“Amber’s back muscles are amazing. Having both beauty and strength leads to brilliance.” Mone Chiba, inspired by Glenn, who continues to land high-difficulty jumps at age 26
Mone Chiba, making her Olympic debut in Milan-Cortina, draws inspiration from Yuzuru Hanyu, manages her health with discipline, and brings her unique personality and routines to the Japanese figure skating team.
original source: Nikkansports 2d February 2026 by Katsube Kota
Under the theme “Strongest Japanese Figure Skating,” Nikkansport series introduces national team athletes. This part focuses on the journey of first-time Olympian Mone Chiba (20). Here’s a translation of her comments.
Yuzuru Hanyu, also from Sendai and a two-time Olympic champion, was the inspiration that made Chiba dream of the Olympic stage. As a child, she trained at the same Ice Rink Sendai. “Yuzuru-nii-chan” and “Mone” – there are home videos of them calling each other by these names. He even played tag with her on the rink. Even then, she vaguely thought, “He’s amazing.” As she began to succeed internationally, she felt the weight of his achievements firsthand. “He’s done things so incredible, I can’t respect him enough. Both his skill and his character are extraordinary.” She continues to follow in his footsteps.
“Fans have told me, ‘You look like it’s the end of the world,’” Chiba says with a wry smile about her expression just before performing. “That worried look means I’m in a good kind of nervous state,” she explains, using it as a barometer for her condition. However, Coach Hamada has repeatedly told her, “Don’t make such a scary face,” so she’s practiced smiling with a Paddington Bear plush. After her performances, her emotions often explode. After her free skate to “Romeo and Juliet” at this season’s Grand Prix Finland, she pumped her fist so hard it looked like she was “punching Romeo.” Her emotional expressions and changes will be something to watch at the Olympics.
At 20, Chiba has struggled with exercise-induced asthma and health issues, so she pays extra attention to her body. “My blood circulation tends to stagnate,” she says, often seen doing squats or stretches at airports. Her role model is Amber Glenn (USA), the 2024 Grand Prix Final champion. “Watching Amber made me want to cool down properly and live a more regular lifestyle.” Inspired by Glenn, who continues to land high-difficulty jumps at age 26, Chiba has also started strength training in recent years. “Amber’s back muscles are amazing. Having both beauty and strength leads to brilliance.” She pours her energy into the unseen aspects as well.
Since childhood, Chiba has admired the Olympic stage, supporting athletes across all sports. In winter, Yuzuru Hanyu’s free skate “SEIMEI” at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics left a strong impression, but she also has vivid summer memories. “Her beaming smile is burned into my memory,” she says of Haruka Kitaguchi, who won gold in women’s javelin at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “The ideal is to practice hard and have enough confidence to enjoy the real thing. I really felt that from watching Kitaguchi devote herself to her sport.” Kitaguchi is a role model for Chiba as an athlete.
Chiba doesn’t have any special skating routines and changes her warm-up several times throughout the season. She describes herself as a rationalist with few daily obsessions, but rice is absolutely essential. “I always have rice for breakfast. I’ve only eaten bread a few times in my life,” she says, a true rice lover. She even brings her own rice and a 1.5-cup rice cooker on trips. “I’ve been doing it this way for about one or two years.” Her favorite brand, naturally, is Hitomebore, a famous rice from her home prefecture of Miyagi. “It’s just so delicious,” she says, turning the taste of home into strength.
Related topics: Amber Glenn, Mone Chiba
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