Ami Nakai: “I definitely want to try quads eventually, so I plan to start practicing them again.”
Ami Nakai Makes History as Japan’s Youngest Olympic Figure Skating Medalist
original source: sponichi.co.jp 20st February 2026 / Nikkansports dd. 22d February 2026
Ami Nakai who won a bronze medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, expressed her hopes of inspiring future skaters, just as her idol, Mao Asada, once inspired her and shares her plans to attempt quad jump. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on Nikkansports.
Nakai began skating at the age of five after watching Mao Asada’s silver medal-winning performance at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Landing the triple axel during the Olympics, she matched her childhood idol by performing the same challenging jump on the grand stage. Reflecting on the moment, Nakai said, “Being able to land the jump here at the Olympics was such a valuable experience for me, and I’ve realized it’s a jump that will continue to be important for me going forward.”
Hoping to inspire the next generation, Nakai added, “I hope that someone watching these Olympics, someone seeing the triple axel, feels motivated to start skating just like I did. It would mean so much to me if I could become the kind of skater who inspires others, just like Asada once inspired me.”
Nakai also addressed her interest in attempting quadruple jumps in the future. While her current routines don’t include quads, she hopes to incorporate either the toe loop or loop in her program down the line. “The rules may change for next season and beyond, so I’ll need to discuss this with [Coach Kensuke Nakaniwa] before deciding. But I definitely want to try quads eventually, so I plan to start practicing them again,” she stated, laying out her aspirations.
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