Yuma Kagiyama: “Yes, up until now, I’ve had a series of competitions where I couldn’t quite win the gold, so this gold medal could be a good start for what comes next.”
Yuma Kagiyama about winning his first national title.
original source: Nikkansports dd. 21th December 2024 by Katsube Kota
Yuma Kagiyama (21), commented on achieving his long-awaited first victory at Nationals. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
Q: Please share your honest thoughts.
Yuma Kagiyama: As for today’s free program, I think I was able to give everything I had in terms of overall performance. I was very calm during the first part, and I managed to stay cool mentally in the second half as well, although my legs got a bit tired, which affected my toe loop and I overrotated the flip. Still, I think I was able to minimize the mistakes, so I would like to work on improving these areas moving forward.
Q: How did you feel after finishing your performance?
Yuma Kagiyama: I saw [Shoma] Uno’s doing that (collapsing on the ice after the performance), when he skated well in the final group, I wanted to try a similar gesture. So, even though [Nakata Rio] did it before me, I wanted to try it too and I did.
Q: How did it feel doing that?
Yuma Kagiyama: It felt good.
Q: Masakazu Kagiyama, your coach, was brought to tears in the Kiss and Cry.
Yuma Kagiyama: Yes, it’s been a while since my dad was moved to tears by a performance, which obviously made me happy. But it’s also very satisfying for me that the coaches were touched and satisfied with my performance. Since they are the ones who watch me every day, having a good performance like this is extremely gratifying.
Q: You’ve become the national champion as a father-son duo.
Yuma Kagiyama: Yes, I’m happy about it, and I want to exceed the number of gold medals my father won, so I’ll work even harder.
Q: Regarding the preparations for the World Championships, what new challenges will you take on from what you’re currently doing?
Yuma Kagiyama: Today, I changed my planned flip-toe loop to a flip-axel. For the World Championships, as well as the competitions at the start of the year, I want to challenge the flip- toe loop again, because at the World Championships, there are many strong competitors. Just maintaining my current performance might even be a bit risky for getting on the podium, so I want to keep practicing each day at 120% to push myself.
Q: What are your thoughts regarding the quad lutz?
Yuma Kagiyama: Yes, I want to continue practicing the lutz and include it in my routine. My ideal program composition is still about 80% there, so with a content including the lutz up to five quads, that’s my final goal. I need to build stamina and strengthen my body to be able to perform well.
Q: What kind of tears do you think your father shed?
Yuma Kagiyama: He’s not usually someone who cries; he’s always calm and doesn’t outwardly show a lot of emotion, so seeing him moved to tears was very special for me. It makes me feel like I can overcome the challenges and hurdles I’ve faced up to now.
Q: What does winning this title mean to you?
Yuma Kagiyama: Of course, I was happy the moment I won. But as I’ll be introduced more as the national champion now, and I need to live up to that responsibility. I want to make sure my performances and actions honor that title.
Q: Has this title made you more conscious of leading the sport in Japan?
Yuma Kagiyama: Yes, as I mentioned earlier, being the national champion will bring more attention. My vision for the kind of skating I want to achieve is still much higher, so I want to keep challenging myself, looking higher up, and keep working hard.
Q: Pen Interview coach Masakazu Kagiyama said, ‘For aiming at the world level, this title is necessary.’
Yuma Kagiyama: Yes, up until now, I’ve had a series of competitions where I couldn’t quite win the gold, so this gold medal could be a good start for what comes next. It’s not the end but a new beginning that I need to embark upon. From the new year, I want a good start, and although I’m not sure if I will change my program content immediately, I want to keep working hard to be able to take on more aggressive challenges at the World Championships.”
Related topics: Yuma Kagiyama
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