SPORT/OLYMPICS
What is the ‘4A’ – the most difficult move in figure skating?
Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu competes in the men's free skating during the ISU World Team Trophy figure skating event in Osaka, Japan on April 16, 2021. Photo: VCG
Figure skating is known for its dashing moves. There is one called the "quad Axel," or "4A," that is widely considered to be the hardest jump in figure skating.
By difficulty, there are six types of jumps in figure skating: the toe loop, the loop, the salchow, the flip, the lutz and the Axel.
The Axel, also known as the Axel Paulsen jump after its creator, is the most difficult one. It is a type of "edge jump," meaning skaters have to skate on one side of the blade when lifting off the ice.
Derived from the Axel jump, the quad Axel sits at the top when it comes to jump difficulty as it actually requires a skater to complete a quad Axel rotation and an extra half-revolution. Among all the Axel jumps, it has a specific requirement for skaters to jump up while facing forward. So in such cases, there is always an extra half turn that one needs to complete to ensure they land backwards.
Although no one skater has yet conquered the move at any competitions, the world's top-notch Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu had given it the closest go during the Japanese national championship in 2021. However, as it was not quite a perfect success, it was downgraded due to his two-footed landing.
Hanyu, nicknamed by many fans as the "Ice Prince," has always dreamed of completing this most difficult move. He told media that he will give it another go during the Beijing 2022 Games in his attempt to win his third gold at the Winter Games.
