Shun Sato: “Watching Yuzuru Hanyu’s performance at the Sochi Olympics inspired me to become a figure skater and dream of standing on the world stage. Now, I want to give a performance that will make others want to stand on this stage too.”
Shun Sato, preparing for his Olympic debut at Milano-Cortina, expressed excitement and determination to deliver his best performance and inspire future skaters.
original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 13th January 2026 by Fujitsuka Daisuke / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 13th January 2026 / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 11th January 2026
On January 13, Shun Sato, who will represent Japan in men’s figure skating at the Milano-Cortina Olympics, shared his enthusiasm for the Games, now just 24 days away. Sato opened his practice to the media, spending about an hour carefully fine-tuning his routines. Here’s a translation of his comments.
After practice, Sato told reporters, “I’m in really good shape,” highlighting his strong condition. Looking ahead to the Olympics, he said, “I want to keep working on my adjustments so I can be in the best possible condition for the main event.”
With less than a month until the Games, Sato revealed, “I feel more excitement than nerves right now.”
After overcoming a right ankle bone bruise in June last year that required about two months of recovery, Shun Sato is ready to shine on his Olympic debut and has set his sights on winning a medal with a new personal best – surpassing a total score of 300 points.
“My desire to win a medal is very strong.” He expressed his resolve to become the fifth Japanese man to reach the Olympic podium, but quickly added: “But I plan to focus on doing my best without worrying too much about the other skaters.”
Sato is known for his composure. His coach, Masachika Kusaka, describes him as “always steady at heart.” Even after suffering a right ankle injury from a fall during an ice show last June, Sato continued his rehabilitation with the same attitude as before the injury, reportedly never once complaining.
This season, he won his second consecutive bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final and achieved a personal best second place at the Japanese Nationals at the end of last year. Reflecting on his progress, he nodded, “I never imagined I’d have such a good season.”
Shun Sato also spoke about the presence of fellow Olympians Yuma Kagiyama and Kao Miura. The three have been rivals since childhood. Sato commented on their relationship, saying, “This season, we often practiced together, and I received a lot of inspiration from them during competitions as well.”
He added, “We go out to eat together, and when I was struggling mentally due to injury, we played games together. I’m really grateful to have such close friends to spend time with, even outside of skating.”
When asked about Kagiyama, Sato said, “Yuma Kagiyama is the skater I’m currently aiming to catch up to the most. I want to absorb as much as I can from him and be able to show what I’ve learned in competition.”
He also shared that watching Yuzuru Hanyu’s performance at the Sochi Olympics inspired him to become a figure skater and dream of standing on the world stage. “Now, I want to give a performance that will make others want to stand on this stage too,” Sato said, expressing his desire to inspire the next generation.
Sato emphasized, “The Olympics are my biggest goal, and it’s an honor to skate there. I want to deliver a wonderful performance like Hanyu did.” For his first Olympic appearance, he declared, “I’m aiming for a medal, but my top goal is to set a new personal best. I want to skate true to myself and draw the audience into my world.”
Related topics: Shun Sato, Yuma Kagiyama, Yuzuru Hanyu
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