[ICE TIME] Kaoruko Wada Stuns Rena Uezono to Win in Junior Grand Prix Debut

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In her maiden overseas competition, Kaoruko Wada bested Rena Uezono, the 2023-24 season world junior bronze medalist, to win the Junior Grand Prix women's event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on Saturday, September 7. 

Wada's triumph came a week after Sena Takahashi upstaged two-time world champion Mao Shimada by winning the Junior Grand Prix in Riga, Latvia, in his first international competition. 

The 14-year-old Wada, who trains under legendary coach Machiko Yamada in Nagoya, grabbed a nearly three-point lead over Uezono in the short program, then pulled away in the free skate to win by more than 11 points. 

Wada's winning total score was 194.14 points, well ahead of France's Stefania Gladki, who was second with 182.61. South Korea's Yujae Kim took third at 178.79.

Uezono, also 14, burst onto the scene in the 2023-24 season by taking bronze medals at both the JGP Final and the worlds. She came into the JGP in Ostrava as a prohibitive favorite, but came undone in her free skate and wound up fourth on 177.31.

An 'Amazing' Experience for Wada

Wada skated to the soundtrack from "Titanic" in her free skate and landed four clean triples and notched level fours on all of her spins on the way to victory. She did receive edge calls on both of her triple flips, and was judged a quarter rotation short on her final jump (a triple lutz).

"I didn't expect to win this title, and I enjoyed performing the short program and the free skating," Wada stated in the winner's interview. "It was amazing."

Added Wada, "I found some room to improve through this competition, so I will practice more and I want to enjoy performing more and show better performances to the audience."

Wada cited three-time world champion Mao Asada, Yamada's most famous protégé, as her inspiration to take up skating.

"After watching her skate at the Sochi Olympics, I was motivated to start skating," Wada noted. "She has been my idol since then. Mao is really good at steps. She has given me her autograph and was really kind, so I admire her a lot."

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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.