‘Ice Prince’ Hanyu reigns with second skating gold
pyeongchang —— “Ice Prince” Yuzuru Hanyu clinched the first back-to-back men’s Olympic figure skating titles in 66 years on Saturday as snowboarder Ester Ledecka pulled off a major shock as she skied to women’s super-G gold.
Hanyu lost his balance twice in his free skate but a total score of 317.85 gave the peerless Japanese gold with room to spare over compatriot Shoma Uno and Spain’s Javier Fernandez.
America’s Nathan Chen had earlier become the first skater to land six quads in competition but despite his Olympic free-skate record of 215.08, it was only enough for fifth. Hanyu, greeted by a shower of Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys, his mascot, air-kissed Uno and theatrically leapt onto the podium at the award ceremony.
The 23-year-old becomes the first man since America’s Dick Button in 1952 to take the title twice in a row — and into the bargain, wins the landmark 1,000th gold medal in Winter Olympics history.
Hanyu was back on the ice competitively for the first time since injuring his right ankle last November. “My right foot really hung tough,” he said.
“I was so fortunate. I’m feeling gratitude. I was able to make a jump that I wanted to do with concentration. Anyway it was good.”
Hanyu on Saturday attributed his victories to the support of many friends, coaches and fans, hundreds of whom packed the Gangneung Ice Arena to wave Japanese flags, shout “Yuzu!” and toss Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed toys onto the ice. “In the midst of all the bad things going on in the world, he’s strong, beautiful, elegant and proper,” said Mei Iwahara, a 30-year-old hospital worker who’d come from Japan and said she’d practised tossing the Pooh she held on her lap in her hotel room the night before. “He’s so enthusiastic and pretty. It’s comforting.”
South Korea’s world record-holder Choi Min-jeong seized a convincing victory in the women’s 1,500m short track as she stormed back from her disqualification in the 500m. Canada’s Sam Girard won the Olympic men’s 1,000m shorttrack speedskating title after a midrace pile-up cost home hope Lim Hyo-jun a shot at a second gold.
Poland’s Kamil Stoch produced a clutch final jump of 136.5 metres to retain his Olympic title in a cliffhanging men’s large hill ski jump final. Stoch’s team mates hoisted the 30-year-old onto their shoulders after he pipped Andreas Wellinger at the death, preventing the German from capturing his second gold medal of the Pyeongchang Games.
It also made up for the Pole’s disappointment at finishing fourth and out of the medals in last week’s normal hill, which he also won in his famous Sochi double four years ago. “It’s unbelievable, I can’t describe this feeling right now inside me,” said Stoch. “I feel like I’m still dreaming but this is a beautiful dream so I don’t want to wake up.” Wellinger had to settle for silver this time after his upset victory on the normal hill. — AFP, Reuters