Junhwan Cha: “I need further development not just technically, but also in terms of program composition and skating skills, whether it’s for a medal or for my own satisfaction in competition.”
Junhwan Cha about winning Asian Winter Games and plans for the future.
original source: mfocus.kr dd. Feb 15th 2025 by Kim Hyun-jin
Junhwan Cha shared his thoughts on winning historic gold at the Asian Winter Games and his future plans in an interview after his return from Harbin. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on MFocus.
“I’m happy with the outcome, as I gave my best performance” Cha Jun-hwan secured the gold medal by overcoming Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama with scores of 94.09 in the Short Program and 187.60 in the Free Skating, totaling 281.69 points. He reflected, “I prepared very hard for this Asian Games and was able to finish strongly, maintaining my best effort throughout. It’s an honor to be the first to attain this title, and the competition has greatly boosted my confidence.”
“The most important goal for me in this competition was to create a performance that I could be satisfied with, rather than focusing on winning medals. I’m relieved and happy that I did my best in both the short and free Programs, and the good results that followed made this competition even more meaningful.”
“Focus on upcoming competitions before the Olympics… gearing up for the World Championships” With public attention now turning towards next year’s Milan Winter Olympics, Cha Junhwan also considers the Olympics a significant goal but plans to concentrate on the imminent competitions. “The Olympics are coming up in a year, but right now, the Four Continents Championships and the World Championships are upon us,” he said, noting, “Especially the World Championships in Boston, which impacts Olympic qualification, so finishing that competition well is my primary goal.”
“Injury management and skill improvement are top priorities,” Cha told that his physical condition is gradually improving as the season progresses. “I’m working on improving my condition by balancing training and recovery,” he said. “The most important thing is to manage and prevent exacerbation of injuries, and for this, I will focus on adjusting my training volume and enhancing technical refinement.”
He also mentioned areas needing improvement for a good performance at the Olympics. “I need further development not just technically, but also in terms of program composition and skating skills, whether it’s for a medal or for my own satisfaction in competition,” he expressed.
“The support of the fans has been a great source of strength. Seeing so many fans come to the venue to support me and others watching the live broadcast late into the night gave me a lot of energy. There were tough moments and injuries, but thanks to the fans’ support, I was able to give my best to the end and I will continue to strive to repay them with good performances.”
Cha Junhwan will compete at the Four Continents Championships in Seoul later this month. “As the competition is being held at home, I will do my best again to convey good energy to the fans.”
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