“This week, I had the best training of my life. I plan to keep building on it to surpass even that level of preparation.” Rinka Watanabe on winning bronze at the Grand Prix of China
Rinka Watanabe Overcomes Challenges to Claim Bronze at Grand Prix China
original source: Nikkansports, October 25th 2025 by Katsube Kota
Rinka Watanabe secured a bronze medal at the Grand Prix of China, pushing through challenges with determination and finding renewed motivation from her younger compatriot’s success as she sets her sights on Olympic qualification. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports.
Watanabe covered her face with her hands in the Kiss and Cry as she saw the display showing her ranking at “2”, with only Alysa Liu left to skate. When her spot on the podium was confirmed, she expressed relief: “I was really nervous, but I’m glad I managed to hold on to a podium finish.”
She successfully landed her opening triple axel, but fell on the triple toe loop that followed in the jump combination. Despite the setback, she remained focused, attempting the triple axel again on the third jump. Though she had an unstable landing, Watanabe finished strong, narrowly holding onto third place with a 0.75-point lead over the fourth-placed skater. “The small details I worked on allowed me to hold onto the podium by the smallest margin,” she said with evident relief.
Watanabe found motivation in the achievements of her younger teammate, Ami Nakai, who won her debut Grand Prix event at the France Grand Prix. Having witnessed Nakai’s nervousness leading up to the competition, Watanabe was deeply moved by her victory. “She overcame her fears and gave it her all – it made me so happy,” Watanabe shared.
Watanabe, however, had just come off a disappointing seventh-place finish at the recent Challenger Series, even contemplating retirement after the frustration of her performance. Yet, Nakai’s triumph reignited her determination. Sharing the triple axel as their mutual weapon, Watanabe reminded herself, “I can’t let myself fall behind. I need to overcome my own obstacles too.”
Their connection deepened in an unexpected moment before Watanabe left for the Grand Prix China. On October 22, during her final practice session before departure, Nakai having recently returned from France – joined her for just 10 minutes. “It’s Rinka’s turn next!” Nakai said, offering words of encouragement that solidified Watanabe’s resolve. In the short program on October 24, Watanabe exceeded her previous personal best by 1.43 points. Despite her achievement, she couldn’t help but acknowledge Nakai’s incredible performance: “She scored in the 78-point range – she’s seriously amazing!” Watanabe said, her words a mix of admiration and competitive drive.
Although they are teammates and share a close bond, Watanabe and Nakai are also rivals vying for Olympic qualification. Nakai’s success has pushed Watanabe to elevate her skating and continue striving for greatness.
The battle for Japan’s three Olympic spots will continue through December’s Japan Championships. Watanabe’s next assignment will be Skate America, the fifth Grand Prix event, taking place November 15–17. She is approaching each competition with unyielding determination: “This week, I had the best training of my life. I plan to keep building on it to surpass even that level of preparation.”
Related topics: Grand Prix of China, Rinka Watanabe
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