Mone Chiba: “I keep practicing quad toe loop so I don’t lose the feel for it. I’m not currently planning to include it at the Olympics but it’s important to keep myself in a condition where I could do a quad during the season.”
Mone Chiba, preparing for her Olympic debut in Milano-Cortina, is focused on enjoying the experience, maintaining her technical skills, and delivering a confident performance.
original source: Nikkansports 17th January 2026
On January 16, Mone Chiba (20), who will represent Japan in women’s figure skating at the Milano-Cortina Olympics in February, opened her practice to the media at her base, the Kinoshita Academy Kyoto Ice Arena. Here’s a translation of her comments.
With just 21 days until the Olympics, she expressed her determination: “All I can do is enjoy myself and skate with confidence. The Olympics have been my dream since I started skating. I want to give it my all to make it an irreplaceable memory.”
During on-ice practice, Chiba attempted quadruple toe loop multiple times, a jump she hasn’t included in competition this season. “I keep practicing so I don’t lose the feel for it. I try it when I sense I might be able to get a good feeling for it,” she explained. Although she didn’t land it, her priority is to maintain the ability to attempt quads. While she said, “I’m not currently planning to include it at the Olympics,” she added, “It’s important to keep myself in a condition where I could do a quad during the season,” and will continue practicing.
This season, Chiba won back-to-back titles in the Grand Prix Series, which features the world’s top skaters. She finished fifth at the Grand Prix Final, which brings together the top six, and secured her first Olympic spot by placing third at the Japanese Nationals at the end of last year. When she returned to her hometown of Miyagi for the New Year, acquaintances joked, “Nationals almost took years off my life.” Reflecting on that, she smiled and said, “At the Olympics, I want to give a performance that will help people relax and feel at ease, so I can extend their lives instead. I want to deliver a solid, grounded performance.”
Up next is the Four Continents Championships in Beijing, starting on the 22nd – a competition she won for the first time in 2024. “As the last event before the Olympics, I want to use it to get a good feel in competition. If I can confirm that, I’ll be satisfied,” she said.
Related topics: Mone Chiba, Olympic Games
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