Why they rank here
The most complete skater of the quadruple era, and the first man in 66 years to defend an Olympic title. Hanyu won gold at Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018, the first back-to-back men's champion since Dick Button in 1952, and did it in the deepest and most technically inflated field the sport has ever staged. He set 19 world records under the ISU Judging System, more than any skater in any discipline: the first short program over 100 points, 101.45 at Sochi; the first free skate over 200 and first total over 300, 322.40 at the 2015 NHK Trophy; then 330.43 at the 2015 Grand Prix Final. Four consecutive Grand Prix Final titles from 2013 to 2016, two world championships and six Japanese national titles sit alongside a 2020 Four Continents win that completed the Super Slam, every major junior and senior title, a first for a male single skater. He turned professional in 2022 and immediately sold out solo productions at the Tokyo Dome.
Career profile
Each bar shows how this athlete compares with the strongest in our all-time list for that metric.
Head-to-head
Compare career numbers side by side.