Shun Sato: “I have no choice but to give it my all. I trust in myself and will do my very best with what I can do now. First and foremost, I need to nail my quad lutz.”
Shun Sato Focuses on Quad Lutz in Return at Grand Prix Chongqing
original source: Nikkansports, October 23d, 2025 by Katsube Kota
Japanese figure skater Shun Sato is determined to return to form at the Grand Prix event in Chongqing, despite recovering from a recent ankle injury. He aims to deliver strong performances in both programs featuring quadruple Lutz. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
During a practice session ahead of the short program of the Grand Prix event in China, the skater opted to skip the full run-through with music. However, he later landed a quadruple Lutz, showcasing his determination despite a challenging start to the season.
Chongqing holds a special place in his heart, as it was the site of his first Grand Prix victory last year. “It feels like no time has passed since then, but I’m really happy to be back here. I’ll do my best to deliver a performance as good as last year,” he remarked with confidence.
The season started off on a difficult note for the skater, as he injured his right ankle during an ice show at the end of June. The setback delayed his preparations for the Olympic qualification season, forcing him to withdraw from the East Japan Collegiate Championships last week. While he is not yet in peak condition and is still relying on painkillers, he remains resolute. “I have no choice but to give it my all. I trust in myself and will do my very best with what I can do now,” he declared.
Both in his short program (SP) and free skate, he plans to execute quadruple lutz. Looking ahead, he expressed his focus on delivering a clean performance: “First and foremost, I need to nail my lutz. I’ll also focus on finishing the second half of my programs strongly.”
Related topics: Grand Prix of China, Shun Sato
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