“I was honestly really scared right up until the performance. I felt like I was carrying a lot, and it was hard to focus. So I played rhythm game to get into right mindset.” Kao Miura placed 2d in the SP at Nationals
Kao Miura placed second in the men’s short program at the Japanese Nationals.
original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 18th December 2025 / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 19th December 2025
On the first day of the Japanese Nationals, which also serve as the final selection event for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, the men’s short program was held. Kao Miura scored 95.65 points to take second place. Here’s a translation of his comments.
After completing the official practice the day before, Miura reflected, “Of course, I felt good about my own condition, but everyone around me was landing quads one after another, so it was a really fun practice. At Nationals, it’s natural for everyone to be in top form, and on top of that, I’m able to enjoy the competition. Thanks to the atmosphere and those around me, I’ve been able to have really good practices.”
Regarding his own condition, he said, “After healing the injury to my left foot from last year, I’ve been able to train without any limitations since returning from Canada. I feel like I’ve finally reached my peak condition.”
Finally, about earning an Olympic spot, he commented, “I want to go into it without thinking about it too much. Right now, I’m honestly not thinking about Nationals as anything more than just another competition. I just want to show what I’ve been working on in this event. I’ll keep working hard in practice, including tomorrow morning, so I can perform as usual in the competition.”
In his short program Miura landed his opening quad salchow–triple toe loop combination and completed his program without major mistakes. In the kiss and cry, he was moved to tears, saying, “I felt a huge sense of relief. I’m so glad I was able to finish the SP well.”
Despite his strong start, Miura admitted, “I was honestly really scared right up until the performance. I felt like I was carrying a lot, and it was hard to focus.” To manage his nerves before skating, he immersed himself in the rhythm game “Taiko no Tatsujin.” “Since it’s a rhythm game, you don’t think about anything else. I just kept playing until I got a full combo,” he explained, describing his unique way of getting into the right mindset.
Although he performed well in the SP, the free skate remains on the 20th. “I’m in second place now, but I think I need to forget about that for a while. Today, I was able to focus on myself, so I want to keep that going in the free skate as well.” With his sights set on earning his first Olympic spot, Miura is determined to stay focused on himself.
Related topics: Kao Miura
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