“It feels like a dream to be able to stand on the same stage. Just participating is not my goal. I want to achieve good results and work hard to reach a position like Hanyu’s.” Shun Sato is set to make his Olympic debut inspired by Yuzuru Hanyu
Shun Sato, a 21-year-old figure skater, is set to make his Olympic debut, inspired by his hometown senior, Yuzuru Hanyu.
original source: Nikkansports 22nd. December 2025 by Daisuke Fujitsuka
On the December 22nd, the day after the announcement of the representatives for next February’s Milano-Cortina Games, Sato responded to interviews in Tokyo. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“It feels like a dream to be able to stand on the same stage,” he said, his eyes shining. Sato, who is also from Sendai City, deeply respects Yuzuru Hanyu, the two-time Olympic champion. Aiming to become the fifth Japanese man to win a medal in figure skating at the Olympics, he declared, “Just participating is not my goal. I want to achieve good results and work hard to reach a position like Hanyu’s.”
Sato began skating at Ice Rink Sendai, the same rink as Hanyu, when he was five years old. Looking back, he naturally smiled and said, “He was very kind to me.” Hanyu was also the reason Sato set his sights on the Olympics. Watching Hanyu’s short program at the 2014 Sochi Games on TV, Sato strongly felt, “I want to stand on the same stage.”
Even after moving to Saitama in 2018 due to his father’s job transfer, Sato continued to train with admiration in his heart. Armed with powerful jumps like the quadruple Lutz, he won the Junior Grand Prix Final in 2019 and placed third in the Senior Grand Prix Final for two consecutive years starting in 2024. Earlier this month, he achieved a personal best score of 292.08 points at the same event, the third-highest score in the world this season. At the Japanese Nationals, which concluded on the 21st, he also achieved a personal best by finishing second, securing his ticket to the Olympics.
He will step onto the dream stage as a medal contender, aiming to shine just like his great predecessor.
“The most important thing is to perform my own skating. I want to keep in mind surpassing my personal best and do my best.”
Related topics: Olympic Games, Shun Sato
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