- Joined
- Aug 16, 2018
I do think Shoma's mindset in viewing the world is book-worthy, qualifying for the self-help genre even at timesI don't really know what Twitter trends have been over the years, but I remember some popular Twitter users publishing their books after gaining some recognition. Maybe Shoma will also write a book in the end.
He has another more lowkey witty tweet last night:
"Back when I was a student, I was asked to say a few words on stage, and I just said ‘Thank you for your support’ and left. Everyone laughed at me, but Japanese is hard, isn’t it?"
It does bring back nostalgic shy Shoma memories... he used to be so quiet in front of the media.
---------------------------
Also Shoma's on today's both physical and digital version of Nikkan Sports for his commentary on the Top 3 Men of the figure skating world: Ilia Malinin, Mikhail Shaidorov and Yuma Kagiyama, as part of Nikkan's report marking the 250 days before the Olympics:
【フィギュア】宇野昌磨さんが世界トップ３の魅力を解説／ミラノ・コルティナ五輪まで250日 - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ
26年2月6日開幕のミラノ・コルティナ冬季五輪まで、6月1日で残り250日となった。フィギュアスケートは7月1日に新シーズンへと切り替わり、五輪へとつながる1… - 日刊スポーツ新聞社のニュースサイト、ニッカンスポーツ・コム（nikkansports.com）
www.nikkansports.com
The commentary was based on interview with Shoma during the Colantotte event back on May 10, 2025:
-- Uno retired from competition at the end of last season and has been working as a commentator this season, offering insights from a former athlete's perspective. As the pre-Olympic season wraps up, the one who stands out is Malinin. He executes all six types of quadruple jumps, including the Axel, which only he has successfully landed.
“I think Malinin emerged as a result of someone with extremely high physical ability performing jumps that are technically sound. While many skaters rely purely on athleticism to force their jumps, he possesses the necessary technique. Of course, this is only possible through hard work, but to put it simply, I think he was executing elite-level jumps from the very beginning. What everyone else finds difficult, he makes look easy.”
-- When Malinin visited Japan in April, he trained together with skaters from the Kinoshita Academy in Kyoto. Coaches and skaters who observed him up close noted that after landing a quadruple toe loop — which takes off from the left toe pick — the hole left in the ice was unusually small. When this was relayed to Uno, he provided a technical explanation from an athlete’s perspective.
“Figure skating is a sport where consistency and reproducibility are crucial. As a jump becomes more refined, it also becomes more compact and can be performed at a lower speed, which naturally results in a smaller mark on the ice. If a jump uses a lot of force, it leaves a bigger hole. For example, if you bend your knees and extend them straight, you go upward. But if your knees bend sideways, the force is wasted, and you just lose speed. When I heard about the small hole, I thought, ‘He probably jumps so effortlessly because he uses minimal force and has excellent control over his rotation axis.’”
-- At the World Championships, 20-year-old Shaidorov from Kazakhstan finished second. In the free skate, he pulled off an incredible sequence — starting with a triple Axel (three and a half rotations), then executing a three-jump combination that ended with a quadruple Salchow.
“When physically gifted skaters watch and study Malinin’s jumps, their own technique starts to resemble his. I felt that when I watched Shaidorov. It’s possible that in the future, we might see jumpers who can rival Malinin.”
-- With 250 days until the Olympics, Uno also emphasized the unique appeal of Kagiyama, who had a difficult season.
“From his opening pose to the final movement, Yuma delivers uninterrupted, beautiful jumps throughout. The tension he carries during performances actually works in his favor. Of course, he feels pressure, but he draws the audience in and moves them emotionally. If Malinin makes you think, ‘Whoa, that’s insane,’ then Yuma makes you feel, ‘I just witnessed something beautiful — I’m moved.’ That’s the charm of figure skating, where sport and artistry come together.”
I agree! I'm intrigued by this pillow and would love to give it a try.
