Winter Olympics 2022 - Yuzuru Hanyu promises historic quadruple axel ahead of bid to retain figure skating title

Figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu has promised to deliver the first ever clean quadruple axel in competition when he defends his Winter Olympic title in Beijing. The 27-year-old, considered by many to be the greatest skater of all time, is yet to be seen at the Games venue, prompting social media posts asking “HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?” from his adoring fans, nicknamed ‘Fanyus’.

Ad/> Hanyu has had the aim of pulling off the quadruple axel since he was a child, and has said in the past that training to achieve it has taken its toll on his body over the years. But he almost landed it cleanly at the Japanese national championships recently and he wants to complete it at the Olympics.

Beijing 2022Chen stuns to put US on top in figure skating team eventAN HOUR AGO The move is so difficult — involving four and a half turns in mid-air — that no-one has ever been able to land it cleanly when it has really mattered. If he can pull it off, the score would likely obliterate the challenge from long-time rival and triple world champion Nathan Chen of the USA.

/> «At the Beijing Olympics, I am of course definitely planning to go for the win, including the 4A,» Hanyu said on the Japan Skating Federation’s social media pages, wearing his country’s Olympic kit. «For that, I know I'll definitely need everyone's power, so please cheer me on.» It is not clear when Hanyu will train for the first time in Beijing, or whether he will compete in the team free skate on Sunday, ahead of the individual competition starting on Tuesday.

In his absence from the team short programme, Chen came close to breaking the Japanese athlete's world record to put the US on top of the standings after day one. Chen stuns to put US on top in figure skating team event