As for why Yuzuru Hanyu began toting around a Winnie the Pooh tissue box prior to it becoming his thing, that remains a mystery.
Some in the community have speculated that Hanyu’s attachment to the Disney character is based in superstition, which is something many Olympic athletes believe in.
Hanyu also has several medals in other prominent figure skating events and is considered one of the top athletes in his sport, so, perhaps instead of questioning why he’s carrying around Winnie The Pooh, folks should ask themselves why they aren’t!
It’s hard to deny that something is helping Hanyu out, with the skater likely sealing the deal for Olympic Gold at the 2018 games, which will pair quite nicely with his 2014 gold win in Sochi.