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Yuzuru Hanyu fever heats up in men’s figure skating

Posted February. 15, 2017 07:04,   

Updated February. 15, 2017 07:12

한국어
The mood at spectators’ stand at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangwon Province was feverish even during daytime on Tuesday. Yuzuru Hanyu (23), Japan’s top figure skater, started training at the arena. More than 200 fans including Japanese nationals who came all the way to Korea to root for the skater, applauded wildly when Hanyu successfully performed jumps.

Hanyu is visiting Korea to participate in the ISU 4 Continent Figure Skating Championship that will kick off on Thursday. Upon his arrival at Incheon International Airport on Monday, he was received by a flurry of fans. When the athlete appeared, dozens of fans including Japanese students studying in Korea shouted “Ganbare (Go)” after waiting for his arrival. Some fans waved "Winnie-the-Pooh" dolls, Hanyu’s favorite character.

Smiling to the crowd of fans, Hanyu expressed his commitment ahead of his participation in the championship. “I have a mission to achieve at any cost right now," he said. "I will successfully achieve without fail.”

Hanyu, who is undisputed No. 1 in world rankings, has displayed strong ambition and enthusiasm about the upcoming event where his European rivals are not taking part. It is because he has never won the title of this particular championship. He swept the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, the ISU World Figure Skating Championships, and the Grand Prix Finals, but only ranked the runner-up in the ISU 4 Continent Figure Skating Championships in 2011 and 2013. If he acquires the championship title this time, he will achieve the figure skating Grand Slam.

Moreover, the venue of this event is the very site for the figure skating competitions of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which will take place around this time next year. The Japanese athlete renews his commitment to gain the upper hand in the race by winning the title of the championship, which is the prelude to the Olympiad, while adapting himself to the quality of ice there through the test event. “I will cautiously inspect the temperatures, ice condition, and how audio sound spreads in the arena.”

Hanyu, who holds the world records all in the overall score in men’s single (330.43 points), the short program (110.95) and the free skating (219.48), is the most promising contender in the championship. He is capable of performing Salchow, and Toe loop, and Loop among the quadruple (four spins) jumps, which is essential to earning high scores. He is the first among the male skaters in the world to have successfully performed Quadruple loop (basic score of 12 points).

Hanyu reportedly concentrated on strengthening his physical stamina during drills in Toronto, Canada in the company of his coach Brian Orser. “I continuously exercised until I gained self-confidence in my capacity to perform immaculate quadruple jumps even when I am physically exhausted in the concluding part of my presentation.”



Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com