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◆ ISU World Championships 2012 — World Championships

A Magnificent Flower Blossoming in the Blue Sky

◇ INTERVIEWS

Daisuke Takahashi: “I feel this is a medal I won through my own strength.”

Akiko Suzuki: “If you don’t give up, your dreams will come true.”

Mao Asada: “It’s important to figure out what you really want to do.”

Kanako Murakami: “If you believe in yourself and do it with confidence, you can succeed.”

Yuzuru Hanyu: “I was able to turn everyone’s support into strength.”

Takahiko Kozuka: “I didn’t even have the mental space to feel the pressure.”

Narumi Takahashi & Mervin Tran: “We’re amazed by what we’ve accomplished.”

◇ REPORT

An Intense Battle as Top Athletes Clash in a Fierce Contest

◇ INTERVIEWS

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir: “We’re able to complement each other.”

Nathalie Péchalat & Fabian Bourzat: “We’ve developed an even stronger desire to aim for a higher ranking.”

Ashley Wagner: “‘Black Swan’ is one of my favorite programs.”

◇ Interview with a Top Coach in the World

Igor Shpilband

◇ PICK UP

Misha Ge

Highlights from the Medalists’ Press Conference

◆ ISU World Junior Championships 2012 — World Junior Championships

Competition Report: A 13-Year-Old’s Grand Slam

Medalists’ Press Conference Report / Comments from the Japanese Skaters

◇ REPORTS

Ice Rink Sendai: A Recovery Exhibition

Great East Japan Earthquake Charity Exhibition — From Kobe, the City of Recovery

A World on Ice Woven from the Heart: Reborn Garden

◇ PREVIEW

Just Before Opening! Prince Ice World 2012

Cover: Yuzuru Hanyu

* machine translation, inaccuracies may exist

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20251113190928/https://blog.goo.ne.jp/whiteandblue/e/f9bf5eec1525d2a186ddcbf8ee0df66e

https://weibo.com/6177279020/LtkTFCjam

Full Interview with Yuzuru Hanyu

Hanyu achieved the remarkable feat of winning a bronze medal on his very first appearance at the World Championships. The fact that he performs well when he knows he is being watched gives one a sense that he has the potential to become a great performer. When asked questions, he answers properly in his own words, in a way that makes it hard to believe he is only seventeen. My impression was that he is a very intelligent young man. I believe that he will grow into a skater who can hold his own on any international stage.

--Congratulations on winning your first medal.

Thank you. Yesterday, Patrick praised me so much (at the press conference), and I was really happy.

--This was your first time standing on the podium together, wasn't it?

Yes, it was the first time. At events like the Grand Prix Final, I came close, but I just couldn't quite make it.

--Looking back on the competition as a whole, how do you feel?

I was really surprised to learn that I was only the third person in history to score over 170 points in the free skate. Personally, I felt that I had given a good performance, but I did fall. Having my performance evaluated so highly has also given me confidence.

--You managed to land your final Salchow this time.

That was a matter of sheer determination. My coach, Nanami Abe, had also told me, “You absolutely must land the Salchow.” After the step sequence, I was really out of breath and felt dizzy. When I watched the footage, my lips were completely blue. But I jumped as if my life depended on it. (laughs)

--I feel there is an incredible contrast between Hanyu when he is performing and Hanyu when he finishes his performance and returns to being a seventeen-year-old young man.

Even when I'm performing, I still have my own emotions. But there are times when my body moves unconsciously in time with the music.

--Can you hear the audience during your performance?

Yes, I can. I could hear them particularly clearly after I fell (laughs.) When I watched the footage, the cheering was incredible. I thought that, really, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without being pushed forward by that support.

--Are you particularly sensitive to other people's reactions?

I wonder... Ah, but when I practice alone, I can't even land the Axel, and I can't do anything. So I'm the type of person who can perform when someone is watching me, when they have expectations of me, and when I'm under pressure.

--You're the Western type, then.

Yes, that's right (laughs). I think so myself, too. I need someone watching me, and I need some kind of reaction, whether I’m praised or scolded. Otherwise, I can’t do well.

--Conversely, can being criticized make you think, “I'll show them!” and bring out more strength?

Yes, absolutely. There are times when I jump using nothing but strength and willpower, regardless of my physical condition.

--So, whether the reactions from others are positive or negative, you perform better when you get some kind of response from the outside.

That's why I think I was able to bring out my abilities on such a big stage. And the more people there are in the audience, the greater the power of their support becomes. So I think I was able to turn that support into energy during my free skate this time.

--You're suited to being a performer.

(Laughs) I'm glad to hear that. I like being watched by people, so ever since I was little, I preferred competitions to practice. Even at school, I was the type who wanted to play the lead role in school plays and things like that.

--That's unusual for someone from Tohoku.

That's true. A lot of people from Tohoku tend to be shy and reserved.

--What would you say is the aspect of your skating that you feel most confident about right now?

Probably my triple Axel. I wasn't in particularly good form this time, and I even fell during the six-minute warm-up, but I still earned positive grades of execution on it, and I can generally land it from any position.

--Conversely, what areas do you need to work on from here on?

This time, I really felt that I lacked stamina. I fell partway through the free skate, and I also lost a little speed in the second half. Next season, I may have to increase the number of quadruple jumps I include. If I'm going to work toward the Sochi Olympics, I need to do that next season. I want to build up my stamina properly so that even if I include two or three quads, I can continue skating strongly all the way to the end.

--Will you include a quadruple Salchow as well?

Yes. My quadruple Salchow is going well at the moment, so if I were to include two quads in the free skate, I think they would be the Salchow and the toe loop. I don't really think I'll include two toe loops.

--Your musical expression is very rich. Have you always liked listening to music?

I don't listen to classical music very much. If anything, I prefer jazz. I previously skated to “Sing, Sing, Sing,” and that was my favourite. It was a piece of music I'd wanted to skate to ever since I was in the lower grades of elementary school, so I was really happy to finally get the chance.

--Is there a piece of music you'd like to skate to next?

There is, but... I'm not sure whether I should reveal it without getting permission from Coach Nanami. I'm sorry.

--I understand. Thank you very much.

(Interview conducted on the final day of the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships in Nice)