Yuzuru Hanyu’s Figure Skating Journey

Ever heard of the first man in over six decades to win two back-to-back Olympic gold medals in figure skating, who was also the first Asian man to win gold medals in singles skating? Well, meet Yuzuru Hanyu, a man who fits that exact description: a TV and film star in Japan, and one of Japan’s most loved and famous athletes. He was born in Sendai, Japan, on December 7, 1994, and raised in Miyagi Prefecture. When Yuzuru was about the age of two, he was diagnosed with asthma, and so his parents encouraged him to find a hobby or sport that could help strengthen his lungs and battle his asthma. Something that caught his eye was figure skating because his older sister, Saya, was already into it. He took lessons for it, which inspired him to go on the ice alongside his sister. He was known in his family for being determined and hyper, which enabled Yuzuru to keep pushing forth with his interests and hopes of becoming a good figure skater. He officially started to get coached by Shoichiro Tsuzuki at the age of four. He was thrilled to find out that his skating coach noticed his excellent balance on the ice, even as a young kid, and was called out for his exceptional talent, self-discipline, and humility. 

In 2011, however, an earthquake struck his hometown and destroyed the ice rink he was originally skating at, leaving Yuzuru heartbroken, but his passion for skating pushed him to work past this obstacle. The earthquake led to other citizens giving up on ice skating, as their home ice rinks were affected, too. Yuzuru assured them that all they had to do was to keep pushing along with courage and hope, and to find another way to keep chasing their dreams if they really were determined. He also gained attention from other Japanese skaters and earned fans who were inspired by his talent. As his love for the sport grew, he found a role model, Evgeni Plushenko, who was actually one of his mentors, yet eventually had an admiration-rivalry with Yuzuru as his career progressed. Despite their rivalry, he admired Plushenko’s strength and power, along with his jumping abilities and techniques.

In 2014, Hanyu joined the Olympics at the winter games, where he won the gold medal at age 19. This accomplishment was very important because he was the first Asian man to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. He won his second gold medal in 2018, at PyeongChang,  which he won while battling a sprained ankle mid-match. He won his third and most recent medal in 2022 at Beijing.

Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu has gone through lots of troubles during his journey on skating, but he has learned that by pushing through and persevering, he will reach the ultimate goal he has worked hard to achieve. He helped prove to people that through dedication and determination, any goal can be achieved.