It was a week to forget for Japan's singles skaters at the Four Continents Championships in Seoul. With three men and three women in the competition, the Hinomaru had its worst result in recent memory. Japan came away without a single medal during the weekend of February 21-23.
Now the question is, was this an outlier or a sign of things to come?
Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov was impressive in winning the men's title with a total score of 285.10 points, some 20 points more than host favorite Jun Hwan Cha, who was second at 265.02. American Jimmy Ma was the surprise finisher in third place on 245.01.
Kao Miura, Japan's strongest skater going in, had clearly not recovered from the thigh injury that has hampered him the past few months. He came in a disappointing sixth with 230.48. The 19-year-old Miura finished behind compatriots Kazuki Tomono, who was fourth at 242.08, and Tatsuya Tsuboi, who placed fifth on 234.93.
With less than a year to go until the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, there are some real questions about which three Japanese men will be on the team. That is, providing Japan earns three spots at March's World Figure Skating Championships in Boston.
Could Hanyu Make an Olympic Comeback?
Before the start of this campaign, it seemed a virtual lock that the squad members would be Yuma Kagiyama, Miura and Shun Sato. But that does not seem as solid as it once appeared.
What is really interesting about the whole scenario is that after being retired from competition for 2½ years, two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu, now 30, is still one of Japan's top two male skaters.
Could the superstar, who has made a smooth transition to show skating, be persuaded to give it one more go at the Olympics?
It is an interesting question and one worth pondering.
Maybe there is a chance, maybe not. But it sure would spice things up heading into the Olympic season next fall.
Shaidorov Surging With a Year Until the 2026 Games
Shaidorov was the story of the Four Continents. He won his first major title at 20 on Saturday, February 22, and inserted himself into the medal picture for the Olympics.
The Almaty native landed four clean quadruple jumps and five triples in his free skate to "Moonlight Sonata" and "Take On Me." He also earned level fours on two of his spins.
Shaidorov, who grew up idolizing the late Denis Ten, spoke about the significance of his victory.
"Was not easy to skate today, because I was skating last," Shaidorov was quoted as saying. "But I am full with emotions, am very pleased with the performance today. I just hope I will be able to do the same at worlds."
Added Shaidorov, "This gold means a lot not only for myself but also for Kazakhstan ― the country I grew up in, the country I live in. And for Denis Ten's memory."
Miura Maintains Positive Mindset
Despite his final place in the standings, Miura chose to look at the bright side after his free skate to "Umbrellas of Cherbourg."
"I am very satisfied with my performance today," Miura stated. "At the end, I was out of stamina, I was physically exhausted."
Added Miura, "I think this season is very important when it comes to gaining points for the world ranking and because we are headed to the Olympic season. So, I find this competition very meaningful. I will keep practicing and keep working, as I lost three kilograms of muscle mass throughout the season, so I want to get back the muscle."
Japan Women Find the Going Difficult in Seoul
The women's results were even worse than the men's for Japan, with none of the three skaters (Wakaba Higuchi, Mone Chiba, Rino Matsuike) being able to top the 200-point mark.
South Korea's Chaeyeon Kim was impressive in victory, with a total tally of 222.38. American Bradie Tennell gave a strong showing to take second at 204.38, while her compatriot Sarah Everhardt rounded out the podium in third on 200.03.
Higuchi finished fifth with 195.16, with Chiba, the defending champion in the event, coming in sixth at 195.08. Matsuike placed a distant 11th on 177.10.
Kim Thrills the Four Continents Crowd in Seoul
Kim gave a lovely performance to "Whisperers from the Heart" and "Love Dance" in her free skate on Sunday, February 23. The 18-year-old, who was third at the world championships in 2024, hit seven clean triples and recorded level fours on all of her spins and step sequence in the triumph.
"It was such a big crowd, so I was eager to show my best," Kim said about the audience at Mokdong Ice Rink. "I am very happy I was able to get a personal-best score and win a gold medal."
Added Kim, "Usually, when I perform, the only thing I focus on during the program is the next element. Sometimes I am worrying too much about that, but recently I have learned how to deal with that and gained more confidence."
Chiba Succumbs to Pressure
Chiba's performance was especially disheartening. After placing second in the short program, she tumbled out of the running for a medal with a calamitous free skate to "Ariana Concerto No 1." The 19-year-old fell twice and posted just a level two on one of her spins and step sequence.
Since winning the 2024 Four Continents in Shanghai, Chiba has had several chances for victories and has been unable to achieve a single one.
Chiba claimed she was under the weather in comments after her free skate, but one has to wonder if the real issue lies elsewhere.
"Despite not feeling well, I gave my all," Chiba remarked. "I gave what I had, and I had a very valuable experience today. Last night, I felt sick. I haven't really thought about performing while feeling unwell before, so it was a very valuable experience. There are things I can't control, but I still need to perform under those circumstances."
Added Chiba, "However, I think I can get better really soon. For worlds, I just need to keep training and realize that there are other factors I need to consider, like health and the environment."
Once again, Chiba has the talent and flair to be a world medalist, but she is going to have to learn to perform under pressure when it counts.
Miura, Kihara Bring Home Only Medal for Japan
The lone bright spot for Japan in Seoul came from pairs Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who won with 217.32 on Friday, February 21. Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps were second at 210.92, while their compatriots Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud came in third on 198.40.
"We did not show our absolute best today, but we got our season's best score," Kihara said after the win. "And we are happy we got that 140-plus points score. The ending pose didn't go as planned, so I am a bit disappointed about it."
Yamamoto Makes Podium at Road to 26 Trophy in Italy
The lone singles medal of the week for Japan came at the Olympic test event in Milan on February 20, where Sota Yamamoto took third place. France's Kevin Aymoz won the competition with 261.07, with Italy's Nikolaj Memola finishing second at 254.21 and Yamamoto scoring 237.47.
Hana Yoshida (184.02) wound up fifth in the women's standings where Estonia's Niina Petrokina prevailed at 194.11. Isabeau Levito of the United States took second on 188.64. Italy's Lara Naki Gutmann, who led after the short program, was third with 188.19.
RELATED:
- [ICE TIME] Rinka Watanabe Leads Japan Women in Sweep of Medals at Challenge Cup
- Predictions 2025: Japan's Figure Skaters Poised to Continue Stature on World Stage
Author: Jack Gallagher
The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page, and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login