性がありますが、テレビで応援してくれるファンの皆さまへどんな演技を届けたいですか? また、演技を通して届けたいメッセージをお願いします。

Y: 五輪は勝負の舞台なので、何かを感じてほしいとかはないです。がむしゃらさだけでなく、経験もすべて生かして、冷静に、最後まで頑張りたいと思います。

 

Q: There is a possibility that there will be no spectators at the Beijing Olympics, what do you want to deliver to your fans who will be watching you on TV? Please tell us the message you want to send through your performance.

Y: The Olympics is a battlefield, so I don't want people to feel that. I'm going to try to do my best until the end, calmly, using all my experience as well as my determination.

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/lucycamui/status/1488153960787886082

Imagine landing 4A and clean skates with crazy difficult programs of Rondo and Tenchi "might" not be enough to beat Nathan. 

It hurts that it comes directly from Yuzu's mouth.

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/killua11111/status/1488141215786700804

 

The three-time Olympic champion deserves to be princess carried after winning his third Olympic gold medal. :ganba:

 

If they do it after the competitions during the gala with both of them wearing masks, it shouldn't be a problem.

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1488238989257678864

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1488238992806100999

https://twitter.com/tsukiyominoasa/status/1488239001580490756

 

Yuzu is so popular and beloved in China! I didn't know about the birthday project by Chinese fans. This is amazing! :tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

 

He's really the best ambassador for Japan. :tumblr_inline_n18qrbDQJn1qid2nw:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1488255768549728259

[NEWS]

 

"He keeps moving the sport of men's figure skating forward."

So true 🙏

 

 

 


 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1488215592855552001

 

 

[NEWS]


From the bottom of my heart I wish him that he achieves all his goals.

Yuzu, we will always support you:heartpound: 



https://twitter.com/kano_likeyuzuru/status/1488361459805409280

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


 

 

I have Rondo :heartpound:

 

Spoiler

introduction and rondo capriccioso (2021-2022)

you are salvation. you are redemption. you are the red string tying two lovers’ hands together. you are the earth’s perpetual spinning of new things to be.

 

 

https://twitter.com/recordchina/status/1488030173387759618


A group of fans from China has created a video to support Yuzu enthusiastically:tumblr_inline_mto5i3wxFW1qid2nw:


English translation
https://www-recordchina-co-jp.translate.goog/b888809-s25-c50-d0198.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de

 

Here the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdNIfpDhVHI

 

 

[NEWS]


May Yuzu feel all the support from his fans.:heart:

 

 


[NEWS]

 

The Asahi Shimbun article

 

FIGURE SKATING/ Hanyu needs faster rotation to land a historic quadruple axel
By Yu Iwasa
1 February 2022

 

 


https://twitter.com/ffkuma/status/1488401875049545729

 

Wow! Yuzu is so popular in China! :tumblr_inline_n18qrbDQJn1qid2nw:

 

According to Google Translate, this tweet says: "China Central Television CCTV Official Site Winter Olympic Star Yuzuru Hanyu No. 1 by far."

 

[NEWS]



https://twitter.com/EleC2706/status/1488527455266693125

 

Yes, Max! Keep speaking the truth! :2thumbsup:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Link to comment

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1488709365288759301

 

Nobu is such a great guy! He's right, the 4A deserves a way higher BV. :strong:

I'm sending my best wishes and positive energy to Yuzu. May everything go well for him. :smiley-angelic001:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/1488744448876027905

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/rockerskating/status/1488753320814686209

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].





https://twitter.com/max_ambesi/status/1488831789342863362?s=19

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1488844004254908416

 

Aaawww... Nobu... :tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

There is so much love and support for Yuzu. I hope he feels encouraged by it.

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/killua11111/status/1488830454816194561

https://twitter.com/killua11111/status/1488831895463149568

 

Great comment on National Chinese TV on why Yuzu's skating and performances are so special. :tumblr_inline_n18qrbDQJn1qid2nw:

 

[NEWS]


Link to comment

https://twitter.com/ukijcvl2a3bvwco/status/1488763706821414912?s=21

So heartwarming!!!! :img_21:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/sarah_sohma/status/1488781586942533636

louder please <3 

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCYUdYegyvw

Nobu trying out Seimei :)

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

New Shae-Lynn Bourne interview from the latest Kiss & Cry magazine, automatically translated with OCR and deepL. As always, I don't speak Japanese and this is not a proper translation.

By the way, the magazine is so beautiful, it is almost a photobook!

 

Spoiler

KISS & CRY vol. 42 (January 2022) - Shae-Lynn Bourne Special Interview 

(deepL translation)

 

 

羽生結弦が創る氷上の世界

 

The world on ice created by Yuzuru Hanyu

 

シェイ=リーン·ボーン

76年1月24日生まれ、カナダ出身。アイスダンスの選手として3度冬季五輪に出場し、'03年の世界選手権で金メダルに。現在は振付師として活躍中。

 

Shae-Lynn Bourne

Born on 24 January 1976 in Canada. She competed in three Winter Olympics as an ice dancer and won the gold medal at the World Championships in 2003. She is currently working as a choreographer.

 

 

— まず、新ショート『序奏とロンド・カプリチオーソ』について教えてください。どのような経緯で、ジェフリー・バトルさんと共同で振り付けることになったのでしょうか?

シェイ  ュヅから「ショートの振り付けを完成させる手伝いをしてほしい』と依頼されました。すでに音楽が決まっていて、ジェフリーが振り付けを行っていましたが、ユヅは観客との”コネクション(繋がり)”をさらに深めたいと考えたのです。これまで私はフリーの振り付けを担当してきたので、これは新しい体験でした。

 

Q:  First of all, please tell us about the new short program "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso". How did you and Jeffrey Buttle come to collaborate on the choreography?

Shae: Yuzu asked me to help him finish the choreography for the short program. The music was already set and Jeffrey was doing the choreography, but Yuzu wanted to create more of a "connection" with the audience. This was a new experience for me, as I have always choreographed his free programs until now.

 

 

— 振り付けはどのようなプロセスで行われたのでしょうか?

シェイ  とても光栄でうれしかったのですが、最初に確認したのは『ジェフリーとブライアン(·オーサー)が同意しているか』ということでした。ほかの人の振り付けに勝手に手を入れるわけにはいきませんから。そして、ジェフリーからは「あなたの好きなようにアレンジしてかまわない」という返事が来て、ブライアンも私の意見が加わることを歓迎してくれました。ユヅはこのプログラムを、長年彼の振り付けを担当してきたジェフリーと私の集大成となる作品にしたいと願っていたのです。実際の作業は1週間くらい…いえ、中休みも入れてもう少しかかりましたね。

 

Q: What was the choreography process like?

Shae: I felt very honoured and happy, but the first thing I had to make sure of was that Jeffrey and Brian (Orser) would accept it. Because you can't just take someone else's choreography and change it. Jeffrey replied, "You can rearrange it any way you like", and Brian welcomed my input. Yuzu wanted this programme to be the culmination of all the work that Jeffrey and I had done together over the years as his choreographers. The actual work took about a week... well, a bit more if you include the breaks.

 

 

— 具体的に、どのような部分を担当したのでしょうか?

シェイ  全体的な振り付けを見直し、細部を調整していくという作業でした。ユヅはこのプログラムに込めた自身の思いを、より観客が理解できるものに仕上げたいと願っていました。まずユヅから、彼が演じているビデオがたくさん送られてきました。その時点では全体の雰囲気はできあがっていましたが、細部にはいろいろな課題がありました。例えば、冒頭で彼は“とても寒い場所にいる”という表現をしたかったそうなのですが、それがあまり伝わってこなかった。私は「私の解釈だったらこうする』というものを演じて、ユヅに送り返しました。また、彼のトレーニングにもリモートで立ち合いました。

 

Q: What part of the programme did you work on?

Shae: It was a process of reviewing the overall choreography and adjusting the details. Yuzu wanted to make his ideas for the programme more understandable to the audience. First of all, Yuzu sent me a lot of videos of him performing. At that point, the overall impression had been created, but there were a lot of details that could be refined. For example, in the beginning he wanted to express that he was in a very cold (sad? dark?) place, but it didn't come across clearly. I performed my own interpretation and sent it back to Yuzu. I also worked with him remotely during his training.

 

 

— 羽生選手は『シェイ=リーンが情緒あふれる物語を作ってくれた』と言っていました。どのようなストーリーなのでしょうか?

シェイ  最初に彼は、この音楽についての説明と、“自分がどのような気持ちなのか”ということを説明してくれました。そして、私はそれに対して私自身の解釈を加えました。冒頭の部分、ユヅは静かで“この世で最も寒い場所”にいて、そこからたったー人で踏み出します。そして最初のジャンプの後に、小さな光が見えてくる。彼はその光に向かって行きますが、抱きしめると光は消えてしまいます。でも、また違う光が見えて、今度はそちらに向かいますが、やはり光は消えてしまいます。それを何度か繰り返すのですが、“光”は彼のこれまでのスケート人生を象徴しているんです。彼が手にしたサポート、観客の応援、すばらしい演技、成功の数々などです。しかし、それらは美しいけれど、永遠に続くものではありません。最後のハイライトの部分では、彼は力強い音楽に合わせて最後まで戦います。そして、この世の全ては移り変わっていくのだということを受け入れます。ユヅは全ての体験を通り抜けてきたので、それら(光)の存在があるということを知っているのです。

 

Q: Hanyu said, "Shae-Lynn has created an emotional story for me". What kind of story is it?

Shae: First, he explained about the music and how he felt about it. Then I made my own interpretation of it. In the beginning, Yuzu is in a silent "coldest place in the world," and he steps out of it all alone. After the first jump, he sees a small light. He goes towards the light, but when he embraces it, it disappears. But then he sees another light, and he goes towards it this time, but the light also disappears. This is repeated several times, and the "light" symbolizes his skating life so far. The support he has gotten, the cheers from the audience, the great performances, the successes. But although they are beautiful, they can't last forever. In the final highlight of the program, he continues to fight until the end, accompanied by strong music. And he accepts that everything in this world is in transition. Yuzu has been through all these experiences, so he knows that these ("lights") exist.

 

 

— とても美しいストーリーですね。実際に全日本選手権2021の演技を見た感想を教えてください。

シェイ  それまで何度も練習のビデオを見ていましたが、観客の前で演じている映像で見た時は、感動しました。リンクにいる彼は本当に特別な存在感があり、一瞬一瞬を大事にしていました。そして、とても自然体で、音楽と完壁にコネクトし一体化しているように見えました。それが最終的なゴールだったのです。彼は輝いて、自分の真実にたどり着いたように見えました。普通は試合を重ねてプログラムを完成させていきますが、ユヅはケガのためにそれをする機会がありませんでした。でも彼は経験豊かな選手ですので、あのようなすばらしい演技ができたのでしょう。“良い演技”というものの90%は“精神力”だと思いますが、ユヅにはそれがあります。

 

Q: It's a fascinating story. What are your impressions of the actual performance at the All-Japan Championships 2021?

Shae: I had seen videos of him practicing many times before, but when I saw him on video performing in front of an audience, I was very impressed. He really had a special presence on the ice, and he was cherishing every moment. He looked so natural, so connected and one with the music. That was the ultimate goal. He was shining and looked like he had reached his own truth. Normally, we complete the program through a series of competitions, but Yuzu didn't have a chance to do that due to his injury. But he is a very experienced competitor, so he was able to give such a great performance. I think 90% of a good performance is "mental strength", and Yuzu has it.

 

 

— フリーの振り付けもブラッシュアップしたのでしょうか?

シェイ  いいえ。今シーズンはフリーに関して私は全く手をつけていません。彼は今季のフリーについて「4回転アクセルを跳ぶことに集中したい」と言っていましたので、それを成功させることが最優先でした。4回転アクセルを跳びやすいように、ユヅ自身が事前のパターンなどを少しアレンジしていたと思います。

 

Q: Have you also polished the choreography of the free program?

Shae: No. I have not worked on his free program this season. He said that he wanted to focus on the quad Axel, so that was his first priority. I think Yuzu himself made some changes in the program to make it easier to jump the quad Axel.

 

 

— 全日本選手権2021のフリーの演技を見て、どう感じましたか?

シェイ  フリーに関しては、言葉を失いました。最初に4回転アクセルを試みてから疲れを見せることもなく、残りをほとんどミスなく滑り切るなんて。彼があのジャンプに挑むことは世界中が分かっていました。そのプレッシャーは、どれほどのものだったでしょう。その上で、あそこまで集中してできるというのは、彼の精神力の強さを物語っています。彼の演技は、見ている人々に魔法をかけます。誰も過去に試みたことのないことに挑戦して、あれほどの演技を見せたのは驚くべきことでした。

 

Q: How did you feel after watching his free program in the 2021 All-Japan Championships?

Shae: The free skate left me speechless. He showed no signs of fatigue after his first attempt of the quad Axel, and he skated the rest of the program with almost no mistakes. The whole world was expecting him to do that jump. How much pressure must have been on him? The fact that he could concentrate so well on it shows how strong his mind is. His performance is magical to watch. It was amazing to see him try something that no one had ever done before, and to see him doing it so well.

 

 

— 羽生選手は21年11月にケガのためにグランプリシリーズ欠場を発表しました。その期間は、連絡を取り合っていたのでしょうか?

シェイ  いいえ。彼がトレーニングを中断していた時は、特にやり取りしませんでした。きちんと体を休めるようには伝えたのですが、彼のことですから筋力を落とさないようにするなど、その時にできることはやっていたのだろうと思います。

 

Q: Hanyu announced that he would miss the Grand Prix Series in November 2021 due to injury. Did you keep in touch with him during that period?

Shae: No. When he stopped training, he didn't communicate with me (us?). I told him to rest properly, but I think he was doing what he could at that time to keep his muscle strength up.

 

 

— 北京冬季五輪の金メダルも期待されていますが、その可能性についてはどう考えますか?

シェイ  ほかでもないユヅですから、もちろん可能性はあります。彼はそれを全日本選手権で証明してみせました。過去にもやり遂げていますし、誰も彼を優勝候補から外すことはできないでしょう。選手たちはみんなべストを尽くしてきますので、北京冬季五輪はすごい戦いになると思います。

 

Q: How do you feel about the chances of winning a gold medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Shae: Of course it's possible, because it's Yuzu. He proved it at the All-Japan Championships. He has done it before and I don't think anyone should count him out. All the athletes will give their best and I think it will be a great battle at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

 

 

— 羽生選手が北京冬季五輪出場を決意したことは驚きましたか?

シェイ  驚きはないですね。彼はまだ若いですし、このスポーツをずっとけん引してきて、多くの人々にインスピレーションを与えてきた選手です。また、“4回転アクセルを成功させる”という新たなチャレンジができたことも関係があると思います。おそらく彼にとっては、3つ目の金メダルを獲ることより、4回転アクセルを世界で初めて成功させることのほうが大事なのでしょう。成功できれば、それだけでも彼にとっての金メダルに違いありません。

 

Q: Were you surprised by Hanyu's decision to compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics?

Shae: I'm not surprised. He's still young, he's been a driving force in this sport for a long time, he's been an inspiration to many people. I think it has something to do with the new challenge of doing the quad Axel. For him, it is probably more important to become the first person in the world to do a quad Axel than to win a third gold medal. If he can do it, it must be a gold medal for him.

 

 

— 最後に、北京冬季五輪はどのような戦いになると思いますか? また、羽生選手には何を期待しますか?

シェイ  選手たちはすばらしいショーを繰り広げてくれると思います。それだけは間違いありません。私自身も経験がありますが、五輪というのは“何が起きてもおかしくない特別な舞台”です。試合を見るのが待ちきれません。全ての選手がベストな演技を見せてくれることを願っていますし、ジャッジには良い仕事をしてほしいですね。そしてユヅには、自分自身を誇りに感じることのできる演技をしてほしいと願っています。

 

Q: Finally, what kind of competition do you think the Beijing Winter Olympics will be like? And what do you expect from Hanyu?

Shae: I'm sure the athletes will deliver great performances. That's for sure. I've been to the Olympics myself and it's a very special place where anything can happen. I can't wait to see the Games. I hope all the competitors will give their best performance and I hope the judges will do a good job. And I hope that Yuzu will give a performance that will make him feel proud of himself.

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

 

https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1488852156211892228

 

Nobu tried his best. :grin:

Yep, only Yuzu can skate Yuzu programs. That's for sure. If you look closer, you realize just how difficult his programs are and how far above everyone else he is. :ganba:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/FurongC/status/1488873601021399040

 

All of China (and the world) is wondering where Yuzu is. :tumblr_inline_mqt4grU8ua1qz4rgp:

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


 

https://i.imgur.com/LH8g05e.png

 

The whole article:

 

Spoiler

The figure skating rivalry between Nathan Chen of the United States and Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan is enduring, but sporadic. Compelling, but infrequent.

Hanyu is the two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist. Chen has won the last three world titles. But they have met in the same individual competition just nine times over six seasons.

And that only makes the rivalry more compelling. Absence makes the heat grow stronger.

Never will it be more intense than next Monday, when Hanyu and Chen begin skating for the men’s singles title at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

What happens next week can only embellish Hanyu’s legacy. By becoming in 2018 the first man to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in singles since Dick Button of the United States in 1952, Hanyu already became a permanent member of a pantheon open to few.

Chen, yet to win an individual Olympic medal, is seeking a career-defining singles gold. Even if he gets it, Chen understands his rival’s place in the sport’s history will remain distinct.

“He is in a completely different status than I am as a skater,” Chen told me before this season began. “I will always respect that.”

Among the most striking reasons for Hanyu’s status is his longevity at the top. His world championship bronze medal last March was not only his seventh at that competition, including two golds, but it came nine years after his first, also bronze, in 2012. No other man since World War II has won world singles medals over that long a span. Hanyu’s seven world medals match East German Jan Hoffman’s as the most by any man since World War II.

“I always say a multigenerational athlete like that, that’s like all-universe status, that’s difficult to find,” Chen said.

Not only that, but Hanyu at 27 is still trying to push the athletic boundaries of the sport in a seemingly obsessive quest to become the first to land a clean quadruple axel, a jump that requires 4 ½ revolutions in the air.

 

As was the case prior to the 2018 Olympics, when Hanyu was single-minded about getting consistency on his quadruple lutz, the axel quest has come with physical risk.

An ankle ligament injury on a failed quad lutz attempt left him out of competition from late November 2017 until the Winter Games the following February. At last year’s worlds, when Hanyu won the short program impressively but stumbled to fourth in the free skate, he said that frequent practice of the quad axel had “overworked my body.”

This season, when Hanyu once again is committed to the quad axel, he injured the same ankle and was out of competition until winning the Japanese Championships in late December. He made his first competitive attempt of the jump in the free skate at those nationals but landed on two feet after an under-rotation that downgraded it to a triple axel.

When I spoke with Chen before the season, I asked if he found it strange that Hanyu appeared more fixated on the quad axel than on trying to win a third Olympic gold medal.

“I don’t think so,” Chen said. “Listen, if I was two-time Olympic champion, I would not be in this sport anymore, you know. I would be long gone.”

Chen laughed, and then continued.

“If I was in his position, if I could do one quad toe and still try to medal, okay, I’m good. The fact he is still trying to push himself to do something no one has ever done before is unreal.”

U.S. skater Jason Brown, headed for his second Olympics, trained with Hanyu in Toronto for the two seasons before the pandemic led Hanyu to return to Japan. Brown saw in Hanyu a relentlessness that offers an insight into his mindset about the quad axel.

“He comes at everything with, I’m going to get it done, no matter what,” Brown said. “It’s almost like he’s able to turn a switch and become this genius.

“I’ve seen him have the most rough training days and struggle through. Then the Zamboni comes on the ice, and he gets back on and pushes himself five times harder. There’s no giving up, no surrendering. And he’s always after more.

“I’m not surprised at all (about Hanyu’s quad axel emphasis). He has this unbelievably focused mentality, this determination, this persistence, this, I’m getting this done, I’m going to solve this puzzle.”

For all that, for his being around Hanyu every so often at competitions and then training with him for nearly two years, Brown said he is no different than the rest of the world in puzzling over who Hanyu is when he is not skating.

“To everyone, he is a bit of a mystery,” Brown said.

 

Hanyu is not only his sport’s singular current global superstar but also one who inspires nearly religious reverence among his vast number of fans, known broadly as Fanyus, many of whom travel the globe to see him at competitions major and minor. Some of his most passionate supporters act at times like members of a cult, unable to brook even justifiable criticism of their idol’s performances.

Yet Hanyu has done little to fuel such passions beyond skating brilliantly and exuding an ever-boyish charisma. He has no social media presence. He rarely does interviews other than those during press conferences at competitions.

After nearly eight years working with coach Brian Orser in Toronto, Hanyu has essentially been in seclusion most of the time since spring 2020. He has been training by himself at the rink in Sendai, Japan, he literally fled during the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the region in 2011. He has been very active in raising funds for the disaster relief, making donations in excess of $300,000 himself.

Hanyu also used some of the time freed by pandemic shutdowns to finish his undergraduate thesis in Human Informatics and Cognitive Sciences at Tokyo’s Waseda University. The thesis is one of the few things Hanyu has revealed about his life outside the rink.

And then there is the Pooh thing. That a Disney character beloved by children has become his mascot and good luck charm adds to the air of innocence that further endears Hanyu to his fans. They have celebrated his skating by dressing in Poohraphernalia and throwing thousands of plush Poohs onto rinks around the world after he performs.

In a survey done by the Sasakawa Sports Foundation in late summer 2020, Hanyu was chosen as Japan’s most popular athlete, ahead of such global icons as Naomi Osaka and Shohei Ohtani. He also has remarkable worldwide appeal, as evidenced by an English-language fan site dedicated to him, the aptly named Planet Hanyu.

Hanyu has a long list of sponsors, among them the airline ANA, Citizen watches, and Kosé personal care products. Estimates of his recent annual income have been around $13 million.

Chen too is doing well financially, with several major sponsorship deals, including Panasonic, Bridgestone, Toyota and Visa. In 2020, he was included in Forbes “30 under 30” spotlight on the next generation of sports talent, a group that also included pro basketball’s Klay Thompson and Breanna Stewart and pro football’s Patrick Mahomes.

NBC has been constantly promoting Chen leading up to the Olympics, with wide exposure during its NFL playoff telecasts and a joint campaign with the upcoming Universal Studios film, “Jurassic World: Dominion.” Yet even with Olympic gold, Chen may remain a domestic star of what has become a niche sport in the United States, where the best-known figure skaters have always been women.

 

Hanyu’s identity as a skater is clear, if still a bit mystical. With a reed-thin, 5-foot, 7-inch body, he blends a sense of fragility, lithe grace and seemingly effortless athleticism into an ethereal whole underpinned by a fierce competitiveness. He was in the vanguard of the quad revolution in men’s skating and the first to land a quadruple loop jump in competition. He has done four clean quads in a free skate several times.

His triple axel seems like sleight of foot. While most skaters telegraph its arrival with long glides across the rink, Hanyu makes it appear out of nowhere. Turn, takeoff, boom.

There is little question that Hanyu is the greatest men’s skater at least since Button. Another Olympic medal of any color would make a convincing argument that he is the GOAT, no matter how hard it is to compare across eras.

“He’s one of those athletes where when you step up (to him), you’re a little star struck…even now.” Chen said after beating Hanyu for the 2021 world title. “He has just been around a long time and has been consistently successful. That’s really impressive.”

Chen’s coach, Rafael Arutunian, unashamedly asked Hanyu for his autograph several years ago. Arutunian still has the magazine Hanyu signed.

Yet Hanyu has been unable to beat Chen in their three meetings at individual competitions since the 2018 Olympics, when he lost the free skate decisively to his U.S. rival. Chen has a 5-4 advantage in their nine overall meetings, the first coming at the 2016 NHK Trophy Grand Prix event.

“There were quite a few times when I thought that my growth stopped when I was about 24 to 25 years old, and when I couldn’t skate my free program well,” Hanyu said in an online press conference at December’s Japanese Championships. “But I’m probably at my best now. Definitely.”

And anyone who dares count Hanyu out because of injury and time away from both practice and competition would be wise to remember what he did under similar circumstances four years ago.

“He’s a man that rises to the occasion,” 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano said. “When you think there is little chance for him, he delivers.”

Over the seasons since the 2018 Olympics, Chen has narrowed what once had seemed an unassailable edge for Hanyu in component scores (which broadly reflect artistic quality), and he has a potentially substantial advantage over Hanyu in technical base value. With the short and free program layouts each had at his national championships, Chen’s aggregate element base value is 13 points higher.

“They are now both super well-rounded skaters,” Boitano said.

 

At the 2019 Grand Prix Final, where Chen won by nearly 44 points with a world record total of 335.30, the second-place Hanyu expressed lighthearted exasperation over how high Chen, five years younger, had raised the technical bar. In that event, Chen did two clean quads in the short program and five in the free while getting positive grades of execution and maximum difficulty levels on all 19 elements in the two programs.

“Nathan is really pushing harder and harder,” Hanyu said. “Why is he making it harder, because I’m really older than him?

“I really love competing with him. If I alone can get over the 300 (points), I feel like I am lonely and then I can’t find the motivation for the skating, so it’s like here is my motivation. Finally I can feel like competing, and it’s sport on the ice.”

Chen is the only skater to have cleanly done all five types of quadruple jumps that have been landed so far. He was the first to do five clean quadruple jumps in a free skate and the first to get full rotational credit for six in a free skate.

“I wouldn’t want to go under four quads in the free,” Chen said, in a matter-of-fact statement that he admitted sounded crazy but shows just how far the sport’s best skaters have pushed the envelope.

It also shows how Hanyu catalyzed Chen’s desire to master the technical content that has given him a better chance to defeat Hanyu.

“He has unintentionally pushed me,” Chen said.

I asked if Chen if he would be the skater he is today without Hanyu as a competitor. His answer was unequivocal: “Certainly not.”

“I think Yuzuru completely pushed the sport into a different position, not just how he shaped me as an athlete, how he shaped the sport,” Chen said. “Everyone is doing bigger and better things because of him. Figure skating is definitely indebted to him for all he has done to progress the sport.”

Coming into this season, Chen looked like an odds-on pick for Olympic gold. Yet he has made big errors in two of his three competitions, and a third place at Skate America ended a 14-event win streak that began with his first of three straight world titles in 2018. Chen’s dominance had reached the point that after Vincent Zhou won Skate America, he said, “Obviously I don’t expect to win everything — I’m not Nathan Chen.”

“I think Chen is showing signs of being human after all and that Hanyu seems to be getting stronger despite age, wear and tear and lack of competition outings,” said Kurt Browning of Canada, a four-time world champion.

Chen came into the 2018 Olympics as a medal contender but imploded in consecutive short programs during the team and individual events, falling twice and not managing a single clean jumping pass among the six he attempted. He finished 17th in the men’s short program and, with nothing to lose, did six quads, landing five cleanly, to take first in the free skate and fifth overall.

“That put skating and competition and all that in perspective,” Chen said. “As a kid, I thought if I bombed an opportunity to skate well in an Olympics, that’s basically the end of everything for me, and it’s the only reason I compete.

“I finished that competition and went to worlds and another competition and then another competition. Then I realized okay, yeah, I wish I could have gone back and changed it, but my life continues moving forward and skating continues moving forward.”

Looking back, Chen realized that he had been too fixated on medals and also had been getting input from too many sources about which jumps he should do.

“What it comes down to, everyone wants the best (for you), but they don’t necessarily always agree on it, and I have to make the final judgment call,” he said. “Being as young as I was and not really knowing what the right call was, just being inexperienced as a skater at that level, I didn’t know what the best judgment was to make.

“Having had a little bit more experience – obviously I’m still quite young – and being able to use that competition as a learning experience definitely has better prepared me since then.”

Chen and Hanyu are not the only gold medal contenders. Two other Japanese skaters, reigning Olympic silver medalist Shoma Uno and reigning world silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama, also can be factors should the top two make serious errors.

Hanyu had not even fully committed in public to competing in Beijing until winning the Japanese Championships with a brilliant performance in the short and a strong, steady performance in the free after the opening mistake on the quad axel. This presumably will be his last Olympics and possibly his final competition, period.

Chen also may step away from competition after this season, at least for a while. He intends to go back to Yale, where he is a rising junior, after a two-year academic leave.

“It kind of depends on how the Games go and how the season goes,” Chen said. “I hope the answer will be more clear when I finish the Olympics.”

And that will more than likely be the end of a rivalry that has become more and more fascinating since the 2018 Olympics.

“Think of what the men’s event would have looked like if Hanyu or Chen had not had the other to chase or be chased by,” Browning said. “It would have been a one-man show, and those are always tough sells. Together, they make the Olympics much more interesting.”

Boitano knows how much intense rivalries can make each skater better. In the two seasons leading up to the “Battle of the Brians” at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, he and Orser traded world titles. Boitano won gold with one of the greatest free skate performances in Olympic history, and the outcome was decided by the smallest judging margin possible under the old 6.0 scoring system.

“This has been going and going and going between Yuzuru and Nathan, and that is what is required to make a rivalry very special,” Boitano said. “It has been year after year of great skating against great skating. Now it’s down to this moment.”

 

Source

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].




https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1489036507151155200

 

Aaawww... Yuzu... :tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

 

But you know what that means? It's a sign of life from Yuzu! :dancingpooh:

 

[NEWS]



[NEWS]

 

Yet another translation :68271262:

 

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489043682615775233

 


https://mobile.twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489099151585718272

Javiii :cri: I'm so happy Yuzu has the support of people like Nobu and Javi. There are too many people doubting him, so I hope he knows that there are even more people around the world who believe in him and have faith in his abilities.

 

[NEWS]

 


Deepl translation:

Mr. Tanaka, the mayor of Osato Town, prayed for Mr. Hanyu's Hanyu's success at the Beijing Olympics.”

 

https://twitter.com/ukijcvl2a3bvwco/status/1489129041999253509?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489147157202739201?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].



 

 

 


I found a translation :67638860:

 

https://twitter.com/abekamabokoten/status/1488860230175784965


[NEWS]
 

🙏🙏

https://twitter.com/AngelJo84317699/status/1488758013859340289


It makes me happy to see all the support for Yuzu. :heartpound: I hope this will give him a lot strenght and he can start well in his third Olympics.


https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489208473057656834

 

Yuzu's ninja skills have reached another level. Not even Nobu knows where he is (or doesn't want to say). :tumblr_inline_mqt4grU8ua1qz4rgp:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/shanghaidaily/status/1489161612288159746

 

That's one of the mysteries of the world, isn't it? :grin:

Meanwhile, Yuzu is sitting on his comfy couch, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying all the chaos he's causing. :muahaha:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489196677462654977

 

Wow! These are impressive numbers. Yuzu is clearly the number one star of the Olympics. And he hasn't even shown up yet. :ganba:

 

[NEWS]


https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489225285770051585?s=21

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Confirmed that Yuzu will not be skating the SP in the Team Event.

 

https://olympics.com/beijing-2022/olympic-games/en/results/figure-skating/results-team-event-qual-0001mn-.htm

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

Link to comment

 

Oh yes, that would be really nice.:smiley-angelic001:

 

 

https://twitter.com/skatingpj/status/1488736153448505346



Yes, we also all looking forward to see Yuzu again:heart:

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].

I actually find it really funny.

https://www.nikkansports.com/olympic/beijing2022/figure_skating/news/202202030000547.html

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


Yuzuru's ISU biography is finally updated: Rondo Capriccioso as SP.

http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00010967.htm

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


Chunichi article about the "WD" displayed on a screen:

https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/412361

 

DeepL translation

 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


JSF just posted this. They wouldn't do that if there was a problem, right? 

 

https://twitter.com/skatingjapan/status/1489509035426697216?t=x5nZTrbBwshCxrf9huup-A&s=19

 

I don't think I can breath normally until I see him in Beijing. 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


When I read WD here, I was honestly very scared.:smiley_hairpull:  Of course the uncertainty makes me nervous. But I agree with Fay, it would have been reported in the news already.

To reduce your worries a little, here a clip of Yuzu :heart:

https://twitter.com/Olympics/status/1489237377579388928

[NEWS]


https://nordot.app/862260413831364608?c=39550187727945729

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].




[NEWS]

Korean interview with Brian:


[올림픽] 오서 코치 "차준환, 6위권 가능…메달도 불가능하진 않다"
4 February 2022

 

Google translate

 



https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/1489557442111283201?t=zi5t5rGREkIh-Mx2FjyDng&s=19

 

How thoughtful of them. I still have a trauma from Tokyo opening ceremonies. 

This post has been tagged by yuzuangel as [NEWS].


:tumblr_inline_mg16go8gBg1qdlkyg:

https://twitter.com/kattwts/status/1489586502090829828

 

[NEWS]

 

By the way 

Olympic Seimei has reached 22 Mio views :heart:


 

[NEWS]

 

Here is another translation :68271262:

https://twitter.com/marika_yuzu/status/1489596436778209283

 


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