Yuma Kagiyama: “The four years since Beijing were tougher than I expected, and I had a lot of doubts. If you asked me whether I could go through the same experience for another four years, I’m not confident.”
Yuma Kagiyama, who won silver medals in both the individual and team events at the Milano-Cortina Olympics, expressed his gratitude and reflected on his experiences as the Games concluded.
original source: Sports Hochi 22nd February 2026
Yuma Kagiyama, after earning consecutive silver medals in both team and individual events, reflects on his record-setting Olympic performance and looks ahead to the World Championships. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
Kagiyama, who achieved back-to-back silver medals in both the team and individual events at this Olympics, let out a sigh and said, “It felt long.”
“I am truly happy to have been able to perform on the stage of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The most valuable experience was being able to skate with joy in both the team and individual events, and I’m glad I was able to challenge myself to the fullest.”
His total of four medals is the most ever for Japanese figure skating. Reflecting on the individual free skate, where mistakes accumulated, he said, “It was 100% fun and 100% frustrating.”
Having won silver medals in both the team and individual events for the second consecutive Games, Kagiyama described his experience as “about 70% fun. Actually, I can’t really put a number on it – it was 100% fun and 100% frustration, both at the same time.” Despite these mixed emotions, he reflected, “I focused on what I was feeling and what kind of challenges I wanted to take on in my performance. This Olympics helped me find seeds for growth.”
Shun Sato, the men’s bronze medalist, expressed his intention to attempt the quadruple axel in four years. In contrast, Kagiyama, appearing somewhat hesitant, said, “Nothing in particular…” He added, “The four years since Beijing were tougher than I expected, and I had a lot of doubts. If you asked me whether I could go through the same experience for another four years, I’m not confident. I want to move forward little by little, explore various possibilities as a skater, and take on new challenges,” though he did not specify concrete goals.
Looking ahead to the World Championships, he added, “The biggest motivation is to overcome the frustration from the Olympics. I want to make the most of my strengths and skate my best performance.”
Related topics: Olympic Games, Yuma Kagiyama
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