Winter Olympics: Yuzuru Hanyu wonders if ‘the ice doesn’t like me any more’, blames divot as popped quad threatens figure skating gold medal hopes
- Japan’s ‘Ice Prince’ lands eighth as rare mistake costs him precious points in Beijing 2022 men’s short programme
- Hanyu goes into final free skate on Thursday 18.82 points behind Nathan Chen, who finishes top with world record
Yuzuru Hanyu, widely regarded as one of the best male figure skaters of all time, found himself wondering if he had fallen out of favour with the ice after a rare mistake on Tuesday.
Far from the dazzling performances that won him gold at the last two Olympics, the Japanese “Ice Prince” landed eighth in the men’s short programme at the Beijing Games after a missed opening quadruple Salchow jump cost him precious points.
“To be honest, I’m wondering, did I do something wrong? Is it because I did something bad that it turned out like this?” he said, blaming a divot in the ice for making him skip the jump.
Hanyu told reporters he had gone into the Games comfortable with his level of concentration as well as his much-talked-about decision to arrive in Beijing just two days before competition.
“That’s especially why … I can’t come to terms with it,” he said.
“Nothing was wrong with my skating, so I’m thinking maybe the ice doesn’t like me any more,” he said, forcing a laugh.