Shun Sato: “At Lombardia, my free program went well, and here, I was able to deliver a solid short program. My goal now is to combine the best elements of both and aim for a clean performance right from the first Grand Prix event.”
Shun Sato Wins Tokyo Championships, Eyes Grand Prix Series and Olympic Qualification
original source: Hochi News dd. September 22d, 2025
Shun Sato wis the Tokyo Championships, despite struggles with consistency in his free skate and recent injury recovery. The Japanese figure skater is turning his focus to improving for the Grand Prix Series and the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Hochi News.
Shun Sato won at the Tokyo Championships, scoring 148.81 in the free skate, bringing his total to 244.10 points. Sato, who had previously led after the short program, opened his free skate with an attempted quad lutz but fell. He also had multiple errors, including a triple axel rotation issue.
Reflecting on his performance, Sato expressed disappointment despite his victory: “It was a frustrating result. I hadn’t managed full run-through practices for the free skate, and that showed in my performance today.”
Sato injured his right ankle in late June, suffering a bone bruise. While still recovering, he competed last week at the Lombardia Trophy, part of the Challenger Series, where he placed fourth. During the short program in Tokyo on September 19, he successfully landed a clean quad Lutz and delivered a no-mistake routine.
Looking back on his performances, he remarked: “At Lombardia, my free skate went well, and here, I was able to deliver a solid short program. My goal now is to combine the best elements of both and aim for a clean performance right from the first Grand Prix event.”
In preparation for the Grand Prix Series, Sato plans to compete at the East Japan Collegiate Championships in three weeks before heading to the China Cup (October 24–26). He acknowledged areas for improvement: “Of course, jump consistency is important, but my free skate wasn’t fully polished. Over the next month leading up to the Grand Prix, I want to refine the program and solidify the structure of my free skate.”
As Sato gears up for the Olympic season, he is focused on performing at his peak, targeting qualification for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games in February. “The goal is to keep moving forward and elevate my performance to the next level,” Sato concluded.
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