Yuzuru Hanyu appreciates the improvement of his rivals. "It raises my limits" (4ページ目)

"When I popped the Salchow, I jumped the single loop because I thought I could try to execute a quadruple Salchow next," he said wryly afterward. "But at the moment, I felt it would be unrealistic and gave up. When I failed the combination jumps, I was thinking deeply. In hindsight though, I think I could have put a single toe loop and a triple Salchow after the quadruple toe loop. It benefited that I executed two quadruples and a triple Axel in the later stage despite it began an urgent composition."

Hanyu gained 206.67 points for his free skate, 2.33 points higher than Chen, who had succeeded five quadruples of four kinds. Hanyu's total score, however, was 3.75 points lower than Chen's.

"It was my third Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, and I finished second every time..." Hanyu smiled, containing his frustration. "I have hardly focused on my jumps before this competition. I felt the threat of Nathan, who is improving his success ratio and height of his quadruples in both the short program and the free skate. But it obviously helps me to extend my possibilities. Although it was an unfamiliar composition of jumps, I enjoyed the performance and really felt the music. It was nice free skate in which I could feel my development."

He was confident on account of the fact that the fifth turn was his favorite order for the short time between official training and performance. In addition, there was a good balance between the tenacity towards the jumps and skating and the will for victory.