Yuzuru Hanyu BR: YUZU DAYS, 6 March 2017

DAYS, 6 March 2017.
Reason for evolution “Heading for greater heights”

Olympic champion, current world records holder, 1st person with 4 consecutive GPF victories, Yuzuru Hanyu says, “I am still far from the skate that I am aiming for.” Not content with the present situation, Hanyu continues to strive towards greater heights.

I really hate to lose. I absolutely want to win all competitions and I don’t want any kind of regretful feelings. Even during training, on days that I cannot jump well, I feel that I have lost to myself and I will be very frustrated. I cannot help it. (I’m) already the extreme type of ‘hate-to-lose’. [laughs]

My 'hate-to-lose’ is not just about the win and loss of a competition. When I make a mistake, I have lost to myself who have not grown. When I decide that I want to do this performance, it has to be that performance, I will think that way. Even if I can do it, I am very uncompromising (t/n. or rigid or stubborn) and so until now there has hardly been any time when I felt satisfied. But failure and frustrated/regretful (kuyashii) feelings are a certain kind of experience. Because there is failure, so there can be reflection; frustration and regret can also become (coils of) springs. I think that’s why I can keep moving forward.

Figure skating has many components like jumps, spins and steps; it requires not just skating skills but also expressive skills. It is a sport that is extremely multi-faceted. If there is one part that is not going well, there are other parts that can be stretched. For example, if you are not making much progress in jumps, you can polish up steps, spins or expression; there are many areas that you can grow in, if you search for it. As long as you don’t fix your own limits, there is no end to how much you can grow / improve. Further on ahead, with more years of age, even if jumps cannot be done anymore, expressive abilities can be refined, so it can become better in a different sense. When I think of this, there is still a lot more that I can evolve. This is why I think figure skating is so interesting.

Figure skating is a sport that is done by one person on the ice, but the bigger the competition, the bigger the group of people that supports that one competitor. Until I finally reach the ice, there are people who help to get my body ready, the coaches who teach me, and the people in the team. Then there is my mother who supports me in everything from daily life to competitions, and also everyone who sends me cheers at the venue. Heading towards the same direction, all these people are competing together with me. I have the feeling of competing in a team. And because I can feel that I am not alone and everyone is here for me, I can focus, I can work hard and do my best. To all the people who support me, I am truly grateful.