Yuzuru Hanyu

As a victim of the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, Yuzuru Hanyu actively supports various campaigns to help people affected by earthquake. He has donated proceedings from his two-part autobiography, 'Blue Flames' and 'Blue Flames II' to reconstruct the Sendai ice rink.

Along with fellow Japanese figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, he was the ambassador for the '2014 Sochi Winter Olympics' campaign.

His on-screen debut was as samurai lord Date Shigemura, in the 2016 movie 'The Magnificent Nine'.

Yuzuru Hanyu was born on December 7, 1994 in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. He suffers from asthma, and often stops to catch his breath after finishing his programs.

He has an older sister named Saya, who inspired him to take to rink when he was just four. Tohoku High School, which he attended in his youth, has famous Japanese figure skaters Takeshi Honda and Shizuka Arakawa among its alumni.

Yuzuru Hanyu first competed nationally as a novice skater at the '2004 Japan Novice Championships' in the Novice B category, in which he won the gold medal. During this time, he began training under Nanami Abe, but could not practice enough because his home rink in Sendai got closed due to financial issues.

Winning the bronze medal at the '2006 Japan Novice Championships' in the Novice A category, allowed him to compete at the '2006–07 Japan Junior Championships', in which he finished 7th. After his home rink reopened in 2007, he won gold medal at the '2007 Japan Novice Championships' in the Novice A category, followed by a bronze medal in the '2007–08 Japan Junior Championships'.

He made his junior level international debut at the '2008–09 ISU Junior Grand Prix' event, where he finished fifth overall with 6th and 4th rank in short program and free skating, respectively. Later that season, he became the youngest male skater to win 'Japan Junior Championship' (age 13), and qualified for the senior level at the '2008–09 Japan Championships', which he finished 8th.

During the 2009–10 season, he topped the 'Junior Grand Prix Final' with wins at both events and also won the 'Japan Junior Championships'. He was again invited to compete on the senior level at the 'Japan Championships' and won the 'Junior Grand Prix Final' with a new personal best score, followed by '2010 World Junior Championships' win.

Moving up to the senior level during the 2010–11 season, he participated in the '2010 NHK Trophy', which he finished fourth overall, and the '2010 Cup of Russia', which he finished seventh. After finishing fourth at the '2010–11 Japan Championships', he was selected to compete at the '2011 Four Continents Championships', where he achieved a new personal best score and earned a silver medal.

Yuzuru Hanyu is the first Asian figure skater to win the Olympic Gold in men's singles, and also the first to achieve two consecutive wins. He is the youngest male skater to win the title in 66 years.

Yuzuru Hanyu is the first Asian figure skater to win the Olympic Gold in men's singles, and also the first to achieve two consecutive wins. He is the youngest male skater to win the title in 66 years.