Winter Olympics: Yuzuru Hanyu wins men's figure skating gold again
Last Updated: 18/02/18 5:06pm
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu became the first figure skater in 66 years to retain his Olympic title after a thrilling finale to the men's competition at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Saturday.
Hanyu scored a total of 327.85 to eclipse his compatriot, Shoma Uno, into the silver medal position, with Spain's Javier Fernandez, who skated a stunning routine to 'The Man of La Mancha', taking bronze.
Nathan Chen, the American favourite who started in 17th place after a calamitous short program, produced a record six quads to score highest in the free skate and move to a finishing position of fifth.
His compatriot, 17-year-old Vincent Zhou, finished just behind Chen in sixth place, while the USA's other entrant Adam Rippon placed 10th.
That Hanyu was even fit to hit such heights was a surprise: he had injured an ankle ligament practising a quad lutz in November, and missed the team event at the start of the Games to give himself more time to concentrate on making history in the individual event.
"This is the best day of my skating life, and my tears were from my heart," said Hanyu, one of the most revered sports stars in his homeland, who had taken time off the ice to play a Samurai lord in a 2016 film called 'The Magnificent Nine'. "I just thought, 'skate' - and I trusted," he added.
