Javier Fernández joins ranks of Spanish sports royalty

[Sylvia]

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/artic...&vkey=ice_news

[DaveRocks]

Javi!

[Oreo]

Javi is one of the ones I'm rooting for to medal in Sochi!

[bardtoob]

[Jaana]

WOW, what a great article about a guy who sounds really nice!!! I´m so happy for his success and that he is getting the attention in his own country and in Canada, too.

[VarBar]

I would expect Fernandez to finish on the podium at this season's Worlds, he has improved his presentation, he has three quads in the long program and he usually skates very well in Canada.

Yes, he can do it.

[PCFan]

The recognition is well deserved; Javier has worked hard.

[lauravvv]

I would expect Fernandez to finish on the podium at this season's Worlds, he has improved his presentation, he has three quads in the long program and he usually skates very well in Canada.

Yes, he can do it.

I really like Javier and I am glad for him, but I must say that I don't want either Daisuke, or Chan to miss the podium. I just love Daisuke, despite his not so great programs for this season, and this is the first season when I really, really like Chan. And I don't really see Hanyu missing the podium unless he totally messes up both of his programs. Of course, it has happened before, and can happen again, but there is also a considerable possibility of Hanyu skating his record score gaining SP cleanly, and then just partially messing up his FS, but the lead after the SP being huge enough to still medal or even take the gold.

Sigh. Just not enough places on the podium for all the skater that I like.

[bardtoob]

As proud as his parents are of their son's good fortune, Fernández said they remain somewhat outsiders in the sport.

"They know a little bit," he said. "But they still get confused with the jumps."

Javi probably benefits from not having Skating Parents . . . because then he and Brian only have to worry about the skating.

[Ziggy]

Vomit-inducing cheesefest of an article but I am glad that Fernandez is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

It's incredible how much he's managed to achieve given the very sub-optimal training conditions he's had in Spain.

[Suze]

Vomit-inducing cheesefest of an article but I am glad that Fernandez is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

It's incredible how much he's managed to achieve given the very sub-optimal training conditions he's had in Spain.

I love cheesefests! More, please, more!

I'm happy to hear that Javier is getting more press and publicity in his home country. Spain hasn't had much in the way of good news in the past few years so how even more exciting for Spaniards to have someone to root for at the international stage in a sport that's been pretty much unknown natively-speaking.

There's something I love about Javier but I don't know quite what it is yet. His smile? Whatever the case, I hope he puts on a great performance at worlds next week. I'll be rooting for him

[Jaana]

He laughed when he thought back to his first days away from Spain, working with a Russian coach and being around Japanese skaters in an English-speaking country, but slowly, he made it work.

A love this kind of attitude!!! Well, he apparently is talented in skating and in languages, as his English sounded to me very good in the 2013 Europeans interview.

[aftershocks]

...
Sigh. Just not enough places on the podium for all the skater that I like.

Yeah, maybe they should split it and give large medals* to skaters who place top 3 in the sp and in the lp to spread the medals around. That, or either also give medals for best jumps, best spins, best cohesive and artistically-performed choreography, and so on (in addition to the top overall championship medals).


*I know they already do have the small medal ceremony, but that really doesn't count much in the scheme of things.


Good luck to Javi! It will be interesting to see how things transpire for everyone in London, Ontario.

[spikydurian]

Good for Fernandez to get great publicity and recognition in Spain. Good for figure skating in the country. He is skating very well so I too think he will win a medal. Good luck to cutie Fernandez.

[caseyedwards]

His success is extraordinary! He's like male Yuna but from Spain like she's from south Korea! Both really were first to win stuff in figure skating for their country. But maybe he's more impressive because south Korea is huge with speed skating so there was more awareness of skating sports.

[skateboy]

I love that Javi skates in Spanish Nats every year.

[joeperryfan]

His success is extraordinary! He's like male Yuna but from Spain like she's from south Korea! Both really were first to win stuff in figure skating for their country. But maybe he's more impressive because south Korea is huge with speed skating so there was more awareness of skating sports.

Yeah, but Javier won't be making millions in endorsements like Yuna did, unfortunately...

[Vagabond]

Javi probably benefits from not having Skating Parents . . . because then he and Brian only have to worry about the skating.

Wait.... Do you mean that coach of his is not his father?

[aemeraldrainc]

Sylvia suggested I cross post from the thrash can thread:

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#sectio.../p2p-74620747/

Philip Hersh's article on Javi

[sailornyanko]

Go Javi!!! Now that he's a student of Brian Orser I truly believe he can medal at Sochi, as a hispanic I'm so proud of him!!!! Que viva España!