Skating royalty: Japan's 'Ice Prince' Yuzuru Hanyu

Japan's "Ice Prince" Yuzuru Hanyu, who announced his retirement from competitive figure skating at the age of 27 on Tuesday, is one of the sport's all-time greats and an icon to his worldwide legion of adoring fans.

After winning his first men's individual Olympic gold medal aged 19 at the 2014 Sochi Games, Hanyu became the first man in 66 years to retain his crown when he again stood atop the podium at Pyeongchang 2018.

He also claimed the world title twice but his impact on figure skating goes far beyond just medals.

His supporters, known as "Fanyus", follow his every move, spend fortunes watching him compete and even carve sculptures of the rake-thin star, who is known as "Yuzu" to his devotees.

They also shower the ice with Winnie the Pooh toys after his routines, in a chaotic tribute to the tissue box cover he carries to the rink with him.

"The way he looks and his technique and the effort he puts in -- no one else will have that total package," 46-year-old fan Yumi Matsuo told AFP earlier this year.

"I'm really happy that I'm alive at this time so that I can support him."

Hanyu has been at the top of men's figure skating for almost a decade.

He began skating as a child in his native Sendai, in Japan's northeast. When the massive earthquake and tsunami hit the region in 2011, he was practising on the ice and was forced to flee the rink on his skates.

Hanyu makes a point of honouring the victims of the disaster and he dedicated his first Olympic title as "a gift for my country".

"I'm the only gold medallist but I don't think I'm just spiritually by myself, I'm here because of all the people in Japan who supported me," he said after his Sochi gold.

Hanyu went on to win world titles in 2014 and 2017, breaking records with