Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu crushed his rivals to win the men’s free programme at figure skating’s World Team Trophy on Friday, ending a bruising season on a high note.
The 20-year-old Japanese, who surrendered his world title to Spain’s Javier Fernandez in Shanghai two weeks ago, looked up and mouthed “arigato” (thank you) as red roses rained down onto the ice after a superb skate in Tokyo.
“Maybe that would have been enough to win gold in China,” Hanyu told reporters. “I was feeling some tiredness but I didn’t want to worry about having a blow-out on my jumps. I went for it and it gives me a sense of accomplishment to finish with a win.”
Hanyu earned 192.31 points with American Jason Brown a distant runner-up on 176.69 despite a personal best, and Japan’s Takahito Mura third with 165.40. But the United States finished day two of three leading with a total of 83 points, to Japan’s 79 with Russia on 77.
After suffering a horrific collision with China’s Yan Han during a warm-up last November that required stitches in his jaw and staples for a gash in his head, Hanyu subsequently had surgery for a bladder infection and has been struggling with ankle problems.
“I just wanted to say thank you to all my fans and the people who have helped me through this long season,” he said, explaining his outpouring of emotion after completing a double in the short and free skates. “Obviously making sure I stay in top condition is an issue.”
Hanyu, a massive celebrity in Japan, nailed a quadruple salchow to open his “Phantom of the Opera” routine but pulled out of a quad toeloop for his only real slip before gliding serenely to a stop to loud roars from his adoring public.
Meanwhile, French world champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron won the ice dance free competition with a smouldering routine highlighted by a “Titanic”-style lift made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the Hollywood smash, scoring 111.06.
Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje were second with 109.79 with Madison Chock and Evan Bates settling for third on 102.24 after an embarrassing slip when their legs become entangled, leaving the American pair in a heap on the ice.
China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong topped the pairs short programme, earning 71.20 for an exquisite performance to relegate Canada’s Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford — who beat them to gold in Shanghai — to second on 68.68.
Russians Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov took third with 66.97.