Figure Skaters

"A genius in action and it's very probable, he's going to break the world record he set two weeks ago."

"Figure skating is not such a high profile sport, when you think of the greats of this year: Jordan Spieth, Floyd Mayweather, Messi, Ronaldo. This guy, in his sport, is as good as they are."

"And that's what makes a true champion: if you can land the jumps, when they are not quite right. That makes you extra special."

"Lane: It's like he's on a mission to be not just the best in the world but the best there has ever been. Browning: Too late, he already is."

"Yuzu skates in a place that most of us can only dream about."

"I do like that he occasionally shows us that he's human. Just throws in the odd fall here and there, because we need to be reminded, occasionally, that he is a human being."

"Definitely agile like a freshly born kitten."

"Very probably the best figure skate. Ever."

"Alors, nous sommes très fiers sur France Télévision cet après-midi de vous proposer ce chef d’œuvre absolu. Ce programme est à enregistrer dans toutes les écoles de patinage."

"That is everything you could ever want in a short program. The complete package. He balances the artistic score and the technical score like no one I have ever seen. The best ever. He has the jumps, he has those quads, he has the performance ability. It was perfection."

"The mindset to overcome this injury, to deal with all of that pressure is what makes him a true champion."

"他让我想起一句话。命运对勇士低语: '你无法抵御风暴。' 勇士低声回应: '我就是风暴。'"

"With one delayed single Axel, one triple Axel, Yuzuru Hanyu, double gold medalist, just gave a masterclass of what figure skating actually is."

"He's a two-time Olympic gold medalist, he's won the World Championships [...] He has everything. And what's all the more amazing that despite that he still [came] back and demonstrated improvement, not just sustaining his excellence but improving his excellence."

"I've heard that his programmes this year are hommages or testaments to some of his favourite skaters. [...] And that's interesting, because that makes you believe that – perhaps – he's a little reserved in his own estimations of himself [...] Perhaps he's not quite aware that he's everybody else's inspiration, he's everybody else's motivation to improve."

"Watch how he plays with the music. He is a master."

"There is no one like him. No one like Yuzuru Hanyu. [...] The rockstar does it again. And whatever it cost, the GOAT – the GOAT – delivers."

"This is not a world championship, this is not the Olympics, but I've never seen anything like this. [...] The maestro, the master, Yuzuru Hanyu, has won in Canada."

"He's his own mystical creature, that's for sure. [...] He also has this unmatched confidence that I think is very rare but also very prevalent in all the greats in the sport. Like that he knows he's the best and he wants everyone to know he's the best and he lives up to it."

"With Yuzu, we are everything, we are friends, we are team mates, at some point we have to be rivals. It’s like having a wife, your wife is your friend, your wife is everything, but it depends on the time. When we are on the ice, we are competing against each other but when the competition is done, we are friends again and we work together again."

"Yuzuru is a mystery and he will always be a mystery, because he likes it like that."

"I've done so many competitions and I've been in so many different atmospheres that at some point you kinda know what you have to do. [When] you skate in a competition in Japan after Yuzuru Hanyu, that teaches you a lot."

"Could he win without the big, giant tricks? Yes. But that’s not him. He’s willing to take the risk. He’s visualizing a greater win than last time. It wasn’t that magical moment you usually see at the Olympics."

"Never underestimate Mr Hanyu. That's for sure."

"He instantly at that time connected with a higher purpose of what he does. Yes, it's a sport. Yes, it's about winning. But for him it became about how he affected people emotionally, his ability to lift people, his ability to take people out of their troubles for a moment, and move to another place and find inspiration."

"He’s everything. He’s the skater, he’s the jumper, but quintessentially, he’s the performer. He seems to have the superpower to take all the pressure, all the expectations and all the lights and all the cameras, and somehow he’s able to use it as a competitor."

"I think he’s beautiful; he moves like a dream."

"He’s got this aura, this special presence that only he has. He’s so fierce on the ice, but in the kiss and cry he’s got his Pooh. That gap is what makes him attractive."

"I certainly have seen my fair share of great skaters over the course of my life and Hanyu ranks right up at the top with the best of them. [...] There is a contrasting sweetness and innocence backstage in conversation to the "killer" who comes out to skate. I have often said, you can see it in Hanyu's eyes when he takes his opening position."

"He’s the most complete athlete in figure skating, probably ever."

"For me he's number one. He's a great skater from a different planet. [...] When he skates, he has charisma. I like his jumps, I like his choreography, I like his spins. We have other skaters, they're good jumpers for example. But their choreography is not quite good, not enough to take the audience."

"You're the most complete figure skater of all time. Technical ability, artistry, but above all - above all - the ability to perform when it counts the most."

"He unzips his jacket to reveal his costume... it's like he redefines the sport of figure skating."

"It reminds me of when Michael Jackson was in his heyday, or meeting the Pope. People see Hanyu for the first time and they become hysterical or they’re moved to tears. It’s like their lives are complete. It’s crazy."

"[He] looks like he wakes up from bed and goes and jumps."

"Imagine being so good at something that people make it rain Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals on you."

"Obsessed with #yuzuruhanyu the best figure skater ever because he is as great an artist as athlete. The Baryshnikov of the Ice."

"seriously - just watched his exhibition skate - EXHIBITION! - and it was chilling. his relationship to the ice, to the music... it's simply inspirational."

"羽生結弦殿。あなたは厳しい修練と、人一倍の努力の積み重ねにより、オリンピック冬季競技大会個人種目における日本人初の連覇、フィギュアスケート男子シングル競技においても世界で66年振りとなる連覇を達成されました。この世界の歴史に残る快挙を、東日本大震災による被災、大会直前の大きな怪我という大変な困難を乗り越えて達成されたことは多くの国民に深い感動と勇気、社会に明るい夢と希望を与え、そして震災復興への力強いメッセージとなりました。"

"自分がすべきことを集中してやっていけば、自ずと道は開かれてくると信じているので。"

"プレッシャー大好き、崖っぷち大好き、ヤッホーイ。"

"それがあるから絶対幸せが来るんだっていうのをひたすら待ってました。「明けない夜はない」。"

"これから試合が始まったら、羽生は地震のせいで成績が落ちた、なんてことにはしたくない。もちろん自分が被災者の代表であることの誇りは絶対に失いはしないけれど、「地震のなかで頑張った」「地震のせいで頑張れなかった」ではなく、普通の選手として、何も関係なく戦えるだけの力をつけたいんです。"

"今はとにかく、一日一日を大事にしたいと思う。何気ない日常の一日一日、アイスショーの日々、練習の日々、試合の日々をすべて大切にしたい。そんなことを、あの日を境により強く感じるようになりました。"

"「あって当然のもの」なんてないんだな、ということを、よく考えます。今、自分がここにいること。自分の家が、まだ無事に建っていること。そばに家族がいてくれること。どれをとっても当たり前のことなんかじゃない。本当に偶然、幸運に恵まれて存在しているものだということ。一度はいろいろなものを失いかけたことで、改めてそう考えるようになりました。まだ17歳のちっぽけな僕ですが、価値観を大きく変えられてしまう……東日本大震災は、そんな出来事でした。"

"震災があってからちょっと変わったかなって思います。やっぱり自分は周囲を支えようとする立場だと思われるんですよ、メディア的な部分でも。自分の演技を通じて応援できれば、という感じに。でも逆に僕がすごく支えられていたなって感じたんです。"

"自分は被災者なのかスケーターなのか、ということにすごく迷っていた時期もあったんですけど、どっちでもないのかなという気がしました。明確な答えはまだ出てないですけど、スケーターとして本当にいろんな方に支えられてるなと感じています。"

"実際こうやって金メダリストになりましたが、僕一人が頑張ったからといって復興に直接つながるわけではないので、すごい無力感というか、そういうのを感じますし、何もできていないんだなと思います。一生懸命やって五輪で金メダルを取れたのはありますけど、やはりここからまた五輪の金メダリストになれたからこそ、スタートなんじゃないかなと思います。ここから復興のためにできることがあるんじゃないかなと、今思っています。"

"震災後初めて、津波の被害のあったところまで行き、石巻の中学校を訪問させていただきました。全校生徒の前でスケートの話をしたんですけれど、それより金メダルを持ってきているということにまず、中学生たちがすごく喜んでくれたんです。そして、僕に会っただけでもすごく笑顔になってくれました。生徒の皆さんの笑顔から、被災した方々、本当につらい経験をしてきた方が元気になってくれたということを、教えてもらったというか、肌で感じさせていただいたことが初めてだったので、すごく嬉しかったんです。僕自身が一番感動し、僕自身が元気になったなって思います。"

"試合でうまくいかなくてもあまり落ち込まないのが僕の特徴です。逆に失敗した試合のあとは100%モチベーションが上がります。"