Hong Kong figure skater Harrison Wong on competing against Yuzuru Hanyu, sacrificing college parties and 2022 Winter Olympics dreams

Former national champion Wong describes watching Japanese superstar Hanyu train at the Four Continents championship

The UCLA graduate-to-be is hopeful of Hong Kong figure skating scene as Beijing 2022 beckons

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(From left) Harrison Wong, Kahlen Cheung and Craig Heath represent Hong Kong at the 2020 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championship in South Korea. Photo: Handout

Published: 3:14pm, 19 Feb 2020Updated: 9:23pm, 20 Feb 2020

Hong Kong figure skating whizz Harrison Jon-yen Wong is used to warming up alongside the world’s top-ranked skaters by now. The 21-year-old – who impressed at last week’s 2020 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championship in South Korea – would take exclusive mental notes as he watched the likes of Japanese superstar Yuzuru Hanyu work their magic up-close.

Hanyu, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, went on to win the tournament and was customarily showered with Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys by adoring fans. An unsurprising outcome considering some have nicknamed Four Continents the “Hanyu competition”.

A young skater collects flowers and stuffed toys thrown on to the ice after Hanyu’s performance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Japan in 2019. Photo: AP

Despite the seemingly intense domain of elite-level athletes vying for international silverware, Wong said the sport has become more inclusive than ever.

“It was really great to meet Yuzuru Hanyu. This was my third time I’ve seen him so the fact that he’s this great skating god is a little bit blown,” Wong said. “It was really good to see how he trains, skates and composes himself during this type of competition. Everyone was extremely focused and, most of all, they are all really nice and respectful people.

Wong waits for his turn on the ice alongside world-class figure skaters at the Four Continents championships this month. Photo: Handout