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Post by Admin on Apr 20, 2020 19:58:36 GMT
Two-time defending Olympic men's figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu joined other athletes on Friday in a social media public service campaign promoted by the Japanese Olympic Committee to battle the new coronavirus pandemic.
In a video posted on the JOC's official Twitter account, Hanyu reminded people to "refrain from going out unnecessarily" and to cooperate with each other to prevent the spread of infection."
Looking back on the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated much of Japan's northeast Pacific coast, including his hometown Sendai, Hanyu said, "I believe a light can be seen just as it was on the pitch black night sky on March 11."
Hanyu offered his thanks to health care workers on the frontlines of the fight against the coronavirus, saying, "I pray a day comes when we can chat with heartfelt smiles on our faces."
The JOC's athletes committee took the lead on a campaign that also involves the Japan Paralympic Committee's athletes committee. Athletes in every federation were asked to contribute with the only rule being that their messages include a hashtag in Japanese that reads "what you can do in sports now."
Athletes using the hashtag now make up a virtual who's who of Japanese sports with Japan national rugby team captain Michael Leitch, men's badminton world No. 1 Kento Momota and Olympic speed skating champion Nao Kodaira.
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Post by Admin on May 6, 2020 19:26:16 GMT
Without a rink to practice on due to the coronavirus pandemic, two-time defending Olympic figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu showed off partial renditions of his past programs in videos released on Twitter Wednesday by the Japan Skating Federation.
“This is the journey I’ve taken with my program since March 11, 2011, until now,” Hanyu said in his introduction to the videos.
During three videos which last about five minutes in total, Hanyu performs parts of the program he skated since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan, including his hometown of Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.
The two-time world champion also demonstrated some of his “Seimei” program he used at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games to clinch gold for the second straight Olympics.
Since the outbreak of the new coronavirus, the Japan Skating Federation has been sharing videos with the message “Skate Forward” featuring the country’s leading figure and speed skaters.
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Post by Admin on May 13, 2020 20:02:19 GMT
Three videos of figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu performing without his ice skates have generated more than one million combined views.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese star has been unable to attend his local facilities due to social restrictions put in place and has instead showed his choreography off the ice.
The videos posted by the Japan Skating Federation on Twitter showed Hanyu performing routines of his from the past nine years.
In the first video posted, Hanyu said: "This is the journey I took with my programme since March 11, 2011."
The date is in reference to the earthquake and tsunami that hit his home of Sendai, which struck while he practiced at his local ice rink.
In total, 15,899 people died due to the natural disaster which also infamously caused a meltdown at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima.
The three videos show a chronological progression from Hanyu's first programme called "White Legend" in 2011 to the present day.
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Post by Admin on Jan 5, 2021 6:01:41 GMT
Yuzuru Hanyu served notice that his bid for a third straight Olympic gold medal is on track and moving full steam ahead at the Japan Championships here on the last weekend in December 2020. In 2021, he will continue his buildup to the 2022 Beijing Olympics where he will again seek to make history. The superstar culminated his quest for a fifth national title with a majestic performance in his free skate to “Heaven and Earth” on December 26, that eliminated any doubts about his extended period away from competition or his fitness. Hanyu’s winning total score was 319.36 points, which was nearly 35 points better than Shoma Uno in second place with 284.81. Uno’s four-year reign as Japan champ came to an end. Those fortunate enough to be in Big Hat for both his programs saw Hanyu competing at his best. His fusion of athleticism and artistry is what defines him as perhaps the greatest figure skater of all time. Sweden’s Gillis Grafstrom is the only man to win the gold medal at three straight Olympics (1920, 1924, 1928). That 92 years have passed since he achieved the feat attests to how difficult of an accomplishment it is. But the 26-year-old Hanyu has both the heart and desire to do it. After enduring two injury-filled seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19, Hanyu won all of his events last season except for the Grand Prix Final (where he finished second to American Nathan Chen) and the Japan Championships (where he came in second behind Shoma Uno). So high is the bar that Hanyu has set, that he considered it a disappointing season. “Last season with the All-Japan’s and Grand Prix series, I wasn’t able to grasp the feeling of growth and I also started to feel as though my conditions weren’t enough nor equipped to remain competitive at matches anymore,” Hanyu stated. “There was a split moment where I just was exhausted from competing. I think I’d like to overcome the sense of accomplishment and difficulties in the game.” In addition to his phenomenal ability and incredible poise, the Sendai native has been blessed with an amazing body. As the years pass, skaters generally gain weight and have difficulty executing jumps and elements that they did easily at a younger age, but not Hanyu. His physique looks the same now as it did 10 years ago.
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Post by Admin on Jan 6, 2021 4:10:04 GMT
Hanyu Awes Announcer Barton International Skating Union Junior Grand Prix announcer Ted Barton, one of the foremost authorities in the sport, recognizes what a marvel Hanyu is. “He is probably the greatest male figure skater of all time,” Barton commented. “But the reality of life is that as we get older, it is harder to do. He is so incredibly talented. For me the most interesting thing will be to watch him try to produce what he did when he was younger at an older age, nearer the end of his career. That will be the victory. Whether it is a gold medal, silver or bronze, or whatever it is.” This year’s Japan Championships illustrated that Hanyu is as powerful and graceful as ever. “I think that he could win it (the 2022 Olympics). I would probably think of him as the favorite,” Barton said. “But you’ve got Nathan, and Russia’s Mikhail Kolyada is a completely different skater. I have been blown away by what he has done this year. We will see what he looks like in a year. I don’t think he comes in the same category as Yuzuru at this point, but nobody has really. “What will Yuzu produce?” wondered Barton. “It is a mystery and that is the great thing.”
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