[Video] Hanyu's speech & interview at the 2014 Kozuki Sports Award and Athlete Acknowledgment Ceremony

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

So I came across this again the other day:

 

 

This is the Kozuki Sports Award and Athlete Acknowledgment Ceremony that was held back in 2014. Hanyu was awarded the biggest award there for his achievements, and was the representative chosen to speak on behalf of athletes who were awarded in the event. He gave a speech that's a little over 4 minutes long which I haven't seen a translation for floating around, though I very well could have missed it. If one does exist, here's the version I did of it anyway:

 

(Speech starts at the 9:17. If your want to see him accepting his award, it's starts at 7:29, right before his speech.)

 

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I would like to express our sincerest gratitude (to the organizers) for holding this esteemed event for us today. And, to be extended an award as fine as the Kozuki Sports Award is a true honor for any athlete. Please allow me, as the representative of the award recipients today, to borrow this stage to make my address and convey our gratitude. 

 

The first time I attended a Kozuki Athlete Support Program acknowledgment ceremony like this one was in 2008, when I was in my second year of middle school. It was then that I learned the program was established to support promising junior athletes by helping to provide the ideal training environment to those who may yield excellent results in sporting tournaments such as the Olympics. The Olympics to me back then was a mere distant dream but with the acknowledgment I was bestowed, I promised myself that I was going to work as hard as I could towards it. 

 

It is likely that most of us who received an award today have benefited from this program in one way or another. Whenever I am able to compete in events, international and domestic, I always feel that it is due largely in part to the support given to me by this program. I would also like to convey my utmost gratitude for the establishment of a special support framework after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

 

On a more personal front, I have been given the Kozuki Sports Award three times before--in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Each time I am given it, I am overcome by a sense of gladness for having worked as hard as I did that year, and the feeling that I am yet another step closer to those contending on the world stage.

 

Last season, I was once again able to compete in the Grand Prix series. In the Canadian leg of the series in October, and the French leg of it in November, I was able to compete against World Champion Patrick Chan and truly see for myself how far apart our abilities still were. However, it was thanks to these two competitions where I was given the opportunity to compete with many world-class athletes that I was able to learn as much as I had. Although the period of time was short, I was able to put what I learned into practice and together with the focus I invested into training, I was finally able to catch up to Patrick in the Grand Prix Final in December, which was also regarded as the pre-final competition to the Olympics.

 

In the Olympic Games in February, my only concern going into it was to focus on my own performances. The World Championships in March was my very first competition as a gold medallist. As such, it was an exceptionally tough competition for me. However, thanks to the unwavering support I was given by all my coaches, trainers, family and those willing to root for me throughout my career, I was somehow able to prevail. 

 

Over the last season, I was reminded keenly of the things that are most necessary for an athlete to have: the desire to improve, the ability to remain honest with oneself, and the (undying) feeling of gratitude.

 

Sports is cruel. A person can work the hardest and still not be able to achieve outstanding results. But if they fall behind even a little, they lose the chance of it altogether. In order to put out great results, we shall keep this feeling of gratitude in our hearts and continue to live each day of our lives in diligence. Please continue your support of us. Thank you very much again for today. 

 

25 August 2014, Award Recipients' Representative, Yuzuru Hanyu

 

 

[Hydroblade]

52 minutes ago, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

Sports is cruel. A person can work the hardest and still not be able to achieve outstanding results. But if they fall behind even a little, they lose the chance of it altogether. In order to put out great results, we shall keep this feeling of gratitude in our hearts and continue to live each day of our lives in diligence.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

And here's the accompanying interview (his bit spans the first 4 minutes of the video):

 

 

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Interviewer:

Could you tell us again how it feels win the biggest award tonight?

 

Hanyu:

It's not every year that they give out this particular award. It's usually awarded only to those who have won at big competitions like the Olympics and WC. As for me, I've been benefiting a lot from the Kozuki Athlete Support Program since my second year of middle school, and on the award side, this is the fourth I've been given. This being a Big Award despite being only the fourth one, though, is something I'm truly grateful for.

 

I: 

You received this Big Award because of your gold medal at the Olympics. It's been six months since. Looking back, is there anything that stands out to you now?

 

H: 

Sure, there is. Even though I know bringing home the gold medal is an amazing achievement, I can't quite say that I've won it--it just doesn't feel that way to me--but it doesn't change the fact that I have it so it's something I have to always bear in mind and should feel proud of as I train hard for future competitions.

 

I: 

Along with this award, how has your becoming an OGM affected those around you?

 

H: 

I'm not one of those athletes who put a lot of hours into their training, so I think it's all really a matter of timing for me. There were many people supporting me which contributed a lot to the good flow that I had going into the Olympics so, to me, the gold medal was just something that I was lucky enough to have ended up with. I think it would be accurate if people were to regard the gold medal as something I only got thanks to the help of those who supported me.

 

I: 

With the new season finally about to start and your first competition coming up in less than a month, could you share with us how ready you are?

 

H: 

I think my adjustment is on a pretty good trajectory. This season...well, calling it the most important may seem like I'm undermining all other seasons but it is a very important one following the last season so I'd like to practice in a way that would allow me to steadily aim for good results, or show the best of myself, as it were.

 

I: 

You mentioned in your speech earlier that going into the WC was especially tough for you this time since it is your first time going into it as an OGM. Likewise, the coming season would be your very first as the reigning OGM so could you tell us how you are going to handle that awareness?

 

H: 

It definitely won't be easy. But as long as I put in the effort and work hard towards it, I should be able to better establish myself so people are able to acknowledge that "Yuzuru Hanyu" isn't a fluke. This is something I really need to aim for, so based on what I do from now and the four years that follow, this season is one where I really need to prove that Yuzuru Hanyu is worthy of the "Champion" title.

 

I:

Thank you very much.