Ice Prince Hanyu touches down for Oly defence

Russian medalists drug suspension special issue: IOC

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Feb 11, (Agencies): Japan’s figure skating “Ice Prince” Yuzuru Hanyu swept into Pyeongchang to defend his Olympic crown on Sunday, promising to hit peak condition in his quest for a historic double.

The 23-year-old looked dapper in a team blazer and sported a newlook floppy fringe as he arrived under tight security at Incheon airport, but doubts still linger over his fitness following an injury scare.

“I won’t lie to myself, I’m here to win the title again,” Hanyu told reporters in the arrivals lobby before being whisked away to Pyeongchang.

“It’s been extremely irritating to have to sit out competitions but I’m just happy to be here. I’ll do everything I can to reach my peak in time,” he added.

“There’s no skater that wants to win this more than me.”

Hanyu, widely regarded as the greatest skater of all time, is bidding to become the first man to win backto-back Olympic figure skating titles since American Dick Button in 1948 and 1952.

However, his double hopes were dealt a major blow when he crashlanded a quadruple lutz in training last November, damaging ankle ligaments and threatening to scuttle his Olympic dream.

Hanyu has been training in secret in Canada to prepare for the Olympic competition, which begins on Friday at Gangneung Ice Arena.

Arguably the most recognisable athlete of the Pyeongchang Olympics, a fit Hanyu would be a strong favourite to take gold — but his rivals are ready to pounce.

American Nathan Chen, Spain’s Javier Fernandez and fellow Japanese Shoma Uno — runner-up to Hanyu at the 2017 world championships — are among those lurking, while China’s Jin Boyang could also provide a threat.

Hanyu’s coach Brian Orser gave the skater’s legion of fans a boost earlier this week by promising he would be firing on all cylinders.

Hanyu is expected to train for the first time in Pyeongchang on Monday evening, according to Japanese Olympic officials.

Russian athletes are a “major focus” for anti-doping tests, a senior Olympic official said on Sunday, as it emerged that the first Russian medallist in Pyeongchang served a drugs suspension.

Semen Elistratov, who took bronze in the men’s 1,500m short track speed skating on Saturday, was briefly suspended in 2016 after testing positive for meldonium — the same substance that saw Maria Sharapova banned.

The 27-year-old Elistratov is one of 168 athletes competing as a neutral “Olympic Athlete from Russia”, after Russia’s team was suspended as punishment for systemic doping.

Richard Budgett, medical director for the International Olympic Committee, said meldonium was a “special issue” and it seemed that Elistratov took the drug before it was

In this April 1, 2016 file photo, Yuzuru Hanyu, of Japan, competes during the free skate program in the World Figure Skating Championships,

in Boston. (AP)

banned at the start of 2016.

Russian tennis star Sharapova, a former world number one, served a 15-month ban after testing positive for meldonium in early 2016.

“Because of the way it’s metabolised, it can stay in the system for many, many months, even nine months after it had been taken,” Budgett said.

“So if the cases were consistent with meldonium intake before it was prohibited, then that would not be considered an anti-doping rule violation.

“We have to be realistic — meldonium was used in a widespread way throughout Eastern Europe and Russia and was considered to be a tonic, a type of cardiac stimulant that was not prohibited.

“But of course, quite rightly it was then prohibited and because it was such widespread use there were a large number of cases.”

Elistratov reportedly also took aim at the “hard and unfair” exclusion of many Russian athletes, comments that will be scrutinised as the IOC considers lifting Russia’s Olympic ban in time for the February 25 closing ceremony.

Budgett said the Olympic Athletes from Russia had been heavily tested before the Games and remained under scrutiny in Pyeongchang, where about 2,500 doping controls were expected.

An army of high-flying drones expected to light up the sky at the opening ceremony of the Olympics was grounded.