Yuzuru Hanyu announces his retirement from competition (updated after his press conference)

[misskarne]

Confirmed according to those watching on social media: he'll stop competing and turn professional.

Not sure how the desire to chase the 4A fits in with that; he can't have it ratified in professional skating, but oh well, that's for him to deal with, I guess.

 

[On My Own]

Well, there goes the "misinformation", and there already comes the first tweet that he's no longer shackled by the politics and oppression of the ISU.

 

[miffy]

I’ll miss Hanyu, but I won’t miss the glee from people when he makes mistakes. I totally understand that some of his fans are completely crazy but I don’t think Hanyu deserved for his losses to be celebrated and laughed over like that

I hope he will have a happy retirement and find other things he enjoys as much as he did competing

 

[reut]

I hope he will have a happy retirement and find other things he enjoys as much as he did competing

He looked utterly happy during the "Fantasy on Ice" shows. I'm sure he will.

 

[ShuPa]

I’ll miss Hanyu, but I won’t miss the glee from people when he makes mistakes. I totally understand that some of his fans are completely crazy but I don’t think Hanyu deserved for his losses to be celebrated and laughed over like that

I hope he will have a happy retirement and find other things he enjoys as much as he did competing

Finally a sensible comment. It was disturbing to read so many horrible comments on this forum in the past years. There are also so many comments in this thread too that is all about mocking Yuzuru's fans and less about Yuzu himself - really, is it the only thing you can say about such a fantastic skater like him? It is saddening.

 

[airgelaal]

It's sad. But as long as Yuzuru is happy I'm happy too.

 

[MAXSwagg]

With all of my main men gone (Chan, Fernandez, Hanyu) my interest has certainly falllen into casual follower. Pandemic and no in person comps triggered it as well as other things. Not sure I’ll attend any comps for a while (usually did 2-3 a year). The only people I have any remote interest in are Sui/Han, Galliamov, PapCiz, and Yuma. Aside from them not much else going on in the sport imo. But most Fanyus who have been in it since the beginning already expected this; as usual many people like to exaggerate based off a few tweets. Anyway he has two Olympic golds, something that will take another generation at least so I am satisfied. As well as all the other FS friends I’ve met over the past ten years. I just wonder what the ISU is thinking with all the significant revenue lost now. No one is bringing in near that much money.

 

[Sylvia]

Figure skating: Japanese icon Hanyu retires from competition - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese figure skating icon Yuzuru Hanyu announced he is retiring from competition Tuesday but will continue his bid to land the elu

mainichi.jp

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese figure skating icon Yuzuru Hanyu announced he is retiring from competition Tuesday but will continue his bid to land the elusive quadruple axel as a professional exhibition skater.

After missing out on a third straight Olympic gold at the Beijing Games in February, the 27-year-old two-time world champion left it unclear whether he would ever again compete on the ice.

"I'll no longer be able to be compared with other competitors," he said during a press conference in Tokyo. "But I'll keep fighting my weaknesses and my past self."

"In terms of results, I've achieved the things I could achieve. I stopped wanting to be evaluated."

He narrowly missed becoming the first athlete to land the quad axel in competition during his free skate in Beijing, falling on his attempt at the four-and-a-half rotation jump.

Hanyu, also a four-time Grand Prix Final winner and six-time national champion, withdrew from the world championships in March as he had not recovered from the ankle sprain he sustained in Beijing.

"I carried on until Beijing in pursuit of the quad axel but I feel I can do it, not necessarily in competitions...I actually feel it gives a chance for more people to witness it (in person)."

"I made the decision (to stop competing) after Beijing...I've thought through many things and felt I no longer need to be on the same stage, while also feeling more determined to get better and stronger."

A native of Sendai in northeastern Japan's Tohoku region, Hanyu inspired victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated the area with his victory at the 2014 Sochi Games.

He made a historic defense of his Olympic gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, becoming the first to achieve the feat in the sport in 66 years, since American Dick Button.

Hanyu became the youngest recipient of the Japanese government's People's Honor Award at age 23 that year.

This version is illustrated with photos over the years:

Figure skating: Japanese icon Yuzuru Hanyu retires from competition

Japanese figure skating icon Yuzuru Hanyu has announced he is retiring from competition but will continue his bid to land the elusive quadruple axel as a professional exhibition skater.

english.kyodonews.net

 

[japanice]

FIGURE SKATING | Yuzuru Hanyu Announces Retirement From Competition, Will Continue Career as a Pro Skater

“I have already won everything I want to win,” the two time Olympic champion said. “I don’t like the word ‘retire,’ so I don’t want to say this word very much.”

japan-forward.com

 

[Karen-W]

Skaters are beginning to weigh in on the news -

Absolutely class statement from Ilia Malinin on his IG story - https://instagram.com/stories/quadg...ource=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Mikhail Shaidorov - https://instagram.com/stories/mikha...ource=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Ivan Shmuratko - https://instagram.com/stories/v4no_...ource=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Jason Brown - https://www.instagram.com/p/CgMbzoKBMMu/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Morisi Kvitelashvili - https://instagram.com/stories/moris...ource=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Yuma Kagiyama - https://instagram.com/stories/yuma_...ource=ig_story_item_share&igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

I might enjoy mocking the Fanyus too much for some people's taste, but it's clear that his fellow competitors have nothing but mad respect for and admiration of Hanyu, and it's good to remember that impact he has had on the sport. It's always been clear to me that he was gracious and a good sportsman, which endeared him to so many others.

 

[Frau Muller]

In American team sports, when a beloved athlete retires, his/her jersey-number is retired. In Yuzu’s case…will Winnie the Poohs be retired? Oh, noooooo - my POOOOOH!!!!!! BOO HOOOO FOR POOOOOH!!!!!

 

[screech]

The only time I saw Hanyu skate was at the Olympics earlier this year. He looked like one of those Tall Boy/tube man balloons they have at car dealerships in the U.S.--floppy, no audience connection--and he made numerous mistakes that warranted a much lower placement than he received.

The only time I saw him live was at Skate Canada 2016. He and Patrick Chan were both competing. All I can say is that Yuzuru Hanyu was nowhere NEAR Chan's level of skating ability (between the jumps). The difference was so glaringly obvious live that it made it so difficult to comprehend the scores that Hanyu got. After a mistake he would power skate with his head down, arms pumping, like a bull about to charge, before he finally got back into the program. And Patrick made mistakes too - neither were perfect. But Patrick never 'left' the program. And seeing a Patrick with mistakes live, I completely understood the so-called 'Chanflation'. Never understood the 'Hanflation'.
That said, Hanyu is and undeniably gifted skater. The ease of his jumps is something to behold, and I enjoy that he chose programs that meant something to him. He helped increase the popularity of the sport in different markets (and also helped the travel industry, with the fans who went wherever he went).

On a different note, I'm wondering if this is the beginning of the end of the Cricket Club's reign as the premier singles skating school? Kind of how Mariposa was 20 years ago, then the top skaters there left/retired, and now it seems to be more like a footnote.

 

[Theoreticalgirl]

Thanks for the years of legendary skating, no thanks to the years of legendary batshit, toxic fans. Glad he's moving on.

 

[Ananas Astra]

In American team sports, when a beloved athlete retires, his/her jersey-number is retired. In Yuzu’s case…will Winnie the Poohs be retired? Oh, noooooo - my POOOOOH!!!!!! BOO HOOOO FOR POOOOOH!!!!!

One can hope...

 

[antmanb]

The only time I saw him live was at Skate Canada 2016. He and Patrick Chan were both competing. All I can say is that Yuzuru Hanyu was nowhere NEAR Chan's level of skating ability (between the jumps). The difference was so glaringly obvious live that it made it so difficult to comprehend the scores that Hanyu got.

Which just goes to show how subjective the sport is because I saw them both live at the GPF in December 2015 and remember thinking that there wasn't much in it between the two in terms of basic skating and transitions. To be fair Chan had a fairly "off" competition there and was having quite a few jump issues so perhaps his in-betweens suffered more than usual, but i thought Hanyu more than held his own against him.

But more to his retirement - I wish Hanyu all the best and kind of hope the quad axel talk is just that. I think he needs to actually let his body heal and then have a lot of fun with his creativity in shows.

 

[PRlady]

Since I stay away from skating Twitter and Facebook, the fanyus never bothered me much. But I’ve loved Yuzu for years and as a double Oly gold medalist he will go down as one of the greats. Seeing him in person in Helsinki 2017 was a highlight. All best wishes to him.

 

[skategal]

Wow end of an era for sure!

Best wishes to him in retirement.

I’m sure his shows will be a huge success.

 

[Lanie]

I wish him all the best. He seems very happy with his decision and it is what is best for him. I hope he can create a great series of shows and have a happy life outside skating too. He's a legend for sure and pushed the sport.

 

[Polaris]

It's the end of an era! I've been following Hanyu for close to a decade now and he's definitely the GOAT for me. It's been a rollercoaster ride. Live watching his NHK 2015, GPF 2015, World 2017, Olys 2018 competitions were unforgettable and it'll be hard to surpass them. I expected his retirement coming, but it's always bittersweet to have it confirmed. Hanyu isn't a once-in-a-generation skater, but a once-in-several-generations skater. I'm glad I was privileged enough to see him when he was actively competing.

It's funny to see how many salty folks in this thread have Fanyus living in their head rent free and using this occasion to let their bitterness out. I'm VERY online across the major social media platforms and I've never had an issue with overzealous skating fans. Maybe y'all should learn how to use social media's block/mute/cull tools.

 

[On My Own]

It's funny to see how many salty folks in this thread have Fanyus living in their head rent free

https://twitter.com/x/status/1369156479794606081

 

[Bouffantrex]

Congratulations to Fanyu--leaving an outstanding and historic legacy.

 

[allezfred]

I just wonder what the ISU is thinking with all the significant revenue lost now. No one is bringing in near that much money.

Unbelievable as it may be to some, figure skating existed before Hanyu. It will exist after him.

 

[jenny12]

Which just goes to show how subjective the sport is because I saw them both live at the GPF in December 2015 and remember thinking that there wasn't much in it between the two in terms of basic skating and transitions. To be fair Chan had a fairly "off" competition there and was having quite a few jump issues so perhaps his in-betweens suffered more than usual, but i thought Hanyu more than held his own against him.

But more to his retirement - I wish Hanyu all the best and kind of hope the quad axel talk is just that. I think he needs to actually let his body heal and then have a lot of fun with his creativity in shows.

I was a big Chan fan for a while but as Hanyu grew as a skater, I started to prefer him as I thought he had more performance in his program. I thought he effectively grew out of the floppieness he showed earlier in his career.

 

[ChelleC]

The end of an era.

My earliest memory of Hanyu is him sharing the podium at 2012 Worlds with Chan and Takahashi. Fondest memory 2018 Olympics free.

The tributes from the other skaters are really getting to me.

 

[VGThuy]

I myself mostly ignored the toxic Fanyus but I say it was hard to be an active figure skating fan when they would go on a rampage and do things like mass harass Nathan Chen’s Instagram account and call him all kinds of hideous things or when they vandalized that special ISU wall where skatings throughout the decades signed their names. They spilled over to beyond internet posting (which in of itself has shown to be dangerous and exploit people with vulnerable mental states to join their mobs) to actual real world hooliganism.

And just saying they’re only posting violent and hate-based and often illogical and manic messages isn’t the defense you think it is as those things are usually signs of things of people who are able to commit much more dangerous actions. That’s why social media posting/behavior and developer responsibility in the dissemination of information and how it has affected our society (on analyst even going so far as saying it has made us all dumber in the past ten years) is being analyzed and studied now.

 

[Trillian]

Unbelievable as it may be to some, figure skating existed before Hanyu. It will exist after him.

Yeah, I think the most OTT reactions are coming from people who are clearly pretty young. On the other hand, I will say that Hanyu and the Japanese market are a huge source of revenue for skating as a whole right now, so I’ll be interested to see if any of his ventures open up some new pro/non-ISU opportunities for other skaters. In the same way a handful of the biggest North American stars helped build the ‘90s pro boom here, he probably has the potential to leverage the general popularity of skating in Japan in some big ways. I’m curious to see what he does with it.

Hanyu has never been my very favorite skater, but he’s always been one of my favorites at any given time, and anyone who wants to call him the GOAT has my blessing. I’m not sure how anyone can be surprised that a 27-year-old skater (and two-time Olympic champ) whose ankle is currently held together by duct tape is retiring from competition. But I will miss him.

 

[VGThuy]

Now that I talked about the Fanyus, I’m going to move on to the legend himself. He wasn’t always my favorite skater but I did root for him to win in 2014 and I was happy he won in 2018. He was a real warrior and did things that were so incredible and only a result of having that crazy ambitious drive of a legendary champion. No matter how one feels about his skating, he moved the sport forward by leaps and bounds and his commitment to the sport is something we fans should not take for granted but should appreciate.

 

[Sylvia]

Leaving a legacy: Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) retires from competing (ISU article today, July 19): https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/...hanyu-retires-from-competing?templateParam=15

 

[On My Own]

And just saying they’re only posting violent and hate-based and often illogical and manic messages isn’t the defense you think it is as those things are usually signs of things of people who are able to commit much more dangerous actions.

Well... like this indeed:
https://twitter.com/tiandadida810/status/1116550960321445888 (plus look at the replies)

https://twitter.com/4f3t3lo/status/1473117529321181185

https://twitter.com/4f3t3lo/status/1515051847236653057

https://twitter.com/4f3t3lo/status/1504516090612826116

Not even getting to that gorilla emoji they use for him because he did a hip hop dance break. And funnily, the actual team china athletes don't have fans who behave like this.

So yeah. Don't tell me I'm "salty". And don't tell me Yuzuru Hanyu is a perfect angel for never calling out trash like this. He markets himself in that place lol, you think he doesn't know what kind of people have started following him? Please. I do have less respect for him than some others do, and at this point, what does it matter if I say it, right? He can take these people with him. I hope they never look at competitive ice again.

 

[MacMadame]

It's like you're kind of addicted to them as a form of entertainment or something.

Yes, they are fun to make fun of because they are so OTT and don't seem to understand how anything works. Also, they have a cool nickname.

So which is worse: having Fanyu's "living in your head" or having people who talk about them on FSU "living in your head?" I mean really, why do people care that other people care? You can skip those posts if they don't interest you.