Brian Orser registers as Cha Jun-hwan’s coach

Canadian figure skating coach Brian Orser, who is well-known as a former coach for “Queen Yuna,” is going back to the Olympics as coach of South Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan. According to the Korea Skating Union (KSU), Orser has registered as South Korea’s coach for men’s singles figure skating competition at the Beijing Olympics.

It is unusual for Orser to go to the Olympics as South Korea’s coach considering that he is currently coaching two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan. Orser also registered as South Korea’s coach at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics although he was coaching both Cha and Hanyu at that time. The KSU said Orser arrived in Korea on Tuesday, and will leave for Beijing with Cha on Thursday.

Just because Orser has registered as South Korea’s coach at the Olympics does not mean he cannot coach skaters from other countries. “I marvel at him and his desire to keep training every day and to push hard,” Orser said of Hanyu in an interview published on Wednesday on the official website of the Beijing Olympics.

Meanwhile, Mie Hamada, the coach of You Young, who will be competing in the women’s singles figure skating competition at Beijing, has also registered as South Korea’s coach at the Olympics. You Young will leave for Beijing on Feb. 9 with her coach.


Hong-Gu Kang windup@donga.com