Winter Olympics

Yuzuru Hanyu leads glorious Japanese Olympic skating finish

Vasco Cotovio
By Vasco Cotovio and Marc Lourdes, CNN
4 minute read
Updated 9:32 AM EST, Sat February 17, 2018
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games on February 17, 2018. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images)
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu during the 2018 Winter Olympic Games on February 17, 2018. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images)
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images
CNN  — 

Defending Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu completed his stunning comeback from injury to win the men’s single skating event and claim Japan’s first gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The Japanese figure skater built on his stellar performance in the short program on Friday and got the second-highest score in the free skating event Saturday, despite missing two jumps.

Hanyu joins Sweden’s Gillis Grafstrom (1920, 1924, 1928), Austria’s Karl Schafer (1932 and 1936) and the USA’s Dick Button (1948 and 1952) as the only men to win successive Olympic gold medals in this event.

He also becomes the third Japanese athlete to win gold at two different Olympic Winter Games, after Kenji Ogiwara and Takanori Kono in the Nordic combined team event in 1992 and 1994.

Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu performs his free skate on his way to winning the gold medal. Hanyu is the first man to repeat as Olympic champion since Dick Button in 1952.
Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu performs his free skate on his way to winning the gold medal. Hanyu is the first man to repeat as Olympic champion since Dick Button in 1952.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP/Getty Images
American figure skater Nathan Chen, coming off a disappointing short program on Friday, landed a record six quads -- five of them cleanly -- during his free skate on Saturday. He had the best free skate of the day but still finished out of the medals.
American figure skater Nathan Chen, coming off a disappointing short program on Friday, landed a record six quads -- five of them cleanly -- during his free skate on Saturday. He had the best free skate of the day but still finished out of the medals.
ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images
Ester Ledecka pulled off a shocking victory in the women's super-G. Ledecka, a 22-year-old from the Czech Republic, is more known for her <em>snowboarding</em> -- she was a world champion last year in the parallel giant slalom. But now she is an Olympic champion in skiing after winning the super-G by just 0.01 of a second. Next week, she will make history again as the first Olympic athlete to compete in both snowboarding and Alpine skiing.
Ester Ledecka pulled off a shocking victory in the women's super-G. Ledecka, a 22-year-old from the Czech Republic, is more known for her snowboarding -- she was a world champion last year in the parallel giant slalom. But now she is an Olympic champion in skiing after winning the super-G by just 0.01 of a second. Next week, she will make history again as the first Olympic athlete to compete in both snowboarding and Alpine skiing.
Alessandro Trovati/AP
American skier Lindsey Vonn reacts after her super-G run. She finished tied for sixth after slipping near the end of her run.
American skier Lindsey Vonn reacts after her super-G run. She finished tied for sixth after slipping near the end of her run.
Christophe Ena/AP
American Jordan Greenway gets checked by Russian Nikolai Prokhorkin during the preliminary round of play. The Olympic Athletes from Russia imposed their will in a 4-0 men's hockey win over the United States.
American Jordan Greenway gets checked by Russian Nikolai Prokhorkin during the preliminary round of play. The Olympic Athletes from Russia imposed their will in a 4-0 men's hockey win over the United States.
Matt Slocum/AP
Great Britain's Lizzy Yarnold celebrates at the finish line in the women's skeleton event. She won the gold medal.
Great Britain's Lizzy Yarnold celebrates at the finish line in the women's skeleton event. She won the gold medal.
Roland Harrison/Action Plus/Getty Images
Stadium crew members prepare the snow at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre.
Stadium crew members prepare the snow at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Short-track speedskater John-Henry Krueger celebrates with the American flag after winning silver in the 1,000 meters. Canada's Samuel Girard won the gold.
Short-track speedskater John-Henry Krueger celebrates with the American flag after winning silver in the 1,000 meters. Canada's Samuel Girard won the gold.
David J. Phillip/AP
Ukaine's Oleksandr Abramenko jumps during the men's aerial qualifying.
Ukaine's Oleksandr Abramenko jumps during the men's aerial qualifying.
Lee Jin-man/AP
Great Britain's Elise Christie, left, and China's Li Jinyu crash during a short-track semifinal for the 1,500 meters. Christie was taken off the ice on a stretcher.
Great Britain's Elise Christie, left, and China's Li Jinyu crash during a short-track semifinal for the 1,500 meters. Christie was taken off the ice on a stretcher.
Julie Jacobson/AP
Angelina Golikova, a speedskater from Russia, photobombs teammate Kseniya Sadouskaya and her coach during a practice session.
Angelina Golikova, a speedskater from Russia, photobombs teammate Kseniya Sadouskaya and her coach during a practice session.
John Locher/AP
Marit Bjørgen, top, celebrates with Ingvild Flugstad Østberg after Norway won a cross-country relay. With the victory, Bjørgen became the most decorated Winter Olympian ever. She now has 13 Olympic medals, tying her with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen.
Marit Bjørgen, top, celebrates with Ingvild Flugstad Østberg after Norway won a cross-country relay. With the victory, Bjørgen became the most decorated Winter Olympian ever. She now has 13 Olympic medals, tying her with Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Italian speedskaters practice for the team pursuit race.
Italian speedskaters practice for the team pursuit race.
Eugene Hoshiko/AP
A spectator cheers for Norway during a men's curling match.
A spectator cheers for Norway during a men's curling match.
Aaron Favila/AP
The women's curling team from China celebrates after a win over Japan.
The women's curling team from China celebrates after a win over Japan.
Aaron Favila/AP
The Olympic rings are reflected in a spectator's sunglasses before the start of the women's super-G.
The Olympic rings are reflected in a spectator's sunglasses before the start of the women's super-G.
Christophe Ena/AP
Dominik Kubalik of the Czech Republic shoots the puck against Canada's Ben Scrivens during a preliminary round hockey game.
Dominik Kubalik of the Czech Republic shoots the puck against Canada's Ben Scrivens during a preliminary round hockey game.
Julio Cortez/AP
German figure skater Paul Fentz reacts to his free-skate score.
German figure skater Paul Fentz reacts to his free-skate score.
Bernat Armangue/AP
Canadian skier Kim Lamarre competes in the slopestyle competition.
Canadian skier Kim Lamarre competes in the slopestyle competition.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Winter Olympics: Saturday, February 17

Hanyu’s sensational performance in the short program, where he scored 111.68 points, meant he was favorite to win gold. His domination of Friday’s event was so complete that the arena was showered with Winnie the Pooh plush toys at the end of his routine. Hanyu considers Pooh a lucky charm, and regularly carries the bear with him as a mascot.

His point tally after Saturday’s free skating final, stood at 317.85 - almost 11 points more than his compatriot Shoma Uno, who won silver.

Hanyu’s win also made him the 1000th gold medalist in the history of the Winter Olympics, 94 years after the first Winter Olympics gold medal was awarded to US speed skater Charles Jewtraw.

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Leaving Sochi with a gold medal for Japan
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The 23-year-old, a survivor of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, was in tears after his golden performance on Saturday, and said defending his Olympic title was the best day of his skating life.

“My tears were from my heart. I can find one word and that is happy.”

“I have no words right now. I am overwhelmed. I am just happy with my performance and my hard training and everything,” he said.

Asked how he coped with the battle to be fit, here’s what Hanyu, who hasn’t competed since injuring his ankle in Octo