After going all in for Beijing, what's next for Hanyu Yuzuru?

Hanyu Yuzuru's third Olympic Winter Games ended without a medal. It ended without his landing the first quadruple Axel in competition history.

It also ended with Hanyu commanding even more respect than he had before the Games, for his courage to attempt the quad Axel - if such a thing is possible.

So what now for the figure skating superstar ?

After Thursday's (10 February) free skate when he finished a distant fourth to new Olympic champion Nathan Chen, Hanyu deflected a question about what the future holds for him.

"I need a bit of time. I need to think it through", the 27-year-old said. "I'm that empty right now".

Immediately, there is the 22-27 March world championships in Montpellier, France. But considering how spent Hanyu was on Thursday, it would be somewhat surprising if he chose to enter.

It's come to light that Hanyu had re-injured his right ankle in practice the day before the free and competed on painkillers. Hanyu has a history of injuring the ankle, as he did just before the Grand Prix season for these Games.

Hanyu is on the list to perform at the gala on 20 December, but it remains to be seen if he will. It would mean staying in Beijing for another week, which might not particularly appeal to him.

Long term, there are the next Games of course, in 2026 in Milano Cortena.

Hanyu's work ethic is legendary, his peers rave about it. But equally, the intensity at which he approaches his craft has to be draining on anyone - mentally and physically.

Can he sustain it for another Olympic cycle? Will he continue on his unrelenting quest for the quad Axel?

On Friday, while his compatriots Kagiyama Yuma and Uno Shoma met the press, Hanyu himself did not.

If and when he does, the world will be all ears.