Men's Free Skate Play-By-Play

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Patrick Chan (CAN)

Solid 4T+2T to open. Only a 3T with a two-foot step-out instead of a 4T. Fine 3A+1Lo+2S combo with good speed. Beautiful edging in the choreo sequence. Strong 3Lz+3T. Slight hand-down on the second 3A. Only a 2Lo. But a classically strong camel spin with a stellar layover position. Solid 3F with a great running edge and an equally solid 2A. Wonderufl sit spin. A little stumble in the ending footwork but still glorious choreography. And a well-centered combo spin for his finale.

Not the best skate to end his career, but at least no falls and he went for those two 3As despite having a lot of problems with it. He is still a reminder of what great edges and multidirectional skating is meant to look like. Despite his mistakes, the transitions and choreography are a stark contrast to everyone we've seen so far. Thank you, Patrick Chan, for all of your years of skating and showing the simple beauty of a deep edge.

 

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22 HANYU Yuzuru (JPN)

Music: SEIMEI (soundtrack) by Shigeru Umebayashi

White embroidered tunic with purple details, black pants

4S
4T
3F
FCCoSp
StSq
4S+3T
4T+REP - stepout
3A+1Lo+3S - bit tight
3Lo
3Lz - forward, foot down
CCoSp
ChSq
CCoSp

Wow, great skate. Some iffy landings in 2nd half, but overall should be enough to maintain lead

FS: 109.5+96.62 = 206.17 (SB), 317.85 (SB), 1/22

 

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Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)

Brilliant 3S to start. Very strong 4T! And a strong 3F as well. Wonderfully centered spin (no Bielmann this time likely due to his injury). Commanding step sequence, may not be as difficult but powerful nonetheless. Brilliant 4S+3T in the second half. Step-out on the second 4T, might be <, but it will have a +REP since it has no combo. A little rough but 3A+1Lo+3S. Strong 3Lo. A bit of a slip on the 3F. Iconic hydroblade and ina bauer in the choreo step. Strong stars into the final combo spin.

Several blips here and there in the technical mark, but that was pretty much as well as I could hope for after his injuries. This might be good enough for the gold medal, but he's left the door open a little. He might have enough buffer with those quads compared to his other two competitors just on GOE on the other elements. Of course, this isn't his best performance of Seimei but it just may be good enough.

 

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23 FERNANDEZ Javier (ESP)

Music: Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh

Off-white blouse, black pants

4T
4S+2T - tight
3A+3T
StSq
CSSp
2S
3Lo
3A
3F+1Lo+3S
3Lz
FCCoSp
ChSq
CCoSp

Good skate, but he couldn't really afford that one pop

FS: 101.5+96.14 = 197.66 (SB), 305.24 (SB), 2/23

 

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Javier Fernandez (ESP)

Strong 4T, almost put the other leg down but made it around. Not sure how he got that 4S+2T but he did. Strong 3A+3T, looks fine to me. Nice choreo section, strong and bold, with a solid spin into the midsection of the program. Ouch, only a 2S instead of the intended 4S. But a beautiful 3Lo and a wonderful second 3A. Well landed 3F+1Lo+3S and a solid 3Lz as well. Decent combo spin into a beautifully interpretative combo spin and a well-timed combo spin.

Oh man, I hope he isn't fourth again... *bites nails*. A performance of many dimensions - passion, strength, wit, humor, boldness. The only real mistake was the unfortunate pop on the 4S in the second half which might have given him first place overall. I think it should go into second place given the security of all of his other jumps and based on his overall PCS.

 

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24 UNO Shoma (JPN)

Music: Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot performed by Vanessa-Mae
Nessun Dorma (from "Turandot") by Giacomo Puccini, performed by Jose Carreras

Blue velvet blouse, gold details; black pants

4Lo - fall, looked <
4F
3Lo
FCSp
FCCoSp
StSq
3A - bit tight
4T+2T - foot down
4T
3A+1Lo+3F
3S+3T
ChSq
CCoSp

Costly fall to start, but he fought for the rest. It could be close

FS: 111.0+92.72-1.0 = 202.73, 306.90, 2/24

 

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Shoma Uno (JPN)

Hard fall on the opening 4Lo, might be <. Beautiful 4F, however, with a good landing edge. No problem on the 3Lo, taken out the 3Lz. A dramatic and stern step sequence. A little tight on the spread eagle entry into the 3A but still well done. Another attempt at the 4T+2T with a two-foot landing. Better 4T well into the second half. Wonderful 3A+1Lo+3F and a solid 3S+3T. Stellar cantilever into the final spin, ending slightly later than the music.

Strangely enough, he left his Olympic program all the way back at his first event of the season at the Lombardia Trophy. Shame on the 4Lo, should be dinged. The performance started off with the fall, but he was able to get back into the performance and the jumps after that. A very bold layout of jumps in the second half. I think this should go into second or third.

 

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Congratulations to Yuzuru Hanyu for being the first back-to-back Olympic gold medalist since Dick Button!

 

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And stupendous effort from Nathan Chen to rise from 17th to 5th and for winning the free skate by about 9 points!

 

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Anyone know why Yuzu land only 1 3A?

Because he chose to repeat the 4S and 4T instead.