The real highlight of the skating day on Monday came not during the team event upstairs in the Gangneung Ice Arena, but downstairs in the evening at the practice rink long after the crowds had gone home. That's when defending Olympic and world champion Yuzuru Hanyu made his first appearance on Olympic ice.
Hanyu went through a light workout for 15 minutes that primarily involved strokes and just a couple of jumps, before departing. He attempted no quads during his time on the ice. He did not appear to be in any distress or favoring any part of his body.
The anticipation was palpable, with an unusually high media turnout for an official practice. As the clock ticked down to 7:05 p.m. local time, when the session was to begin, the air became similar to that of a Muhammad Ali heavyweight title fight back in the day as people waited to watch the champ climb through the ropes and into the ring.