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

[DizzyFrenchie]

I'd not say what Hanyu was displaying in Ballade was "lyrical" or "soft" (opposed to energetic), the centerpiece of that program as it were was supposed to be the step sequence, which in its earliest iterations used to blaze down the rink. It was also paired with POTO, what would you say about such a pairing?

Truth be told, I don't really find value in looking at such "pairings".

Personally I'd place Phantom of the Opera in the same "category" as Seimei for this purpose, it seems that you perceive it differently.
As to Ballade, it's one of his programs where his arms (and back) get (on purpose!) the more wonderfully "noodly" as would say CanadianSkaterGuy, his arms and his whole body are way more controlled than other skaters' but he does manage to have his (more difficult) transitions look effortless and he has (he used to have, he's changing quite fast in this respect) a Japanese way of moving.

 

[NanaPat]

As to the main question, I don't know Baby Shark so cannot tell much about it specifically.

Why looking down to it? You do not appreciate children stories and songs?

If you'd ever actually listened to Baby Shark, you would not be so critical of (shall I say condescendng to?) people who don't appreciate it. I appreciate many children's stories and songs, but I have heard Baby Shark and it is a definite no from me.

 

[yfan1]

Personally I'd place Phantom of the Opera in the same "category" as Seimei for this purpose, it seems that you perceive it differently.
As to Ballade, it's one of his programs where his arms (and back) get (on purpose!) the more wonderfully "noodly" as would say CanadianSkaterGuy, his arms and his whole body are way more controlled than other skaters' but he does manage to have his (more difficult) transitions look effortless and he has (he used to have, he's changing quite fast in this respect) a Japanese way of moving.

I'm not sure what you mean.

Hanyu as a skater didn't excel at introspection or nuance. Skaters who did very much were Japanese usually as well - Mao Asada and Takahiko Kozuka come to mind first. Hanyu excelled at heart on sleeve and drama. I think most of his programs showcased that. Sometimes we got the hodge podge plateau numbers like Heaven and Earth, too. The Ballade/Seimei combo emphasised both those qualities, just not as well in my book at some of his other programs.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

I'm not sure what you mean.

Hanyu as a skater didn't excel at introspection or nuance. Skaters who did very much were Japanese usually as well - Mao Asada and Takahiko Kozuka come to mind first. Hanyu excelled at heart on sleeve and drama. I think most of his programs showcased that. Sometimes we got the hodge podge plateau numbers like Heaven and Earth, too. The Ballade/Seimei combo emphasised both those qualities, just not as well in my book at some of his other programs.

Herrr... We had just mentioned Ballade...

 

[Arigato]

The iconic-in-spite-of-injury-equals-clutch argument is a weak/eyeroll-worthy one for me as skaters skate injured or with mental or physical obstacles/challenges all the time …

That's because you aren't working with a decent definition or full understanding of what transpired.

"Clutch performance is the ability to perform optimally under high-pressure, critical situations. It involves maintaining composure and focus during crucial moments—such as tight scores, limited time, or high-stakes games—when the risk of failure is high."


Let's be clear, there is nothing common about falling while attempting a 4Lz during a practice session before the NHK, damaging a lateral ligament in the right ankle, and subsequently forcing the skater to withdraw from the competition the next day before the SP.

Due to the serious nature of the injury he not only was forced to W/D from NHK but missed qualifying for the GPF and also withdrew from JNats. Despite missing 3 events, he was still selected for the OLY Team due to world ranking and previous results. These aren't "little things" that happen to random skaters that we "don't get to hear about" by any stretch of the imagination.

As I mentioned in a prior post, Hanyu couldn't even train properly while everyone else had all the time they wanted since they weren't dealing with a serious ankle injury that knocked them out of 3 events leaving them but a few weeks of on-ice preparation for the OLYG. That type of deficit heading into the Oly games isn't "something that happens all the time." Far from it.

Circling back to the initial definition at the top of my post, yes, it was a hell of a clutch performance: High-stakes going for a consecutive gold medal at the OLYG which had not been done since 1948 and 1952 by Dick Button, and under even higher pressure due to having merely weeks on the ice amid recovering from serious injury.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

As I mentioned in a prior post, Hanyu couldn't even train properly while everyone else had all the time they wanted since they weren't dealing with a serious ankle injury that knocked them out of 3 events leaving them but a few weeks of on-ice preparation for the OLYG. That type of deficit heading into the Oly games isn't "something that happens all the time." Far from it.

Circling back to the initial definition at the top of my post, yes, it was a hell of a clutch performance: High-stakes going for a consecutive gold medal at the OLYG which had not been done since 1948 and 1952 by Dick Button, and under even higher pressure due to having merely weeks on the ice amid recovering from serious injury.

So you're saying nobody else had injuries or disrupted training or others issues leading up to the Olympics?

"Everyone else had all the time they wanted"?! Javier Fernandez had recurring back issues leading up to the 2018 Olympics. Denis Ten had ankle, hip and back injuries leading up to the Olympics (and himself had only 2 weeks of full training before the Olympics). Uno had ankle injuries earlier in the season. Chen went through boot issues and foot discomfort earlier in the season.

Kagiyama had a severe ankle injury leading up to the 2026 Olympics but still landed clean quads. Riku Miura dislocated her shoulder at Nationals - even closer to the 2026 Olympics than NHK 2017 was to the 2018 Olympics - and was forced to withdraw, leading up to the 2026 Olympics and had a strong comeback FS where she and Kihara won Japan's first ever gold medal in pairs in a nation where people really only focus on singles.

These are elite figure skaters and especially in an Olympic year where they're looking to peak, wear and tear will be a thing. While Hanyu's injury was a significant injury that limited his training, clearly it wasn't severe enough that it limited his ability to compete and execute multi-quad programs. Nor is he the first and only figure skater to deliver in big moments while dealing with or having dealt with an acute injury, or while managing chronic injuries (which several elite figure skaters have to manage, including OGMs like Scherbackova - knee, Cong Han - shoulder, Hongbo Zhao - Achilles, Savchenko - back, Totmianina - head injury/shoulder, Kim - back/hip, and probably others historically too).

 

[TallyT]

I think athletes will obviously place Olympic gold winning skates above all others lol. And then the second time and all will obviously count for more. Why it needs to devolve into demanding everyone feel THIS is THE MOST clutch performance of his is... strange.

I don't see people demanding anything of the sort (in fact, most online discussions of his best programs or greatest skates, as with most skaters who were at the top of a long period, tends to be a long and very very varied list). I do see people putting forward why they think it is, and why Yuzu himself calls it his masterpiece and Olys18 one of the hardest things he has ever done.

And of course youtube views views are not in themselves a sole arbiter of excellence, don't be silly. They and the even bigger weibo are just aspects of all the factors that show something's iconic status (plus, it and - sad to say - Tiktok are where most of our budding new western fans might be caught, people who are browsing and click on a skating video are more likely to get suggested the most popular ones by the algorithmic gods)

As to which of the two performances - H&L17 or Seimei18 - were the greatest 'clutch', the factors putting each there are very different, in each case he had to reach deep and achieve seemingly superhuman levels (and make it look effortless even when in serious pain and yes, other skaters have had injuries but they haven't then gone up under an absolute firestorm of publicity against this level absolute cream of crop not knowing if the limb in question would even hold up under them, with two-three weeks on ice let alone quad training. And won.) so maybe one answer is... as with many things... both. He just has to have two, more and better than most I can live with that!

(Remember, we were also asked was it his greatest program - and I would say yes, even if it is not my own absolute favourite, though up there! the thing is, all of the questions the OP asked are intermingled and work in combination to produce those greatest moments in not just skating but sporting history.)

Hanyu as a skater didn't excel at introspection or nuance.

Funny how those, especially in Japan, have studied the stories and meaning behind each moment and movement of Seimei and see what you don't... maybe it's a cultural thing?

 

[Arigato]

So you're saying nobody else had injuries or disrupted training or others issues leading up to the Olympics?

There is no other skater who was in Yuzu's position to begin with, hence, your rambling post is rendered moot. Can you read the title of this thread?

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

Not "A" ultimate clutch performance, the question asks was it "his"? Of course it was. At no other time in his career was he in the position of such a high-pressure, high-stakes situation - going for his consecutive Olympic gold medal and upping the ante of it all, doing such an odds-defying act while coming off a protracted injury and only allowed to start jumping quads a few weeks before the beginning of the games.

You bet your ass that was his ultimate clutch performance.

 

[yfan1]

Funny how those, especially in Japan, have studied the stories and meaning behind each moment and movement of Seimei and see what you don't... maybe it's a cultural thing?

Do they say "Hanyu excels at introspection and nuance"?

Do people who excel at drama and outward expression not have "hidden" moments and movements? Are they incapable of story-telling? Because I'd say that attacks the basis of most theatre, and the Japanese theatre is no exception...

Which, by the way, if you're bringing up "cultural things", I'd say in order to evaluate the veracity of such claims or how valid such a claim is, you'd need to be particularly culturally perceptive yourself.

Do look up the character of Abe no Seimei. He was a very straightforward character - he was an exorcist. Quite a lot of the references in the program were directly tied into that. It was pop culture.

Uesogi Kenshin is the character who needed quite a lot more nuance and introspection, and that program simply didn't work for me.

I don't see people demanding anything of the sort

We see things very, very differently.

I do see people putting forward why they think it is,

Really? Seems also someone cited a sports psych research paper to "conclude" that this was indeed why it was the most clutch performance, and when I pointed out that there were other ways to determine that, told me this:

Surely, more valid than any anonymous poster's opinion, which does not amount to much by itself either

But sure.

And of course youtube views views are not in themselves a sole arbiter of excellence, don't be silly. [weibo, tiktok]

Could you point out where *I* said this? On the other hand, I can point to a post where it was argued using the Cambridge Dictionary definition that we should absolutely conclude this was "most iconic".

To which I'd say again, that well, going by that logic, Savchenko/Massot exist, and had an entire quad of problems leading up to what they produced. I'd say this validates @CanadianSkaterGuy's argument quite well, if so. Same goes for Sui/Han at Beijing, even if they didn't rack up the same number of views.

Anyway, if the topic is "which is Yuzuru Hanyu's most clutch performance", then I disagree with it being Seimei at PyeongChang.

(Remember, we were also asked was it his greatest program - and I would say yes, even if it is not my own absolute favourite, though up there! the thing is, all of the questions the OP asked are intermingled and work in combination to produce those greatest moments in not just skating but sporting history.)

Right it said "greatest program" and if there was a better one. Not greatest moment, or performance. So I'd say discussing why it wasn't for me is a perfectly valid thing to be doing.

 

[Magill]

Inviting us to this discussion OP presented Seimei, and very rightfully so, as having a "complex choreography rooted in Japanese tradition".
Why so? What Seimei is really about? Who was Abe no Seimei?
He lived in the 10th/11th century and was a spiritual advisor to the Emperor. He created his own version of yin/yang theory, studied astrology, was believed to have healing and clairvoyance powers, and a power to perform miracles and keep away and fight off evil spirits. Hence the exorcist connection, pretty wide-spread belief in many religions and cultures, especially 1000 years ago, including in Christianity of the time in which the power to fight off evil spirits was believed to be one of the distinct qualities of the saints. Seimei also exceled in the ultimate martial art of fighting armed enemies with no weapon but your spirit. Such legendary duel is recreated as a part of the program's choreography . When he died at a noble age, the Emperor built a Shrine for him in Kyoto which Yuzuru visited as a part of his preparations for the program.
In Japanese culture, Seimei is surrounded by myths and legends showing him as a sage and a wizard, an enlightened being. Personally, I think of him as a Merlin-type of figure, with that distinction that despite the many legends, he was a real life person.
The skating program was actually based on and used the soundtrack of a movie (or, more precisely, a series of two movies) in which Seimei was portrayed by Mansai Nomura, a master actor of traditional Japanese theatre whose status in Japan is that of, pardon me for using the word again, a cultural icon. Originally Nomura met with Yuzu and helped him to work on Seimei. They met again last year for Notte Stellata 2025 show where they performed Seimei together (and another program, but that's off-topic here).
Given that Seimei is such a powerful reference figure in the Japanese culture, both high and pop, it only added to make the program iconic in Japan, of course.

For those curious, here's more info on Seimei, and the Making-of-Seimei mini-doc video, fully subtitled in English, which shows more of the process of creating the program, featuring Shae Lynn Bourne, Mansai Nomura, and Yuzuru, of course. Enjoy

Abe no Seimei - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

(...) Can you read the title of this thread?

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

Not "A" ultimate clutch performance, the question asks was it "his"? Of course it was. At no other time in his career was he in the position of such a high-pressure, high-stakes situation - going for his consecutive Olympic gold medal and upping the ante of it all, doing such an odds-defying act while coming off a protracted injury and only allowed to start jumping quads a few weeks before the beginning of the games.

You bet your ass that was his ultimate clutch performance.

Well, thank you for highlighting this "his", it made me think. We could also read it as, from his viewpoint. I don't mean it as a possible only meaning of this "his", but I think that it's interesting to also consider it in this thread. And there, there's no possible doubt. This skate, in spite of the horrible aching only partly relieved by the painkiller, was so powerful on him that it still sees when he skates it again in his shows, he's living it anew and it's clearly a VERY powerful "drug". In REALIVE, less than a month ago, over eight year after the historical skate, he skated to it with the Utai IV costume which must be so hard to skate with (after Echoes of Life, he confessed that even taking the starting pose was difficult with this costume, and he's not someone shy with his starting poses, I mean, very few could have held his Origin starting pose at all, let alone skate anything after that). Well, even with the Utai IV costume there was the joy, the exultation...

 

[Magill]

Well, thank you for highlighting this "his", it made me think. We could also read it as, from his viewpoint. I don't mean it as a possible only meaning of this "his", but I think that it's interesting to also consider it in this thread. And there, there's no possible doubt. This skate, in spite of the horrible aching only partly relieved by the painkiller, was so powerful on him that it still sees when he skates it again in his shows, he's living it anew and it's clearly a VERY powerful "drug". In REALIVE, less than a month ago, over eight year after the historical skate, he skated to it with the Utai IV costume which must be so hard to skate with (after Echoes of Life, he confessed that even taking the starting pose was difficult with this costume, and he's not someone shy with his starting poses, I mean, very few could have held his Origin starting pose at all, let alone skate anything after that). Well, even with the Utai IV costume there was the joy, the exultation...

It is an interesting question and it can be viewed from several perspectives, and here's another one, in more general terms

While performance can be easily defined and measured (mostly), "increased" or "successful" performance is already more difficult to define ("increased" as compared to what, and "successful" to what extent - is winning necessary, or is grabbing a silver enough), while pressure raises even more questions - do we speak of "objective" pressure as defined by external factors (e.g. high stakes), or subjective pressure as experienced by any given athlete themselves which is much more elusive. Here external assessment and subjective experience could be very different. Do we need an athlete to actually feel the pressure in the clutch situations, or do we define the situation ourselves as high pressure, no matter what they actually think about it and how they feel?

Internal removal of a high stake goal (for example, "I don't care if I win, I'm here just for fun" , or "let's pretend it is just practice") have been long described as a stress management technique (and we heard about them from skaters, too - Alysa Liu may be a perfect example of the first approach, and I think it was Hase /Volodin who explicitly reported having agreed on using the second one, i.e. "let's pretend...", for their Olympic free skate in Milan). Of course, it can be more or less successful in any given case. But if internal goal is successfully removed on the subjective level, can we still talk about a high pressure situation or not ? Do we think Alysa was under pressure or not? After all, she claims not to care for placements but hers was the last chance to win individual OGM for US when everyone before her had failed. So, what do you say?

OTOH, the acute awareness of a high stake goal may be quite motivational, and depending on the physiological type, a high stress level may actually increase the level of performance before it starts to hinder it - and the point of shift is actually very different in different individuals. Here's Yuzuru's "I like to win with some drama" comes as a handy example. Is the clutch performance then what happens in any given point of a high pressure situation, or beyond the point where stress becomes interfering with performance, but the athlete is able to manage it and perform great nevertheless. Hmm....

Anxiety as a physiological and therefore measurable indicator of stress is often used in research to measure pressure actually felt by athletes.. But... Yuzuru reported the first time he ever felt performance anxiety was GPF 2015 in Barcelona, and not because of any objective stakes, but because he had achieved a score perceived as unthinkable of (breaking 200 points for free skate and 300 points in total) two weeks earlier in NHK ( https://wherespacepooh.tumblr.com/post/165776941514/yuzuru-hanyu-comments-on-his-own-iconic , with English subtitles) . It was the pressure of having to perform to keep up or even exceed his own score that made him feel competition fear for the first time in his life. He performed exceptionally well in Barcelona in these circumstances breaking his own previous record and providing performance by many believed the best ever in the history of the sport. But let's be honest, any definition defining the pressure in external terms, would put Sochi Olympics before 2015 GPF, while his own subjective experience would order them differently. Which one is correct, what do you say?

Just an example of how complicated the OP's question in fact is, if you really want to take a science-based approach and not just a conversational one, - as different researchers give different answers to any of these questions

Here's a paper discussing the notion of "pressure", enjoy and reflect!

Exploring the “clutch” in clutch performance: A qualitative investigation of the experience of pressure in successful performance​

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1469029221000078

And a paper reviewing the existing research on clutch performance from different perspectives, if anyone's interested.
Clutch Performance in Sport and Exercise: A Systematic Review

https://scispace.com/pdf/clutch-performance-in-sport-and-exercise-a-systematic-review-3y871bpygo.pdf

 

[4everchan]

I have been reading, not really interested in getting into a debate here... but some are mentioning the OP using the word "his" and not "a" clutch performance .
If we are going to do grammar and quote definitions from the dictionary and look at papers and articles.... which I doubt that was the point of the thread... but sue me... "his" would here. still need to meet the requirements of "a" "His" only would bring it back to the specific individual IF the performance is considered "a" clutch performance. At least, that's one way of seeing it. Another way would be to consider that Hanyu's has never had any clutch performances, so the "his" here would mean the closest to a clutch performance he's had. I think I got my grammar right, but I am not a native speaker so maybe someone who is a native speaker and knows their grammar can correct me, if it is at all necessary

So, it's perfectly fine that some are saying that
1 ) this wasn't "his" clutch performance because he has had, throughout his career, performances that align more with the definition of "a" clutch performance
2) this wasn't "his" clutch performance because it wasn't even "a" clutch performance

The only way to find out would be to ask the skater concerned what he considers is his clutch performance... but that's not, I believe, the point of the thread. It's not an interview and a quest for a definite answer but a point of entry to discuss the skater's important performances ? I may be wrong here, but that's my reading of the first post.

I can tell you what I believe was "his clutch" performance : (as someone who cares very little for Hanyu's skating -sue me again)
the SP in Sotchi.
This is what separated him enough from Patrick, put enough pressure on Patrick and allowed him to win the event despite a subpar skate in the LP. Patrick had often had leads in the SP during these years and being behind must have been very difficult for him to overcome in order to get the right mindset for the LP. So to me, Yuzuru Hanyu's clutch performance was to bring it in the SP to secure that lead and create enough pressure on his opponent to win gold there. If Patrick had had a brilliant SP, he would most have likely won the event here. Patrick could still have had a real clutch and defining performance in the LP but he didn't have the nerves and though he didn't fall, his focus and timing weren't there and he did lose valuable points.. Patrick's most famous clutch performances :two of them came at Nationals LPs 2008, LP 2017. One of them came at 4CC in 2016, with his brilliant Chopin LP.

In any case, that's just how I see things and I am not looking to get into a debate so feel free to read, disagree and move on

 

[yfan1]

If we are going to do grammar and quote definitions from the dictionary and look at papers and articles.... which I doubt that was the point of the thread...

TBH, the fact that the definition is so nebulous is what could have made this a very good thread, precisely because there ends up being no reason to do all this. Oh well.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

It is an interesting question and it can be viewed from several perspectives, and here's another one, in more general terms

While performance can be easily defined and measured (mostly), "increased" or "successful" performance is already more difficult to define ("increased" as compared to what, and "successful" to what extent - is winning necessary, or is grabbing a silver enough), while pressure raises even more questions - do we speak of "objective" pressure as defined by external factors (e.g. high stakes), or subjective pressure as experienced by any given athlete themselves which is much more elusive. Here external assessment and subjective experience could be very different. Do we need an athlete to actually feel the pressure in the clutch situations, or do we define the situation ourselves as high pressure, no matter what they actually think about it and how they feel?

Internal removal of a high stake goal (for example, "I don't care if I win, I'm here just for fun" , or "let's pretend it is just practice") have been long described as a stress management technique (and we heard about them from skaters, too - Alysa Liu may be a perfect example of the first approach, and I think it was Hase /Volodin who explicitly reported having agreed on using the second one, i.e. "let's pretend...", for their Olympic free skate in Milan). Of course, it can be more or less successful in any given case. But if internal goal is successfully removed on the subjective level, can we still talk about a high pressure situation or not ? Do we think Alysa was under pressure or not? After all, she claims not to care for placements but hers was the last chance to win individual OGM for US when everyone before her had failed. So, what do you say?

OTOH, the acute awareness of a high stake goal may be quite motivational, and depending on the physiological type, a high stress level may actually increase the level of performance before it starts to hinder it - and the point of shift is actually very different in different individuals. Here's Yuzuru's "I like to win with some drama" comes as a handy example. Is the clutch performance then what happens in any given point of a high pressure situation, or beyond the point where stress becomes interfering with performance, but the athlete is able to manage it and perform great nevertheless. Hmm....

Anxiety as a physiological and therefore measurable indicator of stress is often used in research to measure pressure actually felt by athletes.. But... Yuzuru reported the first time he ever felt performance anxiety was GPF 2015 in Barcelona, and not because of any objective stakes, but because he had achieved a score perceived as unthinkable of (breaking 200 points for free skate and 300 points in total) two weeks earlier in NHK ( https://wherespacepooh.tumblr.com/post/165776941514/yuzuru-hanyu-comments-on-his-own-iconic , with English subtitles) . It was the pressure of having to perform to keep up or even exceed his own score that made him feel competition fear for the first time in his life. He performed exceptionally well in Barcelona in these circumstances breaking his own previous record and providing performance by many believed the best ever in the history of the sport. But let's be honest, any definition defining the pressure in external terms, would put Sochi Olympics before 2015 GPF, while his own subjective experience would order them differently. Which one is correct, what do you say?

Just an example of how complicated the OP's question in fact is, if you really want to take a science-based approach and not just a conversational one, - as different researchers give different answers to any of these questions

Here's a paper discussing the notion of "pressure", enjoy and reflect!

Exploring the “clutch” in clutch performance: A qualitative investigation of the experience of pressure in successful performance​

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1469029221000078

And a paper reviewing the existing research on clutch performance from different perspectives, if anyone's interested.
Clutch Performance in Sport and Exercise: A Systematic Review

https://scispace.com/pdf/clutch-performance-in-sport-and-exercise-a-systematic-review-3y871bpygo.pdf

Very interesting questions!
In your second paragraph, I wouldn't have thought about Alysa Liu because I do believe that she did feel the pressure, while knowing that her best chance of skating clean was to somehow "relax" and she knew she could do it whatever the pressure, and she did, which is fine but not like really feeling little pressure (the I don't care attitude hailed by the press seems just some PR take advised by some agency to make a PR package for the crowds).
I know only one skater with a real no-pressure attitude, Shoma Uno. While he visibly told what he felt in 2018, I'm not sure that he went on like this forever, but he HAS been awarded an Olympic Silver Medal without feeling different than in a lower stakes competition (there are English subtitles):

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

As to the fourth paragraph, I do think that he felt intense pressure before Grand Prix Final 2015 and he said so, among others in this other interview with Shoma Uno (and Nobunari Oda), months earlier that year (and there again Shoma Uno doesn't seem to have pre-competition anxiety):

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I suppose that he meant that from this 2015 Grand Prix Final, it's become even more intense, and a sort of competition against himself?

Sorry for this nitpicking!

 

[TallyT]

So you're saying nobody else had injuries or disrupted training or others issues leading up to the Olympics?

Now you know that is being deliberately obtuse (at least, I hope it is deliberate). Javi and Denis et al were still practicing - we know with the former because there was TCC footage.

Yes, of course other people are injured and have disrupted training, of course they are. As the quad race gathered and continues to gather momentum, there are skaters in every competition who are way less than their best (it's a sad fact that 'menning' is now the norm, especially when trying to explain why to a newbie.)

But you could count on Dr Hook's bad hand the number that had pretty much no training for a quarter of a year leading to to the most important, scrutinised and expectation-laden competition of all. And had no pre-'important, scrutinised and expectation-laden Olys' tryouts in smaller competitions or Nationals - to see if they could were even ready for match conditions, instead thrown in at the deepest of deep ends. And had to do those first performances in quarter of a year at a level that most current elite can't manage, while landing every time full force on the still-injured part.

And even that number... were not expected to - and didn't - with all that, win the Olympics.

 

[Magill]

Now you know that is being deliberately obtuse (at least, I hope it is deliberate). Javi and Denis et al were still practicing - we know with the former because there was TCC footage.

Yes, of course other people are injured and have disrupted training, of course they are. As the quad race gathered and continues to gather momentum, there are skaters in every competition who are way less than their best (ot's a sad fact that 'menning' is now the norm, especially when trying to explain why to a newbie.

But you could count on Dr Hook's bad hand the number that had pretty much no training for a quarter of a year leading to to the most important, scrutinised and expectation-laden competition of all. And had no pre-'important, scrutinised and expectation-laden Olys' tryouts in smaller competitions or Nationals - to see if they could were even ready for match conditions, instead thrown in at the deepest of deep ends. And had to do those first performances in quarter of a year at a level that most current elite can't manage, while landing every time full force on the still-injured part.

And even that number... were not expected to - and didn't - with all that, win the Olympics.

That's very true. When I saw Nathan's "foot discomfort" compared to a potentially career-ending injury, 3 months out of ice and out of practice, and going back to training only 3 weeks before the Olys, with still unstable ankle, I thought this can't be serious..
With Javi, we also had Brian's interviews when he described it caused some palpable tension at TCC that Javi was practicing like crazy before the Olys and Yuzu was not even allowed near the ice.

And yes, none of those mentioned won the Olympics in the end despite their injuries and discomforts being incomparably less severe.

 

[Magill]

Very interesting questions!
In your second paragraph, I wouldn't have thought about Alysa Liu because I do believe that she did feel the pressure, while knowing that her best chance of skating clean was to somehow "relax" and she knew she could do it whatever the pressure, and she did, which is fine but not like really feeling little pressure (the I don't care attitude hailed by the press seems just some PR take advised by some agency to make a PR package for the crowds).
I know only one skater with a real no-pressure attitude, Shoma Uno. While he visibly told what he felt in 2018, I'm not sure that he went on like this forever, but he HAS been awarded an Olympic Silver Medal without feeling different than in a lower stakes competition (there are English subtitles):

- YouTube

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As to the fourth paragraph, I do think that he felt intense pressure before Grand Prix Final 2015 and he said so, among others in this other interview with Shoma Uno (and Nobunari Oda), months earlier that year (and there again Shoma Uno doesn't seem to have pre-competition anxiety):

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I suppose that he meant that from this 2015 Grand Prix Final, it's become even more intense, and a sort of competition against himself?

Sorry for this nitpicking!

This is not nitpicking, these are very interesting remarks.
And thank you for bringing in Shoma, I totally forgot he was such a cool no-pressure guy.
And yet, in the first video above, he allows us some insight into the whole dynamics in Korea, when mentioning that "all the pressure from the media and fans" - to which I would add the federation - went to Yuzu-kun, and he had to shoulder it for them both, to which Yuzu nods and confirms. Shoma also gives us an indirect answer as to whether Yuzuru was under pressure in PyeongChang or not - and the answer is - "But of course, he was".
In the same video - a post-Olympic interview for Japanese TV, fully subtitled in English - we can hear Yuzuru confirming that the performance he gave there was 100% the best he could give in the physical condition he was in, and this condition was far from optimal, in fact, it was pretty bad.
He also mentions how this was a fulfilling of his biggest goal and a childhood dream, so we also have the section of "self-referenced goal achievement" covered.
I think this is as close as we can get to Yuzu confirming that the Olympic Seimei in fact was a " clutch" performance for him on the subjective level.

 

[Arigato]

I have been reading, not really interested in getting into a debate here...

All evidence to the contrary.

 

[TallyT]

Actually, does it even matter which of the two, Worlds17 or Olys18, might be - for each of us - his ultimate clutch? As I said he has both, and both were more exciting, more knife-edged, more emotionally powerful and more celebrated than most other skaters get just the once.

Why split the difference?