Yuma Kagiyama: “At the start of the season, I decided to prioritize program quality over difficulty. From my experiences so far, I’ve learned that the best way to achieve goals and dreams is to move forward steadily, one step at a time.”
“Step-by-Step”: Yuma Kagiyama Reflects on His Journey and Prepares for the Grand Prix Series
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd October 7th by Oriyama Toshimi
Yuma Kagiyama is approaching the 2023–24 Grand Prix Series with a “step-by-step” philosophy. Reflecting on early-season performances, injury recovery, and program developments, Kagiyama focuses on steady progress and balance as he prepares to compete against top rivals like Ilia Malinin. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Web Sporttiva.
The 2023–24 ISU Grand Prix Series will kick off with the French Grand Prix on October 17. At a press conference on October 1, Yuma Kagiyama hared that his theme for the season is “step-by-step.”
“From my experiences so far, I’ve learned that the best way to achieve goals and dreams is to move forward steadily, one step at a time,” Kagiyama explained. “As a child, I wasn’t the kind of skater who could achieve big results right away. Instead, I built a solid foundation slowly and methodically – practicing each skill, gradually mastering techniques, and bringing them into competitions. That step-by-step approach is what led me to where I am now.
By reflecting on the experiences of my skating career, I realize the importance of clearing the challenges ahead of me one by one. I hope to carve out a path leading to the Milano-Cortina Olympics this way.”
Lombardia Trophy in September provided a valuable benchmark against world-class competitors like Ilia Malinin (USA) and Adam Siao Him Fa (France). Despite some minor downgrades in the second half of the free skate, Kagiyama earned 285.91 points and finished second, trailing Malinin by over 20 points.
Despite the gap, Kagiyama appeared calm and composed at the October press conference, reflecting on both the progress and challenges:
“At the Lombardia Trophy, I had some pain in my left foot, so I had to lower the technical difficulty of my program. However, my foot is slowly recovering now, and I can train without physical or mental stress. I feel incredibly focused, and my practices have been very fulfilling,” he said.
“Two years ago, when I was dealing with an injury, I practiced through the pain but struggled to stay disciplined. Now, I can fully focus on improving my skating, and I feel very fortunate for that.”
Kagiyama viewed the Lombardia Trophy as a learning opportunity: “At the start of the season, I decided to prioritize program quality over difficulty. Even though I reduced the technical content at the Lombardia Trophy, I scored higher than I expected, which surprised me. Looking at the protocols, I noticed my spin levels were strong, my program components improved, and I made progress in areas beyond jumps. This was a major takeaway for me.”
Kagiyama will open his Grand Prix Series campaign at the NHK Trophy, starting November 7. Reflecting on his preparation, he noted feeling more relaxed this season, thanks to a deliberate approach to his training:
“For the short program, I’m planning to go with a toe loop combination and a salchow. My jumps feel great, and the program’s structure reflects who I’ve become as a skater over the past four years. I want to get as close as possible to my personal best from the Beijing Olympics,” Kagiyama said.
For the free skate, however, Kagiyama is still evaluating his strategies. “I want every program structure to give me 100% confidence for competitions. I’ll assess after October’s competition whether to include the flip. Right now, I’m more focused on ensuring clean, mistake-free performances before pushing for higher technical difficulty. While I’m continuing to practice the quad flip, I’m not thinking about the quad lutz yet – it’s a future goal.”
Kagiyama emphasized the importance of balance: “Since this summer, I’ve realized that even with just two quads, strong components can still yield high scores. But if I want to break my personal records, it’s clear that I’ll need more quads in the free skate.”
For the free skate, Kagiyama has chosen a new arrangement of “Turandot” by composer Christopher Tin, a piece complemented by powerful choreography. Reflecting on the process, he said:
“From the choreography stage, I had a strong feeling this program would be special. I’ve truly enjoyed skating it during both practice and competitions. The energy of the competition setting—combined with the audience’s cheers – brought out the essence of the program and revealed new layers of its beauty.”
However, Kagiyama revealed that “Turandot” is still a work in progress: “I’ve heard that a tenor opera singer will be adding a main melody, so it’s not in its final form yet. Even as it is now, the music is already incredibly moving, but I can’t even imagine how powerful the final version will be. It’s so dynamic that I aim to make my skating just as powerful and delicate to match its impact.”
Related topics: Yuma Kagiyama
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