Amidst intense attention on who would be able to exceed the score of 322.40 points he set at the NHK Trophy, the reigning Olympic Champion was going for a third consecutive GPF title in Barcelona. What arose in his heart as he overcame the overwhelming pressure and created a new “legend”?
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“This time, I was chased by the world record score I set at the NHK Trophy. I was putting pressure on myself with thoughts of I must exceed the performance at NHK Trophy…But, as I was performing the FS, I felt released from it.”
The GPF had taken place amidst tremendous attention by everyone over “Can the score of 322.40 points at the NHK Trophy be exceeded?”. Naturally, he himself felt great pressure. The mental strength that broke through and overcame such pressure. What was in his heart on the night that he made history with the score of 330.43 points?
Going back in time to the NHK Trophy a fortnight ago. Hanyu was attempting the challenge of performing two quadruple jumps in the SP for the first time. At that time, he was single-mindedly, looking forward.
“I enjoy challenges. I had completely no anxiety. Regarding this SP, although it has been a struggle for more than one year, there has also been enjoyment in challenging something I have yet to perform without mistakes. As the reigning Olympic champion, in order to also win the next Olympics, I have to become overwhelmingly strong. Having two quads in the SP has become essential to reach that goal.”
It was a competition where his heart was overflowing with clear motivation. In addition to the new challenge of increasing the number of quadruple jumps in his programmes, there was also Patrick Chan’s comeback and the quadruple-lutz landed by the young Boyang Jin before Hanyu’s performance. In all respects, it was a situation that brought out all of his fighting spirit.
At the NHK Trophy, he exceeded Chan’s previous world record score of 295.27 points by over 27 points with his score of 322.40 points, and felt a sense of accomplishment he had yet to experience until then.
However after the joy of that night in Nagano, as he departed from Nagano, a new reality awaited. This was the Grand Prix Final (GPF), which was less than two weeks away.
“The scores I set in the SP, FS and in total put pressure upon myself. That was a new “wall” for me. I have to obtain the mental strength to breakthrough and overcome this wall. But how?”
The mental strength to overcome oneself. It can be said that there is nothing more difficult to obtain than this, as humans are more easily motivated when there is a clear and visible rival or target.
He explored this along the lines of: if he had a new challenge, he would be able to become mentally stronger.
“In any case, I want to include the quadruple-loop in my programme. However as it had yet to attain the success rate to be attempted in competition, it was a challenge for the future. I want to execute the opening quadruple-salchow in my SP and the quadruple-toeloop in my FS more beautifully. Also I want to improve the refinement of each and every movement. Anyway I was going to challenge something beyond this 322 points.”
However, incremental improvements to various elements to exceed the score of 322 points were weak motivators. Something else, something more that could be the “heart” that would form his pivot was necessary.
He then tried thinking about the reasons that had made NHK Trophy such a success for him, superimposing past experiences of success upon it. Was there an occasion where he had similarly been in such a heightened state of excitement and had given his best performance?
What came to mind was the World Championships held in Nice in 2012. On top of it being the season immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, he was injured just before the competition. Coming to grips with all of the surging, complicated emotions he felt at that time, he had given a rendition of his Romeo and Juliet FS that overflowed with spirit and emotion. He had won the bronze medal there and opened the door to the world.
“When I tried digging into the past, I felt there were similarities with the 2012 World Championships. The sole difference was whether I could control myself. At that time I was injured, it was a miraculous performance achieved solely by the will to fight on in a disadvantageous situation amidst the support I received following the earthquake. As for the NHK Trophy, as the reigning Olympic Champion, it was a competition from a position of advantage to another, a battle with myself. I had trained well, I had people and an environment that supported me. The conditions to win, the environment for me to compete successfully were there. But somehow my feelings were the same.”
This became a hint.
Why did he recall the feelings at that World Championships to such an extent, at every turn? He was often told “I became your fan because of the World Championships in Nice.” And then he realised, that the reason why his performance in Nice was so loved and unforgettable was not because of the score or placement.
“Each performance is unique and cannot be reproduced. The performance at the World Championships in Nice cannot be replicated. After that, although I performed Romeo and Juliet in ice-shows many times and without mistakes, they cannot become that performance in Nice. The atmosphere in that arena, my physical condition at that time, the fall during the step sequence, the youthfulness of being 17, all of that only existed in that particular time.”
And then, these thoughts joined with his thoughts toward the GPF.
“It’s the same as (the performance in) Nice. The SP at NHK Trophy is an SP, the SP at the GPF in Barcelona is an SP, the FS is an FS. Although viewers would definitely compare the performances by saying that performance is better, or they prefer this performance, for me they are different. If today I can skate while cherishing the heart of “doing a performance that encapsulates such and such thoughts and emotions”, and have each and every performance remain as memories, wouldn’t I be very happy?”
He made his decision then. Precisely because it was at a time that he had set the new world record, he decided that more than scores, he wanted to leave his mark on people’s memories.
A perfect performance. That moment, everything was carved in history
And then, after that, he arrived in Barcelona. The venue was the same as the 2014 GPF, the Barcelona International Convention Centre. The view of the Mediterranean Sea expanded below, and even in December, a warm breeze could be felt on one’s cheek. The cheerful, friendly locals often called out warmly to local hero Javier Fernandez as well as Hanyu. It was known as a venue where one could feel a strong sense of oneness with the audience.
However, it was still a competition and as the day of the SP segment approached, the sense of nervousness heightened.
“Ah, I was nervous. It was the same during the FS at the NHK Trophy. However, I knew why I was nervous. I felt I had to exceed the performance at the NHK Trophy, to give another performance like that. Therefore I did not try to make myself not feel nervous, but to control the self that was feeling nervous.”
He returned his thoughts to the decision he had made in his heart prior to entering the venue. He used up to 29 seconds before starting his performance to increase his concentration.
“This sense of nervousness, this venue, and also, a performance that can only be created today. The SP at the NHK Trophy was something totally different. What was important was the extent to which I could perform my programme.”
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Calmness returned to his heart. Including two quadruple jumps, he delivered a commanding performance without mistakes.
“As the jumps were landed one by one, the spins and steps also became part of the music, I was moving with the piano music.”
His performance which merged completely with the music of Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 was the highlight of the segment. With scores of perfect 10s for Performance, it re-wrote the world record with a score of 110.95 points.
When he saw his score, he applauded himself and then from his seat in the Kiss and Cry, he called out “Enjoy!” to the next competitor, his teammate Javier Fernandez. Fernandez looked back with a smile, and replied “Bravo!” before skating off.
Moment by moment, it was a competition that left its mark in the hearts of people.
“For the FS the day after tomorrow, I want to skate while holding on to a completely different inspiration inside me.”
The Men’s FS would be held after a one-day gap for practice. On the day of competition, during both the morning practice and the 6-minute warm-up, he made mistakes on his quadruple-toeloop. Precisely because of the errors on this jump which had been in good form since the NHK Trophy and was also a jump he had completely mastered, he had a realisation.
“Ah right now I am anxious. I am thinking whether I can give a performance like the one at the NHK Trophy. I shouldn’t be thinking like this. It’s ok even if I don’t skate it perfectly, it’s enough if I just skate and perform every element with the thought of “Right now, right here, what I can do.””
Once more, he returned to the decision he had set in his heart before coming to Barcelona.
Hanyu skating with a steady heart was strong. His performance was perfect. There were two judges that gave him +3 GOE, denoting elements of the highest quality for all 13 elements which consisted of eight jumps, three spins and the two step/choreographic sequences. As for PCS, he received perfect scores of 10s in all five components. It was a historical performance on all levels.
“During my performance, as I landed the quadruple jumps, I broke free from the feeling of anxiety. My good performance was due to focusing on “what I can do right now”, plus the strength I received from everyone in the arena.”
His FS score was 219.48 points, his total score 330.43 points. These were massive scores that no one could have contemplated barely a month ago.
However he did not seem overjoyed by the score. Hanyu’s heart was already moving towards the next stage. “No matter how much focus there is on this being “the highest scoring performance in the world”, the aim of my skating is different. I want to see to what extent I can perfect my performance. Although I am also happy that people think my scores are great, but if people can like my performances and be moved by my performances, then I can work even harder.”
His smile at the post-competition press conference was gentle. “This time I am filled with the peaceful feeling of “I’m glad”. As I had been fighting with various pressures and it is finally over! Right now instead of what kind of performance I want to give in my next competition, I want to practice. Day by day, so as not to have any regrets, I want to practice.”
In response to the journalist who asked him: “After setting such a high score, what do you want to practice?”, he replied with a wry smile: “As my step sequence was only level 3, I want to improve it. Also I need to practice my English as it is terrible.”
Fernandez who was seated beside him leaned over and said: “Feels like one point.” This was a night in which such a gentle atmosphere tickled the nose, like a warm sea breeze wafting in.
Yuzuru Hanyu, il genio talentuoso del pattinaggio, Foto, Video, Interviste, Articoli
