Yuzuru Hanyu talks about that moment: 2014 GP series
–It was after Sochi Olympics, in November 2014. At a Grand Prix series competition in Shanghai, during the official warm-up just before the free skate, suddenly there were screams from the audience. On the ice lay the figures of 2 skaters. Hanyu had collided with another skater. (t/n. Han Yan, Cup of China)–
INTERVIEW
At that time, we were each concentrating on our own practice and did not see what was around us. Because when we perform, it is not always necessary to be looking towards the direction we are going. The moment I turned round, the other skater was already right in front of me. Our speed in that situation was 60 to 70 km per hour, and so there was nothing I could do. I was hit in the abdominal area and flung to the ground (by the impact), and my chin hit the ice hard.
That moment, it was just pain. And because my abdomen was hit, I could not breathe; it was so painful to the extent that I was thinking what I should do so that I could take a breath. My head was in a daze and I could not think and time just passed by. I received some stitches on my chin and above my ear; this was very painful too as it was done without anaesthesia. But after resting a while, I became calm and I could walk. Then I thought, “I definitely can skate, I definitely want to compete.”
–It was after Sochi Olympics, in November 2014. At a Grand Prix series competition in Shanghai, during the official warm-up just before the free skate, suddenly there were screams from the audience. On the ice lay the figures of 2 skaters. Hanyu had collided with another skater. (t/n. Han Yan, Cup of China)–
INTERVIEW
At that time, we were each concentrating on our own practice and did not see what was around us. Because when we perform, it is not always necessary to be looking towards the direction we are going. The moment I turned round, the other skater was already right in front of me. Our speed in that situation was 60 to 70 km per hour, and so there was nothing I could do. I was hit in the abdominal area and flung to the ground (by the impact), and my chin hit the ice hard.
That moment, it was just pain. And because my abdomen was hit, I could not breathe; it was so painful to the extent that I was thinking what I should do so that I could take a breath. My head was in a daze and I could not think and time just passed by. I received some stitches on my chin and above my ear; this was very painful too as it was done without anaesthesia. But after resting a while, I became calm and I could walk. Then I thought, “I definitely can skate, I definitely want to compete.”
–After receiving first aid and being diagnosed as having no concussion, it was a tricky situation. Enduring the pain and going against the worries of his coach and parents, he decided to compete; what was his intention?—
‘I did not want it to end here.’
I insisted on competing because I absolutely wanted to compete at the Grand Prix Final at the end of the series. It was solely because of that. To qualify for GPF, I had to obtain points from this competition. I had already got a partial score from the short programme, so even if my free programme was not good, points could be obtained based on placing if I did my performance to the end. Doing this will lead to possibilities at the NHK Trophy coming up next. And also, the previous season, I achieved the triple crown of Olympics, World and GPF, so I definitely wanted to win the GPF which has a meaning of being the season champion.
‘I will stand to the end no matter what.’
During the performance, the inner part of my knee was in pain and my leg could not bend. Thinking about it now, I feel I skated well. Even if I fell, I could get points for rotating the jumps. For rotating a triple jump, 2 or 3 points can be obtained, so I thought, I will absolutely rotate it. In reality, just standing up was already hard, but somehow, my feelings were “I can jump even the quads”. When I finished skating without mishap, the feeling was, I managed to pull it off. At the kiss and cry, I was so relieved…. my tears could not stop.
‘I did not want it to end here.’
I insisted on competing because I absolutely wanted to compete at the Grand Prix Final at the end of the series. It was solely because of that. To qualify for GPF, I had to obtain points from this competition. I had already got a partial score from the short programme, so even if my free programme was not good, points could be obtained based on placing if I did my performance to the end. Doing this will lead to possibilities at the NHK Trophy coming up next. And also, the previous season, I achieved the triple crown of Olympics, World and GPF, so I definitely wanted to win the GPF which has a meaning of being the season champion.
‘I will stand to the end no matter what.’
During the performance, the inner part of my knee was in pain and my leg could not bend. Thinking about it now, I feel I skated well. Even if I fell, I could get points for rotating the jumps. For rotating a triple jump, 2 or 3 points can be obtained, so I thought, I will absolutely rotate it. In reality, just standing up was already hard, but somehow, my feelings were “I can jump even the quads”. When I finished skating without mishap, the feeling was, I managed to pull it off. At the kiss and cry, I was so relieved…. my tears could not stop.
–After the accident, Hanyu had to undergo rehabilitation. The damaging effect of the collision was worse than he thought.–
After that competition, doctors said I would be able to walk after a week, but actually, I could not walk for about 10 days. When I could do a half run/ jog, I tried going to the rink and onto the ice, but the pain was so great I could not skate. Before this, I had experienced injuries but I had never had so much pain before….. maybe I cannot skate anymore, I seriously thought. My feelings were so depressed that I thought of quitting skating.
For the first time since I was born, I said to my mother, “I can’t skate anymore.” Mother’s response was out of my expectations. "How about just giving it a try anyway?“ she said. From the time I was small, whenever I said I wanted to quit, she had always said, "Why don’t you quit?” but now….. "If you skate just a little on the ice every day with the intention of rehabilitation, the situation may change for the better while doing that,“ she told me. Then somehow, I was suddenly invigorated and I felt that it was possible to skate again. And even more, "I will definitely win the next NHK Trophy!”, that willpower gushed forth.
Now when I think back about the accident, at that time if I had withdrawn from the competition, and if I did not have those words from my mother, perhaps the person that I am now would not exist. I am once again grateful for my mother’s words.
After that competition, doctors said I would be able to walk after a week, but actually, I could not walk for about 10 days. When I could do a half run/ jog, I tried going to the rink and onto the ice, but the pain was so great I could not skate. Before this, I had experienced injuries but I had never had so much pain before….. maybe I cannot skate anymore, I seriously thought. My feelings were so depressed that I thought of quitting skating.
For the first time since I was born, I said to my mother, “I can’t skate anymore.” Mother’s response was out of my expectations. "How about just giving it a try anyway?“ she said. From the time I was small, whenever I said I wanted to quit, she had always said, "Why don’t you quit?” but now….. "If you skate just a little on the ice every day with the intention of rehabilitation, the situation may change for the better while doing that,“ she told me. Then somehow, I was suddenly invigorated and I felt that it was possible to skate again. And even more, "I will definitely win the next NHK Trophy!”, that willpower gushed forth.
Now when I think back about the accident, at that time if I had withdrawn from the competition, and if I did not have those words from my mother, perhaps the person that I am now would not exist. I am once again grateful for my mother’s words.
Translated by yuzusorbet.tumblr; original source: P&G, myrepi.com
[next month, new theme for YUZU DAYS– What figure skating taught me]
Past translations of these monthly articles [X]
[next month, new theme for YUZU DAYS– What figure skating taught me]
Past translations of these monthly articles [X]
.png "English"){kind=small}
0 comentários:
Postar um comentário