Hanyu Yuzuru becomes the first skater in history to execute quadruple Axel on international stage

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan challenges quadruple Axel during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- With 4A being the only quadruple jump among the six basic jumping movements that has not been conquered, the 27-year-old Hanyu Yuzuru, who attempted 4A in the national championships, became the first skater in history to execute it on the international stage.

Skating to Ten to Chi to (Heaven and Earth), "ice prince" Hanyu performed an under-rotated 4A and tumbled at the following quad Salchow, which led to a two-point direct deduction and less than 10 points after two opening jumps.

He delivered a fairly clean combination of triple Axel-triple Loop, a triple flip, a triple Axel, as well as combination jumps of 4+3 Toeloop and 4Toeloop-1Euler-3Salchow.

The routine earned him a total segment score of 188.06 points, the third in the men's free skate, piling his overall score to 283.21 after he missed an opening quad Salchow to rank only the eighth after the short program.

Hanyu had been on high expectations as he won back-to-back Olympic gold medals at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018. He did not compete internationally this season after suffering an ankle ligament injury but came back to claim his sixth national title in December.

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan performs during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Ma Ning)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan falls during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan performs during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan performs during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan performs during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Lei)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan performs during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan reacts prior to his performance during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan reacts after his performance during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan reacts after his performance during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Hanyu Yuzuru of Japan bows to the audience after his performance during the figure skating men single skating free skating of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Cao Can)