“I changed my free skate because I felt it was a program where I could honestly tell my own story.” Junhwan Cha on bringing back “Balada para un Loco” free program
Junhwan Cha will include three quadruple jumps in his programs at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
original source: yna.co.kr dd. 26th January 2026 by Kyung-yoon Kim
Junhwan Cha will focus on quality and stability by including three quadruple jumps in his programs at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, aiming for a medal while serving as Korea’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony. Here’s a translation of his comments.
Originally planning to attempt five quads, Cha has decided to prioritize stability and artistry in his quest for an Olympic medal.
Speaking to reporters at Incheon International Airport on the 26th about his Olympic layout, Cha said, “I’ll do one quad in the short program and two in the free skate. After the National Championships earlier this month, I felt I had improved the quality of my technical elements.”
He added, “Even with fewer quads, I think I can still show enough in the scoring areas. I’ll focus on maximizing the quality of my elements in competition.”
Cha explained, “I initially planned a higher-difficulty layout, but realistically, there wasn’t enough time, so I reconsidered. I decided that an unprepared challenge would be reckless.”
At the start of this season, Cha had planned for two quads in the short and three in the free, but due to an ankle injury and skate equipment issues, he was unable to deliver high-quality performances.
As a result, he performed programs of slightly lower difficulty at both domestic and international competitions, including the national team selection event. Cha has decided not to push himself excessively at the Milan Olympics either. He plans to perform a quadruple salchow in the short program and a quadruple salchow and quadruple toe loop in the free skate, with no quad combinations.
After delivering a satisfying performance at Four Continents, which he treated as a rehearsal for the Olympics, Cha decided to use the same layout for the Games.
His Olympic short program will be “Rain in Your Black Eyes,” and his free skate will be “Balada para un Loco. Initially, he had planned to use the “Moulin Rouge Original Soundtrack” for this season’s free skate, but after the National Championships earlier this month, he switched back to last season’s “Balada para un Loco.”
Cha said, “I used last season’s program again at Four Continents, and I felt I performed just as well as last season, which made me happy. I was worried, but I feel like I gave it my all.”
He explained, “I changed my free skate because I felt it was a program where I could honestly tell my own story. I was hesitant since there isn’t much time left before the Olympics, but I made the decision carefully.”
Regarding the skate boot issues that plagued him all season, Cha said, “The new skates I switched to are fine, so I’ve been able to focus on training with peace of mind.”
Asked about what he needs to improve before the Olympics, he said, “I saw areas where I could score more at this competition. I’m thinking positively.”
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee also announced that Junhwan Cha and speed skater Park Ji-woo have been selected as Korea’s flag bearers for the Milan Olympic opening ceremony.
Cha commented, “It’s a great honor. To be the flag bearer at my third Olympics is very meaningful to me.”
Related topics: Junhwan Cha, Olympic Games
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