Mao Shimada: “Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara are my idols. Someday, I want to win Olympic gold myself.”
Four-time World Junior champion Mao Shimada performed at the opening of “Bloom On Ice,” expressing excitement for her senior debut and aspirations for future Olympic gold.
original source: Nikkansports 2nd May 2026
Here’s a translation of Mao Shimada’s comments posted on Nikkansports.
The figure skating ice show “Bloom On Ice” opened on May 1 at Amagasaki Sports Forest in Hyogo.
Mao Shimada (17), who made history by winning her fourth consecutive World Junior Championship in March, delivered a brilliant performance to “Get Happy/Sing, Sing, Sing” and said with a bright smile, “I was happy to skate with the friends I always practice with. It was a joyful feeling.”
Having gone undefeated as a junior, Shimada will move up to the senior level in the new season starting in July. Setting her sights on qualifying for the Grand Prix Final, she shared, “Right now, I feel more excitement than anxiety. I hope to enjoy every competition and take on each challenge with enthusiasm.”
She added that she will be working on her new programs for the upcoming season: “I don’t know yet what kind of music it will be, but I hope to create a program with a different atmosphere than before. Whether it’s a classic piece or something no one knows, I’d like to try either.”
The show also featured the Milan-Cortina Olympic gold medalist pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who made their first appearance in the show since turning professional, adding to the excitement. Shimada looked up to them, saying, “They are my idols. Someday, I want to win Olympic gold myself.”
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