Javier Fernandez opens new figure skating academy in Madrid

Two-time world champion Javier Fernández has launched a new figure skating academy in his native Spain.

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic bronze medallist said on social media he was "unbelievably happy" that his academy was "finally a reality".

Fernández, who also won a record-tying seven European championships during his career, will begin his coaching sessions next month.

The JF Academy opens on 6 December at Madrid's Palacio de Hielo (Ice Palace) with the first sessions running until 8 December.

"We will announce the rest of the dates shortly," Fernández promised.

"We are going to take ice skating throughout all of Spain," he added.

The 29-year-old officially retired from all competitive skating after winning his seventh European title in January 2019, tying the record set by Evgeny Plushenko.

Earlier this month, he returned to the ice for a gala skate in Moscow – the city in which he won his sixth continental crown in 2018.

There, he skated two of his most well-received exhibition programs from his career: one set to Spanish singer Pablo Alborán's Prometo, as well as the highly popular "Super Javi" aerobics routine which he showed off at the PyeongChang 2018 exhibition gala.

Fernández spent 10 seasons as a senior skater, making his senior ISU Grand Prix debut in France in 2009. Later that season, he finished 14th at Vancouver 2010 in his first Olympic Games.

His seven European titles were won consecutively from 2013 to 2019, while he also had two world bronze medals (2013, 2014) in addition to his two golds (2015, 2016).