by Nick Reeves
© Agence France-Presse
GANGNEUNG, South Korea (AFP) — Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu took a giant step towards retaining his Olympic figure skating title with a flawless short program on Friday as arch-rival Nathan Chen’s challenge came disastrously unstuck.
The Japanese star showed no ill effects from the right ankle injury that sidelined him for three months as he surged into a four-point lead with a score of 111.68.
Six-time European champion Javier Fernandez of Spain heads the chasing pack going into Saturday’s decisive free skate at the Gangneung Ice Arena on 107.58.
Placed third, over seven points adrift of his compatriot, was another Japanese skater, Shoma Uno, with China’s Jin Boyang lying fourth.
But Chen looks down and out after two major mistakes left him towards the back of the pack in 17th.
Hanyu’s bid to become the first skater since American Dick Button in 1948/52 to claim back-to-back Olympic titles could not have got off to a more encouraging start.
“I’m so happy I was able to meet the expectations of my supporters,” said the 23-year-old.
“It’s a plus that I had experience of the Olympics, I wanted to rely on that. And with no competition time in three months I was so full of joy at being able to skate, and to able to enjoy the cheers of the fans which spurred me on.”
Since Sochi he has been accorded cult status in Japan and his every move and every jump was greeted by deafening cheers — and that was just in the warm-up.
From the moment he launched into the air for an opening quad loop to his final combination spin, Hanyu looked every inch a champion.
Fernandez almost conceded as much when he said: “If I am in the same position tomorrow I will be happy.
“We know how good ‘Yuzu’ is now but I will fight all the way.”
Hanyu’s routine set to Chopin’s Ballade No.1 earned him 10 points more than he took for his short programme in Russia four years ago.
Took a tumble
With the music fading away, Winnie the Pooh bears came raining onto the ice, hurled down by his adoring army of fans that have become such a hallmark of any Hanyu appearance.
Hanyuyu is a big fan of pooh-bears and a hundred or so of the cuddly toys were picked up by a team of 50 or so girl, opening the ice for Chen, next up and Hanyu’s main challenger.
The 18-year-old American, the only man to beat Hanyu last year, took a tumble on his opening quad flip triple toeloop, and performed an unscripted cartwheel to recover from a missed triple axel.
“Honestly, it was bad. I made as many mistakes as I possibly could have,” he said.
“I thought I did everything right going into this, things just didn’t click together.”
Hanyu’s main threat now comes from Fernandez, who is itching to close out his Olympic career with a first medal.
The 26-year-old Real Madrid supporter endeared himself to the crowd with a mischievously entertaining interpretation of the tramp from the Charlie Chaplin classic Modern Times.
If he can pull it off, the hugely popular Madrileno with the Spanish flag etched on the side of his blades will collect Spain’s first ever skating medal after a frustrating fourth in Sochi.
As for the bears, Hanyu was asked what he was going to do with them all.
“I will present them to the local community, donate them to Pyeongchang.”
Due to sponsorship rights he was unable to carry his usual pooh-bear tissue box with him at the rink.
“I’m not an expert but I guess it’s to do with a conflict of intellectual property rights with Olympic sponsors.
“But I’ve got my yellow bear back in my room, I put my head against him before I left, I’m sure he was supporting and cheering for me!”
© Agence France-Presse
