Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater and ice show producer who competed in the men's singles discipline from 2004 to 2022 and turned professional on July19, 2022. At junior and senior level (2008–2022), he won a total of 59medals in 72competitions, among them 37golds. He is the first male single skater in 66years since American Dick Button to win back-to-back Olympic titles (2014, 2018), and also the youngest and first Olympic champion from Asia in that discipline. He is a two-time World champion (2014, 2017), a six-time Japanese national champion (2012–2015, 2020–2021), and the first single skater to win four consecutive Grand Prix Finals (2014–2017). With his win at the 2020Four Continents Championships, he became the first male single skater to complete the Super Slam, having won all major international junior and senior titles in the course of his career. He is also the only male single skater besides German Jan Hoffmann to win seven world championship medals in the post-war era since 1946.
Hanyu broke world records 19times, the most in singles since the introduction of the ISU Judging System in 2003. He was the first skater to score over 100points in the short program, 200 in the free skating, and 300 in the combined total score, and holds the historical world record in all three competition segments in men's singles. He was awarded a total of 30perfect scores for technical elements and program components, 10 of them for his signature triple Axel jump, and was the first skater to land a quadruple loop jump in international competition. As a professional, Hanyu became the first skater to produce and present a solo ice show (Prologue 2022) and a solo ice show tour (Repray Tour 2023–24). His second solo show Gift (2023) set a new audience record for ice shows with 35,000 spectators at Tokyo Dome.
In recognition of his achievements, Hanyu has received numerous awards and accolades, including the People's Honor Award (2018), bestowed by the Prime Minister of Japan, Japan's Medal of Honor with purple ribbon (2014, 2018), and the Kikuchi Kan Prize (2022). He was the first figure skater to be nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award, selected in the category Comeback of the Year (2019), and was named the Most Valuable Skater at the inaugural ISU Skating Awards (2020). He was also featured in prestigious lists, such as Forbes 30Under30 Asia (2018), and made it to ESPN's top10 selection of the greatest Olympians of the 21st century in 2024.
World record scores Yuzuru Hanyu has scored 19 world records in international competition, the most among single skaters since the introduction of the ISU Judging System in 2003. He set new highest scores seven times in the +5/-5Grade of Execution System, three in the short program, two in the free skating, and another two in the combined total score. At the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki, he scored records in all three competition segments at one event. Before the 2018–19 season, he set twelve highest historical scores, seven in the short program, three in the free skating, and two in the combined total score, holding the historical records in all three competition segments. At the 2015 NHK Trophy and the 2015–16 Grand Prix Final, he set new highest scores in all segments at back-to-back events.
Firsts and other records Competitive skating
+Chronological list of firsts and records in competitive skatingDateAchievementEventNov 24, 2008Youngest male single skater to win the Japan Junior Championships (13years and 353days)2008–09 Japan Junior ChampionshipsMar 11, 2010Youngest Japanese male single skater to win the World Junior Championships (15years and 94days)2010 World Junior ChampionshipsFeb 19, 2011Youngest male single skater to win a medal at the Four Continents Championships (16years and 74days)2011 Four Continents ChampionshipsMar 31, 2012Youngest Japanese male single skater to win a medal at the World Championships (17years and 115days)2012 World ChampionshipsFeb 13, 2014First skater to surpass 100points in the short program2014 Winter OlympicsFeb 14, 2014First Asian male single skater to win the Olympics and the youngest since Dick Button in 1948 (19years and 69days)Mar 28, 2014First Asian and only skater besides Alexei Yagudin, Aljona Savchenko, and Bruno Massot to win the Olympics, Worlds, and the Grand Prix Final in the same season2014 World ChampionshipsNov 8, 2014First skater to successfully land a triple Axel-Euler-triple Salchow jump combination (in the ISU Judging System)2014 Cup of ChinaDec 13, 2014First and only skater across all disciplines to win the Winter Olympics and the Grand Prix Final in the same calendar year2014–15 Grand Prix FinalNov 28, 2015First skater to surpass 200points in the free skating and 300 in the combined total2015 NHK TrophyDec 12, 2015New record for the largest victory margin at a major international senior event across all disciplines (37.48points)2015–16 Grand Prix FinalSep 30, 2016First skater to successfully land a quadruple loop jump in international competition2016 CS Autumn ClassicDec 10, 2016First single skater and only skater besides Meryl Davis and Charlie White to win the Grand Prix Final four consecutive times2016–17 Grand Prix FinalApr 1, 2017First Asian male single skater to win multiple world championship titles2017 World ChampionshipsApr 21, 2017First skater to successfully land three quadruple jumps in the second half of a free skate program2017 World Team TrophyOct 21, 2017First skater to debut four types of quadruple jumps successfully at first attempt with a positive grade of execution (GOE) in international competition (toe loop in 2010, Salchow in 2012, loop in 2016, and Lutz in 2017)2017 Rostelecom CupFeb 17, 2018First male single skater in 66years since Dick Button in 1952 to win the Olympics twice (consecutively)2018 Winter OlympicsMar 24, 2018First single skater to be ranked first in the world standings for five consecutive seasons–Nov 4, 2018First and only skater to successfully land a quadruple toe loop-triple Axel jump sequence in international competition2018 Grand Prix of HelsinkiOct 26, 2019First skater to successfully land a quadruple toe loop-Euler-triple flip combination in international competition2019 Skate CanadaOct 26, 2019New record for the largest victory margin in the Grand Prix Series (59.82points)Feb 7, 2020New record for the most scored world records in single skating since the introduction of the ISU Judging System in 2003 (19 world records)2020 Four Continents ChampionshipsFeb 9, 2020First and only male single skater to achieve a Super Slam, winning all available major international senior and junior titlesMar 25, 2021New record of 50 landed triple Axel jumps with positive GOE in 51 international senior short programs (98% success rate)2021 World ChampionshipsMar 27, 2021Second male single skater after Jan Hoffmann to win seven world championship medals in the post-war era (after 1946)Dec 26, 2021First male single skater in the IJS era to win the Japan Championships six times and third after Nobuo Sato (ten titles between 1956 and 1965) and Takeshi Honda (six titles between 1995 and 2004)2021–22 Japan ChampionshipsFeb 10, 2022First skater to attempt a quadruple Axel jump at the Olympics, which was the closest attempt in international competition up to then2022 Winter Olympics
Professional skating
+Chronological list of firsts and records in professional skatingDateAchievementEventNov 4, 2022First figure skater to produce and present a solo ice show, with no other skaters in the line-upPrologueFeb 26, 2023First ice skater to perform at Tokyo Dome (first time for an ice rink to be set up at the venue)GiftFeb 26, 2023New record for the largest ice show audience (35,000 spectators, sold-out event)Nov 4, 2023First figure skater to produce and present a solo ice show tourRepray TourApr 9, 2024New record for the total attendance of a solo ice show tour (64,000 spectators, sold-out tour)Dec 7, 2024New records for the longest solo ice show (140 min, intermission not included) and most performed programs by an individual skater in one ice show (15 programs)Echoes of Life TourApr 12, 2026New records for most solo ice show productions (five productions) and most solo ice shows presented by one skater (23 shows)Yuzuru Hanyu Ice StoryApr 12, 2026First solo ice show series to exceed 200,000 spectators in total (sold-out series, cinema live viewing and live streaming numbers not included)
Awards and honors
People's Honor Award Awarded in 2018
Japan Medals of Honor Purple Ribbon (2014, 2018)
Kikuchi Kan Prize Awarded in 2022
Laureus World Sports Awards Comeback of the Year – nominated in 2019
ISU Skating Awards "Most Valuable Skater" (2020)
Japanese Olympic Committee JOC Sports Award – Newcomer Award (2009), Best Award (2013), Special Achievement Award (2015), Special Honor Award (2018) Olympic Special Award (2014, 2018)
Japan Skating Federation JOC Cup (Most Valuable Player Award) (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020) Special Achievement Award (2023)
Kozuki Sports Awards Awarded in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 (grand prize), and 2018
Waseda University Azusa Ono Memorial Award (2021) Alumni Association Toukon Award (2021)
Public Relations Society of Japan (PRSJ) "Person of the Year" (2022)
Media Asahi Shimbun: Asahi Sports Award (2014) Business Insider: "Most Dominant Athletes Alive" (#33 in 2014, #21 in 2015) Chunichi Shimbun: 29th "Chunichi Sports Award" (2015) ESPN World Fame 100 (#70 in 2018, #64 in 2019), "The Dominant 20" #11 (2018), "Top25 Olympians of the 21st century" #10 (2024) Forbes: 30 Under 30 Asia (2018) Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association: "Happy News Person Award" (2018) Kahoku Shinpo: 64th "Hebei Cultural Award" (2014) Mainichi Shimbun: 22nd "Daily Sports People Award" Grand Prix (2014) Marca: "The 100 Best Male Sportsmen of the 21st Century" #62 (2020) : "The athletes with the most awards and medals of all time" (Top 30 selection) Oricon News: "Top 10 Favorite Athletes" Male category (#3 in 2014 and 2016, #1 in 2017, #2 in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021) Sports Graphic Number: 33rd "MVP Award" (2014) Tohoku Sports Press Club: Sports Award (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) Tokyo Sports Press Club: Special Award (2012), Skater of the Year (2014, 2015, 2018) TV Asahi: "Big Sports Awards" (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), "Special Sports Broadcasting Award" (2019) Xinhua News Agency: "Top 10 Worlds Athletes/Sports Personalities" (#7 in 2018, #5 in 2020) Yahoo! Japan: "Yahoo! Search Awards" Grand Prize & Athlete Category (2014), Special Category & Athlete Category (2018), Grand Prize & Athlete Category (2022) Yomiuri Shimbun: "Japan Sports Awards" Grand Prix (2014, 2018)
Municipality Miyagi "Citizens' Honor Award" (2014, 2018) Miyagi "Chairman of Prefectural Assembly's Special Award" (2014, 2018) Sendai "Chairman of City Assembly's Special Award" (2018) Sendai "Plaque of tribute" (2014, 2018) Sendai "Sports Awards" (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Sendai "Monument of Figure Skating" (2017, 2019) Tokyo "Honor Award" (2018) Tokyo "Sports Grand Prize" (2018)
Medals and major titles Super Slam
The Career Super Grand Slam or Super Slam is an achievement of winning all major international figure skating events in a discipline at junior and senior level, namely the Winter Olympics, the senior and junior World Championships, the Four Continents or European Championships as well as the senior and junior Grand Prix Final at any point in the course of a career. With his win at the 2020 Four Continents Championships, Hanyu became the first skater in men's singles to complete the Super Slam. +Chronological list of first major intl. senior and junior titlesNo.DateEventEdition1Dec 4, 2009Junior Grand Prix Final 2009–102Mar 11, 2010World Junior Championships 20103Dec 6, 2013Grand Prix Final 2013–144Feb 14, 2014Winter Olympics 20145Mar 28, 2014World Championships 20146Feb 9, 2020Four Continents Championships 2020
Medal record by event