Encouraged by Kagiyama and Sato, who said, “Let’s go to the Olympics together,” Kao Miura won bronze at the Japanese Nationals, “It’s heavier than I expected. It’s filled with the weight of my effort.”
Kao Miura won bronze at the Japanese Nationals.
original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 20th December 2025
On December 20, the second day of the Japanese Nationals, which also served as the final selection event for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, the men’s free skate was held. Twenty-year-old Kao Miura finished third, virtually guaranteeing his first Olympic team selection. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“I can’t believe something like this, straight out of a manga, is happening,” he told.
The biggest hurdle came at the start. During the six-minute warm-up, Miura failed the quad loop three times in a row. He hesitated until the last moment about attempting it, but his coaches Noriko Sato and Koji Okajima encouraged him: “You can do it.” He committed, launched into the jump, and landed it beautifully. He then landed two more quads, thinking, “I’ve got this!”
There was a reason he couldn’t let this opportunity slip. In the selection race, Kagiyama and Sato, both of whom he spends time with off the ice, had the lead after medaling at the Grand Prix Final.
Unlike the two, who had strong results this season, Miura struggled. He finished a disappointing 10th at the GP France, casting doubt on his Olympic hopes. However, he rebounded with a third-place finish at Skate Canada, and after his left thigh injury healed, he “took off the limiter” and trained hard for this crucial event. Looking at his bronze medal, he said, “It’s heavier than I expected. It’s filled with the weight of my effort.”
“This is a day I’ll never forget in my skating life. I’m so happy, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.” Miura completed his dream scenario, and the story of these three friends continues.
Early this season, he struggled with pain in his left thigh, but after it healed in November, he resumed practicing the toe loop and regained his form. Encouraged by Kagiyama and Sato, who said, “Let’s go to the Olympics together,” he was motivated to push forward.
“Something this dramatic, like a manga, really does happen. We’ve been rivals since juniors and became friends – it feels like a dream,” Miura said, smiling as he awaits the official announcement on the 21st.
The Olympic team will be announced after all events conclude on the 21st.
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