Olympics: Hanyu says "I bet my life" for Pyeongchang gold

Japanese superstar Yuzuru Hanyu said Tuesday that he put it all on the line to win the gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics, and reiterated his dream of becoming the first figure skater to successfully land a quadruple axel in competition.

Ten days after becoming the first men's figure skater in 66 years to win back-to-back gold medals at the Winter Olympics, Hanyu proved he is still the center of the spotlight when he held a press conference in Tokyo.

"I'm happy to get the gold medal and I really appreciate (people) cheering for me during my performance. I bet my life for this gold medal," the 23-year-old said in English at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

Hanyu led Japan's 1-2 finish at the Pyeongchang Games, with compatriot Shoma Uno taking the silver. The Feb. 9-25 Olympics marked his competitive comeback after he injured his right ankle during training in November.

His next goal is to add a quad axel to his arsenal of jumps, a feat he compared to "rotating twice in the air while doing a quadruple-under jump rope."

"It's called a quadruple jump, but actually you have to make four and a half rotations in the air. That's why it's so difficult," Hanyu said. "Even if I can't become the first person to nail it, I want to fulfill my dream of executing the jump."

And he is even looking for more -- a quintuple jump.

"Of course it would depend on the jump, but according to scientific research done in the field of figure skating, it's physically possible. If it's possible, I would like to challenge this," he said.

"Five and a half rotations might be too difficult. But ever since I was young, coaches have told me to try it, so part of me would like to give it a shot."

The foreign correspondents' interests went beyond figure skating, leading to revelations about the media sensation's diet.

When asked about what he eats before he competes, he said, "As a Japanese person, I wish I could say sushi, but it's risky to eat raw food before competition. This may also be a very Japanese response, but I always try to eat rice before I compete"

"I don't gain weight even when I eat, so I might be different from other athletes," Hanyu said. "I go to McDonald's, and I like soda a lot. I even eat potato chips with that."

The two-time world champion Hanyu, who competed in Pyeongchang with the help of pain killers, has said he is undecided about whether to take part in March's world championships in Milan.