Yuma Kagiyama: “I feel ashamed of the performance I gave as the last skater, and I owe an apology to everyone and to myself. I was thinking about needing to win, so I ended up overthinking.”
Yuma Kagiyama on winning Finlandia Trophy 2024.
original source: Nikkansports dd. 16th November by Honoka Takemoto / Nikkansports dd. 17th November 2024 by Honoka Takemoto / Nikkansports dd. 17th November 2024 by Honoka Takemoto
Yuma Kagiyama (22) commented on winning Finlandia Trophy Grand Prix and advancing to the Final. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
“I was a bit concerned about my physical condition since it’s consecutive competitions, but I actually feel very energetic now. More than being tired, I’m really happy and enjoying the opportunity to skate in the Grand Prix in front of everyone, and that feeling is very strong. I’ve had some really good practice sessions recently, and I’m excited,” Kagiyama told before the short program.
“Although there wasn’t much time since the NHK Cup, on the contrary, I’ve maintained my spirits. Even during the NHK Cup, it was very fortunate to receive a lot of feedback. Although it’s been a short period, I have been practicing with a clear awareness of those points, and I feel in very good condition heading into this competition,” he shared about his condition doing two Grand Prix events in a row.
Answering the question of the journalist whether he actually getting any rest, Yuma told: “I haven’t been resting, but, as I might have mentioned at the NHK Cup, I do rest properly when I can. I’m making sure to eat well. Although I’ve been building up a lot of practice, I’m also focused on recovery as part of that, so I think I’m able to approach every day’s training and competitions in 100% condition.”
After doing great in the short program, Kagiyama struggled in the free skate scoring 159.12 points, with a total of 263.09 points, but managed to clinch a narrow victory.
“I feel ashamed of the performance I gave as the last skater, and I owe an apology to everyone and to myself,” he said, disheartened during the venue interview after the free program. “The frustration I feel is stronger than the result; this was the worst free skate of the season for me,” he reflected.
“I’m still a bit unsettled emotionally. While I do understand the technical aspects that need reflection, it’s more about how I spent my time after the six-minute warm-up and today in general. I’m not quite sure what went wrong. I thought I was just going about things as usual, but then I made an unusual mistake on the flip that I don’t typically make, which led me to feel a bit panicked. There were mistakes right after the salchow landing, like putting a foot down too quickly or stepping out, so those are definitely points for reflection. However, I’m still a bit at a loss for words about it all,” Yuma told.
Despite the mistakes, he received a significant round of applause during his step sequence in the second half. “Thanks to the support, I managed to skate through to the end without giving up. The cheers really helped me through my free skate, and I’m truly grateful,” he shared, though without a smile.
“I was just really exhausted. During the competition, I was focused, so I didn’t really feel the tiredness from competing twice. But after the free skate ended and I returned to the hotel, my concentration just dropped suddenly. I was hit with a wave of sleepiness and exhaustion, so I just went to sleep normally (laughs). But that was after having dinner,” Yuma shared how he spend time after his free skate.
Kagiyama sets a high bar in every competition he enters: a score of over 300 points and the gold medal. “I was really thinking about advancing to the finals and exceeding 300 points like I did at the NHK Cup, aiming for a performance that could set a new personal best. So, rather than a slight unease, it was more the tension that got to me, which I think made my weak feelings more apparent. The performance ended up being more about my emotional weakness rather than technical issues, which was different from usual.”
“What I just mentioned is probably everything. Up until the six-minute warm-up, I was in a very good condition. But, standing in the starting position, I was a bit nervous and I was thinking about needing to win, so I ended up overthinking beyond just performing as usual. This led to the mistake on the initial flip, and the way the flip failed was not something common for me. From there, I felt like my concentration snapped and I became flustered, which led to a series of minor mistakes thereafter,” he shared.
Looking beyond that, the goal is an Olympic gold medal. With the 2026 Milan Games in sight, he maintains a sense of urgency, “The battle starts this season. I can’t perform like I did today, and in the short program, I still can’t beat scores like those of Malnin.”
Related topics: Finlandia Trophy, grand prix, Yuma Kagiyama
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