Hanyu's achievement and place in history

[judgejudy27]

What does the historic 2nd Olympic Gold say about Hanyu and his place in history in mens skating? Personally I think to achieve such a feat at the time the depth and technical demands of mens skating have never been higher, along with all his other achievements, and how he has battled through numerous adversities to achieve this feat, most of all a huge injury this year which put him way behind the 8 ball, gives him a good case as the best mens skater ever, and certainly one of the best. Just an incredible achievement, and an incredible skater, who attained at the highest levels both technically and artistically in the sport.

 

[Meoima]

Hanyu’s 2nd Olympic Gold today is the 1000th winter Olympic Gold.
https://twitter.com/GeumNa/status/964748824605466624?ref_src=twcamp^share|twsrc^m5|twgr^email|twcon^7046|twterm^3

He is truly blessed. And such an inspiring person.

He has thought of giving up skating all together many times, when he was 10 when his skating rink was close, when he was 16 when the earthquake happened, in 2014 when he won gold at Sochi, and now and then because he has been injured too many times and it’s so hard: https://twitter.com/axelsandwich/status/964817905027297286?ref_src=twcamp^share|twsrc^m5|twgr^email|twcon^7046|twterm^3

And he is still injured: https://twitter.com/chiburahakkai/status/964775773117628416?ref_src=twcamp^share|twsrc^m5|twgr^email|twcon^7046|twterm^3

I feel so emotional today.

 

[judgejudy27]

Thanks so much for sharing all of that! He is truly an inspirational and amazing human being, not just skater. Such a great ambassador for the sport in Japan and around the World!

 

[chapis]

I will definitely be watching his performance again and again!!

 

[Meoima]

Thanks so much for sharing all of that! He is truly an inspirational and amazing human being, not just skater. Such a great ambassador for the sport in Japan and around the World!

Misha Ge talks about some details of Yuzuru’s condition here: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfTJuA6h5al/
——

• mishage8Two month ago, was his darkest time. Remember how we talk through all these things on the phone by the the text. In one of our conversation i told him few things : “is dark now, but it for shinning later” & “i see a lot, but the fire you have is rare and special. If you will want it so bad, nothing can hold you”. And so today was your day, and so today was the shine. Proud and Resect of You, my Good Friend. #ThePrinceBecomeAKing

 

[judgejudy27]

Hanyu says he plans to continue skating probably. Yipee!

 

[Meoima]

Hanyu says he plans to continue skating probably. Yipee!

For the 4A... there goes my sanity lol.
But this means we will get new programs from him. FINALLY!

 

[handomi]

Hanyu says he plans to continue skating probably. Yipee!

He wants to continue.... but at the same time it's lookng more, and more real it may be career ending injuiry as doctor said him it's not healing

 

[Sylvia]

Brian Boitano, John Nicks, Sandra Bezic, Paul Wylie, Michael Weiss, and Todd Eldrege comment to Phil Hersh on this topic - Is Hanyu the greatest men's figure skater ever? http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2018/02/18/266677204

 

[Meoima]

He wants to continue.... but at the same time it's lookng more, and more real it may be career ending injuiry as doctor said him it's not healing

Let's hope for the positive. He had to push himself for the Olympics and now he has more time to rest and treat it well.
I think he will want to retire with 2 new programs at least at World Championship 2019 as it will happen in Japan. Even if he might not do quads anymore I think a Hanyu with only triples and new programs would still be very beautiful to watch. I am sure he wants to be there.
Having said that, I think he will be fine and regain his quads. He can do it.

 

[judgejudy27]

Interesting quotes in that link, thanks. Dick Button might well still be the greatest mens skater ever it is stupid to talk about his being unbeaten in comparision to a skater today. The depth of competition and the high risk technical demands are literally light years different. I am sure Dick Button wouldnt have been unbeaten if he were born today either, nor anywhere close to it.

 

[judgejudy27]

Speaking of Dick though have been LOVING his twitter comments, especialy during the mens event. Just a gem! Much better on twitter than he was as a commentator (although in comparision to such toxic waste as Bezic, Hammond, Lane, Lipinski, Weir, and Hamilton I miss him even there).

 

[Meoima]

NBC is very fast: https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/yuzuru-hanyu-says-quad-axel-only-motivation

“I have achieved what I set out to do and I have no intention of retiring,” he said, according to Kyodo News. “Whenever I think about whether I would like to do something else outside skating, it is skating that I always come back to.
“I think I have devoted myself to skating from the bottom of my heart, and I want to do that for a little longer. I want to try a quadruple Axel and that is my only motivation right now."

Poor Brian (and my sanity)

Some new record, a new jump? Quadruple Axel?
Oh God, don’t even… [Brian does a ‘face-palm’ gesture, then laughs]. I don’t want him to get hurt!
So you don’t want him to try that?
Oh, he has tried that.

 

[Sylvia]

Jackie Wong - "Yuzuru Hanyu, no doubt, the greatest": http://www.rockerskating.com/news/2...men-part-2-yuzuru-hanyu-no-doubt-the-greatest

 

[MAXSwagg]

Really, if he were healthy, he very well could have been consecutive 4x world champion, and was certainly close to doing it.

 

[gk_891]

He wants to continue.... but at the same time it's lookng more, and more real it may be career ending injuiry as doctor said him it's not healing

That would be a shame if this injury ends his career. But even if it does, he's still one of if not the greatest skater in men's skating. It'd be nice though if he could come back and compete some more.

 

[bardtoob]

Uncle Dick would have destroyed Yuzuru in compulsory figures. He was the greatest during the compulsory figures era.

Yuzuru would have destroyed Uncle Dick in jumps. He is the greatest in the post compulsory figures era.

I still think Patrick Chan has better skating skill in a freeskating context than either Uncle Dick and Yuzuru ... And Patrick does have a rival in the never mentioned David Jenkins, who also had a better 3A than Patrick.

 

[bardtoob]

David Jenkins should be mentioned in every thread like this.

https://youtu.be/w2unFSmlNjI

https://youtu.be/esMOC6coY8U

 

[Meoima]

His SP at Olympic 2018 CBC: https://vimeo.com/256100136
And his LP at Olympic 2018 CBC: https://vimeo.com/256262017

 

[Meoima]

Orser’s comments on Yuzuru’s statement that he wants to land the 4A: https://twitter.com/ap_sports/status/965856066868150273
Poor Orser. He almost spitted his drink when they told him. Orser says 4A is possible for Yuzuru and he already tried that during summer. Hopefully Yuzuru will stay healthy for that.

 

[MAXSwagg]

A case can definitely be made. To repeat in the current era of skating is almost impossible, especially without funny compulsory figures results to hold you up. That, coupled with judges’ seeming reluctance to have repeat champions, as well as the extraordinary depth and competitiveness of the men’s field of which has never been seen. And of course the injury.

 

[Meoima]

A case can definitely be made. To repeat in the current era of skating is almost impossible, especially without funny compulsory figures results to hold you up. That, coupled with judges’ seeming reluctance to have repeat champions, as well as the extraordinary depth and competitiveness of the men’s field of which has never been seen. And of course the injury.

Yeah, the level of men skating is getting so high I am not sure it's good for their legs, hip and back. Patrick has a reason to worry.

 

[judgejudy27]

One thing that invalidates those U.S articles discussing best ever is they dont even mention John Curry (and possibly Robin Cousins). Any serious conversation about the best ever atleast considers John Curry, and possibly Robin Cousins also. Curry is still the best artistic skater of all time.

I agree Chan is probably the best ever in skating skills which puts him in the conversation.

I realy dont think Plushenko is in the conversation at this point. He is one of the best ever for sure, but he doesnt really have a case for the best ever. Hanyu did what he failed to do in winning a historic 2nd gold, and surpassed his record vs a deeper field, and Yagudin was more dominant (while competing vs Plushenko himself and a strong field of quadsters like young Goebel vs Plushenko who literally competed vs nobody once Yagudin was gone). So Plushenko is really only 3rd best of just the past 20 years or so at this point, arguably 4th if you put him behind Chan due to Chan's sublime skating skills and intangible impact on the sport.