Was Yuzuru Hanyu's 2018 Olympic FS his ultimate "clutch" performance?

[gsk8]

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Yuzuru Hanyu returned from injury with everything on the line—and delivered one of the most iconic free skates in history.

This wasn’t just about jumps. It was about timing, control, and delivering under pressure when it mattered most.

Let’s break it down:

• Clean quads in the highest-pressure moment
• Complex choreography rooted in Japanese tradition (“Seimei”)
• Seamless transitions + elite skating skills
• A performance that built from start to finish

The big question: Was this the ultimate “clutch” performance in figure skating? Or… was it the complete package—tech + artistry + timing—that made it unbeatable?

Debate it:

• Where does this rank among Olympic performances all-time?
• Would this layout still win under today’s scoring trends?
• Is this Hanyu’s greatest program—or is there a better one?

Some call it perfection under pressure. Others say it’s the moment that defined a generation.

What's your take? What made “Seimei” truly iconic? What other "clutch" programs by other skaters stand out for you?

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Yuzuru Hanyu returned from injury with everything on the line—and delivered one of the most iconic free skates in history.

This wasn’t just about jumps. It was about timing, control, and delivering under pressure when it mattered most.

Let’s break it down:

• Clean quads in the highest-pressure moment
• Complex choreography rooted in Japanese tradition (“Seimei”)
• Seamless transitions + elite skating skills
• A performance that built from start to finish

The big question: Was this the ultimate “clutch” performance in figure skating? Or… was it the complete package—tech + artistry + timing—that made it unbeatable?

Debate it:

• Where does this rank among Olympic performances all-time?
• Would this layout still win under today’s scoring trends?
• Is this Hanyu’s greatest program—or is there a better one?

Some call it perfection under pressure. Others say it’s the moment that defined a generation.

What's your take? What made “Seimei” truly iconic? What other "clutch" programs by other skaters stand out for you?

Thank you for this subject! Just a few first thoughts...
Some later jumps were "saved" of course, so his Short Program to Chopin's First Ballade ("cut" and played by the greatest ever Pianist) would better fulfil the clean jumps requirement, or be called perfection under pressure. Of course there was no fall in Seimei either.

Yes, Seimei choreography is a masterpiece and Shae-Lynn Bourne I believe went to great lengths to succeed in this challenge. Here's an interview she gave to PJ Kwong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVKWj3YBrbg


They had a model though for the moves, Nomura Mansai, who's primarily the great Kyogen actor of his generation and who also interpreted Abe no Seimei in the two Onmyoji movies which inspired Seimei (warning: while Seimei is for all publics, Onmyoji has disturbing scenes), and Nomura Mansai (who much later was invited to the 2025 Notte Stellata shows) provided advice about these gestures.
All these though, be it Shae-Lynn Bourne's talent, skills and endeavours, and Nomura Mansai's help, wouldn't have made much had not Yuzuru Hanyu already been endowed with an ability to envision an interpretation, and to find the practical ways to show what he wants to show, and to pack complex transitions/clusters as if they were nothing in difficulty, but instead, using them to build up the story, which is the next level.
Indeed he was already the best in all Skating Skills I think? Among medallable Men, I think that he had clearly the most dense transitions, And with this sense of Drama which, as you write, he was able to built his performance with a program which, as well as Ballade, he felt very his, to the point that probably (my speculation) under the effect of all the pain/exertion/Olympic relief-related hormonal release he had to change his interpretation for this performance, making it even more iconic. But only an artist with supreme proficiency, considering and doing purposely each of their moves at every performance or run-through/practice, and mastering completely the piece/program, is able change the interpretation "on the spot". The Pianist who played Ballade for him is one of them, he changed completely his interpretation of a part of a piece to cope with a defective instrument at a concert and it was a hit; the greatest ever Ballet dancer was invited by another company to dance Solor along with a great Ballerina (from the inviting company) as Nikiya, and also invited a younger Ballerina from his company as Gamzatti, I think one of the greatest Gamzatti ever and one of his preferred partners, it seems that he was completely unable to hide his joy of dancing these parts with her, in this cast and this theatre, so they changed the synopsis and Solor became unfaithful to Nikiya and fell in love with Gamzatti, until he believed that Gamzatti had ordered the murder of Nikiya. It wouldn't have been possible had he not been able to alter his interpretation at the last minute.
I think that many skaters, when they skate to a program, rely on muscle memory, they start the program and then it goes? Yet some do manage to alter a later jump after an initial mistake, I have always wondered if they had practised a B-plan or if it was an idea got during a program? (I believe that regarding Yuzuru Hanyu's "YOLO" moments, there's some of both, but I don't know in which proportions.)

Yuzuru Hanyu had many "clutch" programs alas (my theory is that, until the Ajinomoto Victory Project Nutrition team managed to find a way with his digestive tract particularities, he was malnourished, not to say underfed, which may have made his ankle more frail; they came in time to start giving him the exceptional stamina he's now known for, but not to restore the integrity of his ankle; I think that he's very far from being the only skater who would have greatly benefited of personalised Sports Nutrition advice much earlier in his career).
I think that he had many truly iconic moments, and Seimei, certainly one of them, came ahead in views because it was his second Olympic victory? Also it results in a "feel good" video.

 

[4everchan]

Zimmerman is a fabulous pianist. One of my favorites. Whatever some fans may argue and try to prove, he didn't cut the ballade himself. I'm pretty sure of that. Otherwise, he wouldn't have removed the main theme, the essence of the piece. No pianist would ever do that. That's all I wanted to say about this because I don't find it ok to promote such a false assumption. I will stay away from this hot topic. All I can say is that Seimei is indeed Hanyu's best program. I saw its first ( I believe) performance at ACI and even then, one knew it would be one of the great programs.

 

[Magill]

TBH I am not sure what to say.
Iconic is iconic. I do not really think any analysis can explain it. I mean, you can say whatever you want but in the end of the day these things are magic. A perfect storm. A touch of a wizard. A spark of genius.

So, yes, probably the most loved FS program, at least in Men, maybe of all time, for sure this century.
Why? Who can tell exactly
Probably a perfect mixture of a genius programme, charismatic performer and unique circumstances.
His coming off the long-lasting injury, no one, including him, knowing what shape he was really in, he was so well loved already. And so much at stake - not just an OGM, but the back to back OGM, to be won for the first time in Men in 66 years, still unequalled to this day. I think Yuzu said in some interview that it was his mind that won this Olympics for him. Pure will power and muscle memory, stronger than his still weak body, still unstable ankle, desperate shortage of training time. But this is how you do not just win but become a legend.
Instantly recognizable costume and unique Japanese music probably also helped. And this amazing contagious energy with which he was skating. Pure joy, pure triumph. Still sending thrills, still to be sensed through the screen, even today. Amazing choreography, crazy spins, step sequences to die for. Yes, probably the best choreo by Shea Lynn EVER. Electric. Legendary. This is exactly what Olympics is for.

Others? Bolero by Torville/Dean, Kalinka by Rodnina/Zajtsev, Winter by Yagudin. TBH I can't think of any other similarly legendary single programme.
Would they win today? This question just does not make sense to me, the rules are different, the sport keeps changing, if these programs were to compete today they would probably be somewhat different in response to today's rules and realities, so it's impossible to tell. Plus so much depends on the given competition and the given day...
Will any program of today be so warmly loved and fondly remembered, and still watched by millions in 10 years? Does the sport still produce programs of such timeless appeal? That's the question I think worth asking and more urgent, although similarly impossible to answer today

 

[Arigato]

Mike Tirico hosted NBC's primetime coverage for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Over the top of scenes from different events, Mike waxed eloquently:

Why do we get emotionally entangled in caring for people most of us have never met? It's watching the human spirit thrive.We get attached because they are chasing their dreams in front of us, defying logic. Yet while we watch them by the millions, many of them feel alone. An Olympic spotlight really does bring a different heat. And no two words were paired together more, over the last two and a half weeks, than Olympic pressure. No two athletes have the same relationship with it. The best figure skater in the world said, "Seeing the Olympic rings made the moment different. Tougher."

The truth is, you can be the best in the world for four years - over 1,400 days. But your career is oft defined by what happens that one day. That is why the Olympics draw us in.

So why did I post that? Imagine the pressure to summon your talent at will not only once to win gold in Sochi 2014, but a second time in PyeongChang 2018. You just multiplied the Olympic pressure by 100. The truth is, Yuzu wasn't even sure he would make it to the OLYG in 2018. He wasn't sure the ankle could take it. But it did. Can you get any more odds-defying?

What made him unbeatable on that day was his indomitable will. And his relationship with Olympic pressure.

 

[formersk8ter]

Interesting.

I never considered either of Hanyu's Olympic Gold freeskates to be among his best performances. 2014 was quite mistake ridden and he looked dejected in the K&C. Patrick Chan had all but been awarded Olympic gold all season, everyone expected him to win. But then Chan skated an even more flawed FS than Yuzuru. It was the weakest, mistake-filled mens Olympic free skate I've ever seen (even counting this year's): Denis Ten was the only one who really delivered.

Hanyu skated a much better FS in 2018, but even that had errors. It's notable that not one judge scored his FS 1st. Nathan Chen was given 1st in the free skate by every judge except the Chinese judge, who gave first to Boyang Jin.

Yuzuru Hanyu is one of the greats, that is for sure. But he had help to win both of his Olympic golds.

 

[TallyT]

The big question: Was this the ultimate “clutch” performance in figure skating? Or… was it the complete package—tech + artistry + timing—that made it unbeatable?

Both, I think (and no, I am not even slightly abashed at being biased ) and I think it will go down as one of a tiny handful that could be in consideration as the greatest skating program and most iconic skate' it will be remembered, not just in Japan but through Asia and much of the world when many winning skates are lists in a history book.

Just as Yuzuru was - and still is - lightning in a bottle, Seimei (which he himself called his masterpiece) is a perfect storm: a peerless blending of technical power, skating skills and multilayered artistry, brilliantly designed to reflect his country's culture and mythic history and also enhance his unbelievable on ice charisma and sheer beauty, already legendary as part (with Chopin) of the historic six-world-records-in-three-weeks. It's a work of art as well as an iconic part of the sport.

And yet... that Chopin at Pyeongchang was perfect. Other skates (his JNats Rondo for instance, and others by him and other skaters) have been perfect. Perfection is not always greatness. The Olympic Seimei - in spite of or even because of - those tiny falters due to the injury has something even more in its humanity, and the sheer electric drama of the story those four and a half minutes told, both of Abe no Seimei and of Yuzuru at that moment. He went out, against a clutch of past and future World champions mostly at their best, with half a fragile, damaged ankle, painkillers, only three weeks on ice, no competitions for months, and sheer grit. And he did that.

The world does love a moment of pure magic (as, in its own way, Alysa's free this year was for many if not quite for me). Yuzu was and still is good at the magic...

 

[TallyT]

Oh, and as to whether there will be a better one? Ask me again after WHITE - if Prelude is anything to go by, it will take skating artistry somewhere where no one else can follow...

 

[ladyjane]

I wish people would stop putting ordinals in. That time is past, even if you can see that judges put in similar scores on the balance sheet. Sorry,

 

[Magill]

Well, you may say Yuzu was not always perfect, and he was not always the favourite, but I daresay it made him even more loved by the public at large. He had life-long asthma, was naturally very skinny, which in a sport like figure skating made him more prone to injuries from falls, and he was often injured. And yet he was a fighter, and, like it or not, the world's chosen darling.
I can only repeat what I said once when he had a similar discussion on this board some years ago: Yuzuru proved you do not need to be perfect to win, and you do need to be perfect, or even win, to be loved.
I guess that's one of the lessons that many people really appreciate as this is so humane, and this is what we all want to be told, and see it proven right. I watched both Sochi and Pyeongchang with my kids and we all agreed then these were not just perfect sport moments, but truly heart-lifting life lessons. See see, hear hear.
So you can moan and grimace, or you can say what Isabeau Levito said after her Worlds medal won with a very imperfect skate (quoting from memory): "After I fell on the ice I thought about Yuzuru Hanyu in Sochi. He could have given up after the second fall, but he didn't and he proceeded to win the Olympic gold and become the legend. Would he be one if he gave up then? So I decided there and then: I am not giving up either." And she didn't.
It seems you can be inspiring to the next generations even in your falls.
But that's an athlete speaking

Was he helped with his wins? I think it is a wrong way to put it. For me it would mean questionable judging or backstage deals. There was none of that. That the others fell? Well, it happens all the time in sports. For someone to win, someone needs to lose. In the end of the day, those others failed under pressure where he persevered. They did not help him, they did not fail on purpose. So no, he was not helped. He won fair and square.

But the irony of it is: some other OGMs were won with two seemingly perfect skates, no falls, no unstable landings. And yet, these programs and these skaters are nowhere even close to the iconic status of Yuzuru and his two OGMs. Yes, Seimei did not win the free skate on that day. And yet, it does not make it any less iconic. Why? Because out there - no one cares, or even remembers. Because on this very day it won both the Olympic gold and the public's hearts, and Yuzu managed not to lose this love ever since.
Food for thought.

 

[yfan1]

Hanyu skated weakly at Sochi, and was the best when his main opponent failed at PyeongChang.

I also simply dislike 3/6 of his Olympic Programs, and am meh at another two. Because I am one of maybe five people who don't care for Seimei.

Said that he was the best skater at Sochi, and far and away the best skater at PyeongChang and Beijing. His victories at both Olympics that he won were deserved (even if Sochi deserves to be forgotten).

His best skating in both those quadrennials came earlier - 2012 worlds Romeo and Juliet, and 2017 Worlds Hope and Legacy. Those were all time great performances. They helped him get many, many ardent fans, and it was all deserved. They also established him as an all time great skater, and to me, no one's come close in the men's field.

And that ends my Hanyu glazing for the month.

EDIT: clarity and fact check.

 

[yfan1]

• Where does this rank among Olympic performances all-time?

Men's skating LPs since 2002 for me.

1. Yagudin's Man in the Iron Mask
2. Hanyu's Seimei
----
3. Plushenko's Godfather
----
4. Chen's Rocketman
5. Hanyu's Romeo and Juliet
----
6. Lysacek's Please Don't Force Me To Look Up What He Skated To
----
----
----
7. Shaidorov

• Would this layout still win under today’s scoring trends?

No, and that's a pity, because Malinin would get 95 PCS when he deserves 72. Mind you I thought Hanyu only deserved around 85 for this at the time, so... still a 13 point gap.

And then there's the fact that Transitions and Interpretation don't even exist. Skaters like Malinin and Shaidorov have decent transitions, but Interpretation/Performance/Choreography/Skating Skills is where Hanyu outs them entirely.

• Is this Hanyu’s greatest program—or is there a better one?

Hanyu senior program ranking!

SPs:
1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Chopin (the CoC 2014 version)
3. Parisienne Walkways
4. Etude
5. Otonal
6. White Legend
7. Rondo Capriccioso
8. Let Me Entertain You (this was just offensive to me)

LPs:
1. R+J
2. Hope and Legacy
3. Origin (2018-19 season version)
4. Seimei (2015-16 season version)
----------------
5. POTO
6. Romeo and Juliet
7. Heaven and Earth
8. Notre Dame de Paris
9. Zigeunerweisen

(Bottom three can really go any way)

 

[gsk8]

8. Let Me Entertain You (this was just offensive to me)

I loved this program! Just for you @yfan1

 

[yfan1]

I aint watching that, happy for you though, or sad whatever it is

 

[Arigato]

Hanyu skated a much better FS in 2018, but even that had errors. It's notable that not one judge scored his FS 1st. Nathan Chen was given 1st in the free skate by every judge except the Chinese judge, who gave first to Boyang Jin.

You forgot Chen's: A hand down on the ice with negative GOE in the FS might not be an error to you, but it's an error to just about anyone else without an agenda.

I loved this program!

2:10 Back counter entry into a 3A landed right on the music. Best in the business. +3.54 GOE.

 

[gsk8]

I aint watching that, happy for you though, or sad whatever it is

It's called "versatility"!!

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Yuzuru Hanyu returned from injury with everything on the line—and delivered one of the most iconic free skates in history.

The big question: Was this the ultimate “clutch” performance in figure skating? Or… was it the complete package—tech + artistry + timing—that made it unbeatable?

But, it was beatable — by 9 points, in this case.

https://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/owg2018/OWG2018_MenSingleSkating_FS_Scores.pdf

Well deserved victory, and wayyy cleaner FS than Sochi, but it was not a clutch performance, nor was it even his best performance of Seimei (to me that was either NHK 2015 or GPF 2015 - the latter which scored 13 points more than Pyeongchang). As mentioned Chen had a poor SP and Fernandez/Uno underperformed too (no fault of Hanyu's). But aside from his competitors... in the free, Hanyu still had two obvious errors - a step out on his 2nd 4T - which caused him to leave out a whole 3T, thus only 2 combos - and he also leaned/foot down on his triple lutz.

And it certainly wasn't (by conventional definitions of "clutch") NOT a clutch performance, nor did he even need a clutch performance to win, based on how everyone did. To me, the most iconic clutch performance was Tara Lipinski winning gold after Michelle Kwan skated lights out and Tara having to skate absolutely pristinely including her 3L+3L or her 3T+Eu+3S combos. Or Miura/Kihara's comeback FS in Cortina to win pairs gold (even if it was a comfortable win in the end, they knew they needed a strong FS to win; while Hanyu had wiggle room).

Hanyu wasn't even the most clutch winner of the 2018 Olympics. In fact the men's gold-winning free was arguably the least clutch gold-winning free of all 4 Pyeongchang disciplines, and his free program had more errors than the frees of any of the other gold winners — who all needed to be perfect to win, and wouldn't have won their respective disciplines if they hadn't been perfect. That's clutch.

Zagitova, IMO, had the most clutch freeskate of all the disciplines, after Medvedeva was clean in both programs, and she needed every single one of her 7 backloaded jumping passes to win. She, unlike Hanyu, wasn't a longtime fave and while the judges gave Hanyu 96.62 with two obvious errors, they weren't going to prop Zagitova's PCS up if she made mistakes. And especially clutch when she didn't combo her first triple lutz, and had the ability and wherewithal to do the 3Z+3L, which was necessary for her to seal the gold by 1.3 points. Like Lipinski, the fave skated lights out, and she (skating after them) needed to be perfect to win—and she was, which was just enough to win gold.

Savchenko/Massot after the SP error had to be absolutely perfect and deliver a personal best to come back from 4th and win gold over Sui/Han — which they managed by a mere 0.43 points. Especially crazy stakes because it was Aliona's last chance to get Olympic gold.

Virtue/Moir, like Hanyu, also faced the pressure to capture a second individual gold... and while they did capitalize on the RD costume issue with the French, they still had to be foot-perfect in their free to edge out Papadakis/Cizeron overall, which they did by just 0.79 points.

Granted, he was still undoubtedly and comfortably, the winner and did what he needed including a superb SP (and his Olympic SPs WERE what I'd call iconic... well, his first two). But that LP? No, it wasn't the most iconic free skates in Olympic history, but it was iconic in the sense of him earning a second Olympic gold (only man since Dick Button to do so). However, in 2018, Zagitova's + S/M's + V'M's individual frees to win gold were legit some of the most iconic frees to win in Olympic history. With 2 obvious errors and leaving out a whole jump, and given the fact he had performed Seimei more cleanly and with harder content prior to that, it was not exactly what I'd call an "iconic" Olympic free, nor a clutch performance.

Hanyu's Worlds free in 2017 was an actual example of a clutch performance with harder content (almost 11 points higher base value than his OWG2018 free, with a 4L and two 3As) and he performed it perfectly when he needed it most — would have lost gold had he not been perfect. I get that the Olympics the stakes are higher, but his 2018 Olympic FS I wouldn't even call a "clutch" performance (going by standard definitions of "clutch") let alone his "ultimate clutch performance".

 

[gsk8]

I should have re-phrased that to reflect the full result.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I should have re-phrased that to reflect the full result.

I still wouldn't call 2018 OWG his most clutch performance, even looking at the full result. His 2017 win was way more clutch based on actually needing to be perfect to win, and based on the final results he would have lost had he not been perfect.

A clutch performance is the ability to perform optimally or even better than you've ever previously performed in order to win or achieve success, especially under pressure, and especially if said optimal/perfect performance is necessary to win. Hanyu's perfect SP set himself up well for the FS, but he underperformed in the FS compared to prior Seimei performances, and yet won by a wide margin in a less-than-optimal field. He delivered - but he wasn't "clutch". Regarding the full result/full competition, Zagitova HAD to be perfect in both programs and that was a "clutch full result" because she needed everything to beat her competitor who skated lights out - same with Lipinski in 1998... arguably Lipinski is the most clutch because she skated after Kwan and faced incredible pressure to deliver very difficult content to edge the favourite out for the win.

Since the thread is specifically about his 2018 Olympic FS, I do not think Hanyu's performance was a clutch performance in the conventional sense, nor was it his best/most iconic performance — of Seimei, let alone his frees in general. Regarding the OP, it was beatable — as literally proven by Chen beating him in the FS (and skaters like Uno, Fernandez).

I do think Seimei, in general, is his greatest free program (one of my top 5 figure skating programs of all time, in any discipline) — a way more interesting, balanced, intricate, and exciting program than Hope & Legacy (even if 2017 Worlds was his most clutch free), and wayyyy better than Origin (even if SC2019 was his personal best-scoring free). I actually thought his Seimei FS at the NHK 2015, at the time, was the best singles figure skating freeskate of all time (more than any of Kwan's or Chan's or Kim's). However, his Seimei at the 2018 Olympics was definitely not his best version of Seimei, even if it was well done, nor was it a particularly clutch performance.

Re: the OP saying some call it "perfection under pressure", those folks are out to lunch — he made two obvious errors, and placed 2nd in the FS. IMO, Chen's 2018 OWG FS was legit generation-defining with 6 quads, and while not perfect, still more cleanly skated than Hanyu's 2018 OWG FS. Hanyu HAS legitimately performed Seimei perfectly before... and yeah, I would say his FS performances of Seimei in 2015 NHK/GPF (esp. NHK) can be considered generation-defining/sport-defining....... but his 2018 OWG Seimei FS was neither perfection (objectively speaking) nor was it his most clutch FS/competition.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

But, it was beatable — by 9 points, in this case.

https://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/owg2018/OWG2018_MenSingleSkating_FS_Scores.pdf

Well deserved victory, and wayyy cleaner FS than Sochi, but it was not a clutch performance, nor was it even his best performance of Seimei (to me that was either NHK 2015 or GPF 2015 - the latter which scored 13 points more than Pyeongchang). As mentioned Chen had a poor SP and Fernandez/Uno underperformed too (no fault of Hanyu's). But aside from his competitors... in the free, Hanyu still had two obvious errors - a step out on his 2nd 4T - which caused him to leave out a whole 3T, thus only 2 combos - and he also leaned/foot down on his triple lutz.

And it certainly wasn't (by conventional definitions of "clutch") NOT a clutch performance, nor did he even need a clutch performance to win, based on how everyone did. To me, the most iconic clutch performance was Tara Lipinski winning gold after Michelle Kwan skated lights out and Tara having to skate absolutely pristinely including her 3L+3L or her 3T+Eu+3S combos. Or Miura/Kihara's comeback FS in Cortina to win pairs gold (even if it was a comfortable win in the end, they knew they needed a strong FS to win; while Hanyu had wiggle room).

Hanyu wasn't even the most clutch winner of the 2018 Olympics. In fact the men's gold-winning free was arguably the least clutch gold-winning free of all 4 Pyeongchang disciplines, and his free program had more errors than the frees of any of the other gold winners — who all needed to be perfect to win, and wouldn't have won their respective disciplines if they hadn't been perfect. That's clutch.

Zagitova, IMO, had the most clutch freeskate of all the disciplines, after Medvedeva was clean in both programs, and she needed every single one of her 7 backloaded jumping passes to win. She, unlike Hanyu, wasn't a longtime fave and while the judges gave Hanyu 96.62 with two obvious errors, they weren't going to prop Zagitova's PCS up if she made mistakes. And especially clutch when she didn't combo her first triple lutz, and had the ability and wherewithal to do the 3Z+3L, which was necessary for her to seal the gold by 1.3 points. Like Lipinski, the fave skated lights out, and she (skating after them) needed to be perfect to win—and she was, which was just enough to win gold.

Savchenko/Massot after the SP error had to be absolutely perfect and deliver a personal best to come back from 4th and win gold over Sui/Han — which they managed by a mere 0.43 points. Especially crazy stakes because it was Aliona's last chance to get Olympic gold.

Virtue/Moir, like Hanyu, also faced the pressure to capture a second individual gold... and while they did capitalize on the RD costume issue with the French, they still had to be foot-perfect in their free to edge out Papadakis/Cizeron overall, which they did by just 0.79 points.

Granted, he was still undoubtedly and comfortably, the winner and did what he needed including a superb SP (and his Olympic SPs WERE what I'd call iconic... well, his first two). But that LP? No, it wasn't the most iconic free skates in Olympic history, but it was iconic in the sense of him earning a second Olympic gold (only man since Dick Button to do so). However, in 2018, Zagitova's + S/M's + V'M's individual frees to win gold were legit some of the most iconic frees to win in Olympic history. With 2 obvious errors and leaving out a whole jump, and given the fact he had performed Seimei more cleanly and with harder content prior to that, it was not exactly what I'd call an "iconic" Olympic free, nor a clutch performance.

Hanyu's Worlds free in 2017 was an actual example of a clutch performance with harder content (almost 11 points higher base value than his OWG2018 free, with a 4L and two 3As) and he performed it perfectly when he needed it most — would have lost gold had he not been perfect. I get that the Olympics the stakes are higher, but his 2018 Olympic FS I wouldn't even call a "clutch" performance (going by standard definitions of "clutch") let alone his "ultimate clutch performance".

I wonder if I haven't misunderstood the question. I understood clutch performance, as a skate by someone who ought to walk with... crutches. Sorry for the blunder!