Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu is expected to claim his first Four Continents' championship at the 2020 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships coming up from February 6 to 9 in Seoul.

Loaded with numerous titles already, Hanyu has only one yet to crown before completing the so-called "Super Slam," which involves winning the junior world title, Junior Grand Prix Final, the senior world title, Grand Prix Final, Olympic gold, and continental championship.

He is well-placed to fill this void of him as his main rivals, Nathan Chen who defeated him twice in 2019 and Uno Shoma who outscored him at the Japanese national championship, will skip the event.

Hanyu will bring back the routine music he performed at 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, a decision he made of his own accord to recapture his best, said one of his coaches Ghislain Briand earlier this month.

"That short program is, I think, the best short program in the history of figure skating. Now he just has to perform," said Briand.

Hanyu lost to Nathan Chen at last year's World Championships in Saitama and December's Grand Prix Final in Turin, both with convincing margins. The 25-year-old Japanese megastar is also practicing so that he will land a quadruple axel in 2020 World Championships in Montreal this March. No figure skater has nailed a quad axel in competition before.

Even though he is not going to try the jump in Seoul, his technical content at the event will still be telling for Montreal.

Sui and Han aim to retain the crown in Seoul

China's Olympic silver medalists Sui Wenjing and Han Cong will compete for their sixth Four Continents' Championship in sight.

The pair, who won last year's Four Continents Championships held in Anaheim, U.S., by a thin edge of just 0.06 points, admitted they had many problems to address. Finding their rhythm back as the season went by, they won more comfortably their two Grand Prix assignments as well as the December's final.

Compatriots Peng Cheng and Jin Yang, who were the bronze medalists at last year' Four Continents and the runner-ups at the final in Turin, will be hoping to challenge.

Compared to the 13-skaters delegation last year, the Chinese team will have 17 figure skaters participating in Seoul. Among them, two-time world bronze medalist Jin Boyang will also participate. Jin has struggled in recent seasons to find back his poise in quadruple jumps but won the Cup of China in October last year.

Much-anticipated China's 17-year-old naturalized Zhu Yi will also compete at her first continental championships. The Cup of China last year was her senior Grand Prix debut. Though finishing in a distant ninth place, her growth every step of the way brings hopes to China's figure skating women's single.

Women's single competition without Russians

As the Four Continents Championships are open to skaters from the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania, Russian players are not qualified to compete. That gave female figure skaters the best chance to claim titles without the strong Russian team in the field. 

Kihira Rika of Japan finished fourth at the Grand Prix Final last year's December, trailing only behind the dominant Russian senior debutants. Being the reigning Four Continents champion, the 17-year-old looks to repeat that success.

Sakamoto Kaori, who beat Kihira in Japan nationals in December 2018 and also the 2018 Four Continents champion, was also in the line-up.

Last but not the least, Korean prodigy You Young, who delivered brilliant free skate for gold at Lausanne 2020 is also seeking success on home ice. Being the first non-Russian to win the ladies' figure skating competition at the Youth Olympic Games in January, the 15-year-old executed a triple axel and seven other triple jumps on her way to gold.