figure skating

Hanyu fights Olympic fitness battle

7 Comments
By Alastair Himmer

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© 2018 AFP

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


7 Comments
Login to comment

From a British sports writer, writing for AFP?

Don't forget that it's for a Japanese crowd, first and foremost.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A little bias maybe?

From a British sports writer, writing for AFP?

Yes, possibly. People generally like to think that the times they are living in are the most X, the best Y, the pinnacle of Z.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here's hoping Hanyu - heartbreaker of senior Japanese ladies - wins his fitness battle before the Games start.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Himajin, considering that the point system that Hanyu has these records for has only existed for 14 years, there's no way to say that his accomplishments would be comparable to previous generations. Until 2004, all figure skaters competed on "6.0" system, which worked quite differently.

Really, the only way to compare across generations is to look at total number of World and Olympic titles won. For example, Gilles Grafstrom and Evegny Plushenko can both lay claim to being "the GOAT" before Hanyu, based off the fact that Grafstrom has 3 golds and 1 silver, with his 3 golds being consecutive, while Plushenko's 1 gold in single and 1 team gold is paired with 2 silvers.

And that's just the men. In the women, he would have to also pass the accomplisments of Sonia Henie, Katarina Witt, or even Michelle Kwan (who was at one point called the Queen of 6's because of the total number of 6.0's she scored under the old system).

SO yeah, I'd still say the writer had more than a little bias or maybe just more than a little hyperbole.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

‘A little bias, maybe?’

Maybe, but he has accomplished a lot in a few short years.

‘Hanyu has broken world records twelve times, and currently holds the world records for the highest short program, free skating, and combined total scores.He is the first man to have broken the 100-point barrier in the men's short program, the 200-point barrier in the men's free skating, and the 300-point barrier in the combined total score, as well as being the first Asian figure skater competing in men's singles to win the Olympic gold. At the age of nineteen, he was the youngest male skater to win the Olympic title since Dick Button in 1948. At the 2015–2016 Grand Prix Final, he broke the record for the largest victory margin, with 37.48 points.At the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International, Hanyu became the first skater in history to successfully land a quadruple loop in competition.’

0 ( +2 / -2 )

If he's not there however will the broadcasters replace the endless hours of The Yuzuru Show they've lined up.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japanese fans held their breath when Hanyu, widely considered the greatest skater ever seen,

A little bias maybe?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites