Figure skating legend Hanyu Yuzuru doesn't rule out return to Olympic Games

Japanese figure skating legend Hanyu Yuzuru on Monday left the door open for a potential fourth Winter Olympics appearance at Milano Cortina 2026.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist Hanyu Yuzuru's third Winter Games ended without a medal.

"If you ask me whether these were my last Games, I don't know", Hanyu said with a smile during a press conference, as per Olympics.com.

"The Olympics is a special place, one of a kind. It's a competition, a challenge, that you want to take on even if you're hurt. There's no other place like that for a figure skater. There is a part of me that does want to skate here again."

The two-time Olympic champion was speaking for the first time since Thursday when he finished a distant fourth. Nathan Chen of the United States emerged as the new Olympic champion in the men's singles.

He also practised for the first time since Thursday, during which the Japanese star did not try the quadruple Axel.

Hanyu detailed the injury to his right ankle, which he said he sprained - again - in practise the day before the free, while crash-landing on the quad Axel.

"The sprain was worse than I initially thought. Any other competition and I would have definitely pulled out," he said.

"The doctor told me I need to rest it for 10 days. It's that bad. It hurt so badly during morning practice the day of the competition that I even thought about pulling out. I was given a painkilling shot about 10 minutes before warm-up and decided to compete," he added.

Hanyu is on the list to perform at the gala on Sunday, but it remains to be seen if he will. Hanyu's participation in the gala will likely depend on the state of his ankle.

( With inputs from ANI )