KYODO NEWS - Feb 5, 2018 - 23:20 | Sports, All, News

Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu will participate in the men's figure skating individual event beginning Feb. 16 at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, primary coach Brian Orser confirmed Monday.

The confirmation came after it was revealed that the defending world and Olympic champion will not take part in the figure skating team event starting Feb. 9.

While he mentioned Hanyu's training is going well, Orser also said that the 23-year-old will avoid performing a quad lutz, the move he attempted to land in a practice last November which resulted in an ankle injury.

Hanyu, who only recently resumed training on ice, is looking for his second consecutive Olympic title and to become the first skater in 66 years to win back-to-back gold in the men's individual event since American Dick Button in 1948 and 1952.

More on figure skating:

Olympics: Hanyu to miss figure skating team event

Olympics: Uno looking to emerge from Hanyu's shadow in Pyeongchang

Olympics: Japan's rising star Sakamoto looks confident about Pyeongchang

Olympics: Analysts downgrade Japan's gold prospects from 4 to 2