Clash of Titans Looms for Japan's Hanyu and American Nathan Chen
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Friday 45 Sports Friday, February 16, 2018 Clash of titans looms for Japan’s Hanyu and American Nathan Chen US jumping ace making his Olympic debut GANGNEUNG: On one side is Japan’s Yuzuru cited to start competing tomorrow. With all the Hanyu, the defending Olympic champion coming training I’ve been putting in, I’ll have a great short back from an injury that kept him off the ice for programme.” Chen said he probably will include weeks before the Games. On the other is Nathan four or five quads in his routine, including the quad Chen, an American jumping ace making his Lutz - the jump Hanyu was practising when he was Olympic debut. injured. Hanyu declined to name specific elements, The two will face off for gold in men’s singles figure saying he was confident of pulling together a clean skating starting today, a contest with many strong programme. contenders in an event OTHER CON- where difficult quadruple TENDERS jumps are taking on in- May become But they are not the creasing importance. only contenders.Spain’s Add in that Hanyu, first to win Javier Fernandez, 26, who hugely popular around like Hanyu is coached by the world, hopes to be- back-to-back Canadian Brian Orser, come the first man in 66 won his sixth consecutive years to win back-to- Olympic gold European championship back Olympic gold, and last month more than 20 the stakes rise. Hanyu has points ahead of his near- not skated in competition est rival. “Javi”, as he is since falling and injuring his right ankle in Novem- known, is hungry to end his nation’s 26-year-long ber. Though he practised jumps as floor exercise Winter Olympics medal drought. Canada’s Patrick as soon as possible, he only began doing quads on Chan, who was narrowly beaten by Hanyu at the ice about two weeks ago. 2014 Sochi Games, is seeking revenge. “I am confident that if I skate cleanly I will def- The 27-year-old landed two quads in the team initely win,” Hanyu, 23, told a packed news con- competition but otherwise struggled, although ference at the Gangneung Ice Area after a thanks to team Canada he has finally won Olympic practice session in which he landed several quads. gold. Then there is Hanyu’s compatriot Shoma GANGNEUNG: File photo shows Japan’s figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu practices during a training session Chen, 18, cruised to a repeat U.S. championship Uno, who took silver at December’s Grand Prix of men’s single skating at Gangneung Ice Arena during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games title last month, landing five quads. But he had a Final and China’s Jin Boyang, who struggled with in Gangneung. —AFP poor skate in the Olympic team competition, un- injury last year but is a formidable jumper who characteristically falling on a triple Axel as the topped the podium at last month’s Four Conti- Hanyu. “As soon as the whole crew was together my advantage.” Chen will skate directly after U.S. team claimed bronze. nents tournament. with Javi, him, Boyang, Shoma, myself, the atmos- Hanyu in the final group today, but believes that has “Training has been going great. I’ve been work- Chen said the lineup was ultimately more phere was elevated, everyone was trying to work advantages, including extra time to prepare while ing out issues I had with the short program,” Chen motivating than daunting, citing a recent a little harder and I definitely felt that the energy the numerous stuffed animals that Hanyu fans tend told a news conference yesterday. “I’m really ex- practice session most took part in, including had come back,” he said. “I’m going to use that to to throw to the ice are cleaned up. —Reuters Canada hockey women N Korean athletes, battle past USA for a diplomatic bargain 23rd win in row at $2,300 each PYEONGCHANG: How much is a North Korean athlete GANGNEUNG: Four-time defending champion Canada outbat- worth? They have proven to be priceless when measured in tled arch-rival United States 2-1 in a heated grudge clash yester- diplomatic currency at South Korea’s Winter Games, but a day at the Pyeongchang Winter Games, stretching their Olympic glance at their expenses show they are a relative bargain in women’s hockey win streak to 23 games. dollars and cents. Meghan Agosta and Sarah Nurse scored second-period goals The International Olympic Committee (IOC) told Reuters and goaltender Genevieve Lacasse made 44 saves for the Cana- yesterday it had given roughly $50,000 to pay for training and dians in the physical group-stage contest, expected to be a pre- preparation of North Korea’s 22 Olympic athletes, or about view of next Thursday’s gold-medal showdown. GANGNEUNG: USA’s Meghan Duggan and Canada’s Laura Fortino $2,300 each. That is a fraction of the money spent on the rest “It’s always a battle, especially against the US,” Agosta said. (C) fight for the puck in the women’s preliminary round ice hockey of the poor, heavily sanctioned nation’s Olympic delegation, “We know we have to keep coming. It’s always going to be match between the US and Canada during the Pyeongchang 2018 which included 229 cheerleaders and a 137-strong orchestra. chippy.” Brianna Decker hit the post on a final US shot and a Winter Olympic Games at the Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangne- South Korea, which is footing the bill for the non-athletes, scramble in front of the Canada goal for the puck led to pushes, ung yesterday. —AFP has budgeted about $2.6 million to host the 418 North Korean shoves and two roughing penalties well after the final horn. delegates who won’t appear in competition-almost $6,200 “We had battles in front of the net. I got shoved into the net,” pleased with his team’s 45-23 shots edge and aggressive attitude. each. While the athletes stay in the Olympic athletes’ village at Lacasse said. “I just kept the puck in front me.” “It’s a heated ri- “It’s a rivalry. What else would anybody expect but exactly the Pyeongchang Games, most of the rest of the North Korean valry out there,” Nurse added. Beating the world champions made that,” he said. “We’ll bring the exact same emotion the next delegation is staying at upmarket hotels. The cheerleaders are Canada the top seed for Monday’s semi-finals with the Americans game.” Agosta opened the scoring on the power play 27:18 into staying at the four-star Inje Speedium resort where rooms cost second as both await tomorrow’s quarter-final winners from the game off a Natalie Spooner backhand centering pass and about $230-670 per night. When the orchestra and a North among Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and the Olympic Athletes Nurse gave Canada a 2-0 edge just 7:38 later, snuggling a left- Korean taekwondo performance team had performances in from Russia. wing shot into the near corner of the net. Seoul during the Games, they stayed at the five-star Grand “It puts us in a great spot as far as confidence,” Canada coach A melee in the Canadian crease led to a US penalty shot with Walkerhill Hotel which has previously hosted American Lauren Schuler said. “I’m really happy, especially with Genevieve’s 3:52 remaining in the second but Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson’s celebrities such as Michael Jackson and Paris Hilton. —Reuters performance. She was outstanding.” US coach Robb Stauber was backhand was deflected over the crossbar. —AFP.