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Shoma Uno Equals Yuzuru Hanyu with Sixth Victory at the Japan Championships

Taking the ice knowing he had to produce something solid in his free skate to seal the win at the Japan Championships, Uno did that with his usual panache.

Published

4 months ago

December 24, 2023

Jack Gallagher

Shoma Uno dazzles in his free skate routine at the Japan Championships at Big Hat Ice Arena in Nagano on December 23, 2023. (ⒸSANKEI)

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Two-time world champion Shoma Uno captured his sixth national title with a clutch performance in the free skate at the Japan Championships on Saturday night, December 23 at Big Hat Ice Arena in Nagano.

The 26-year-old Uno rose to the occasion following fantastic efforts by both Yuma Kagiyama and Sota Yamamoto, the two skaters who took the ice immediately before him.

Uno's winning total score was 298.04 points, good enough for a comfortable victory over Kagiyama, who was second with 292.10. Yamamoto finished third at 287.00.

The result gave Uno his sixth crown at the Japan Championships, equaling the number won by Yuzuru Hanyu during his illustrious career.

World junior champion Kao Miura finished fourth with 280.08, while Shun Sato came in fifth on 273.04.

Uno held a 10-point lead after the short program and that helped him stave off an incredible charge from Kagiyama, who put out a spectacular free skate this night.

Taking the ice knowing he had to produce something solid, Uno did that with his usual panache in his skate to "Timelapse" and "Spiegel im Spiegel."

Uno's first jump, a quadruple loop, was a bit shaky and judged a quarter rotation short, but his routine started to flow from there, as he landed two clean quads and three triples.

Uno Secures Japan Championships Victory with Impressive Display of Skills and Presentation

The Nagoya native earned level fours for all of his spins and step sequence as his skating skills and presentation helped carry him to the top of the podium once again.

"Everyone put in some great performances today, and I'm really happy that I was able to win," Uno stated. "Still, I think my performance was inferior compared to everyone else. I think it was a performance that suited my condition, including the short program and free skate."

Uno took a moment to reflect on the path that resulted in his six titles.

"Looking back, I am acutely aware of how long it has been, and there have been many situations in which I have competed in the Japan Championships," Uno commented. "I feel that I have finally been able to keep my feet on the ground and compete in the past few years."

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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.