2026 Team Japan (plus Milan Olympian final selection) announcement | Page 4 | Golden Skate

2026 Team Japan (plus Milan Olympian final selection) announcement

If Mone had medaled at GPF there would be no question... but since she didn't, those Tokio Inkirami coaches have a good case to plead for Ami. Also, an individual medal for anyone but Kaori is not guaranteed.
And she was so close too... Ami is a first year senior, that she has a look on the team event spot at this point must have stung.
 
Wow,all this hard work from Rinka and not even 4CC.That is upsetting,but honestly you need to prepare Mone and Ami more because they start to struggle.
It's painful,but Olympics should and are the biggest priority.
 
And Hamada will not let Ami get any momentum from 4CC to jeopardize that team event slot for Mone lol. Even if Ami's probably there for some rightly needed ranking points. Kinoshita wants them medals.
…..this is a good point. If Nakai wins 4CC - or even medals with a great score with Chiba not there and with Chiba’s last international competition being a free skate with two falls - then the script changes to Nakai being used for the team event.

However, it’s still a risk. Nakai beat Chiba at GPF and came relatively close at Nationals. The script still flips if she beats her at 4CC.
 
Wow,all this hard work from Rinka and not even 4CC.That is upsetting,but honestly you need to prepare Mone and Ami more because they start to struggle.
It's painful,but Olympics should and are the biggest priority.
It's why I mentioned a few days ago that having 2 completely different teams for 4CC and Olympics may be a special case during COVID.

4CC 2018 did pretty good for Shoma's, Satoko's and Kaori's placements at Olympics 2018. All first time Olympians. The coaches know this.
 
Seeing Miura again in team is difficult to accept.Not like there were any good 3rd choices,but hate his skating and he is always such dissappoitment...
I guess thanks to Nationals he "deserved"
 
…..this is a good point. If Nakai wins 4CC - or even medals with a great score with Chiba not there and with Chiba’s last international competition being a free skate with two falls - then the script changes to Nakai being used for the team event.

However, it’s still a risk. Nakai beat Chiba at GPF and came relatively close at Nationals. The script still flips if she beats her at 4CC.
Bingo.
 
It's why I mentioned a few days ago that having 2 completely different teams for 4CC and Olympics may be a special case during COVID.

4CC 2018 did pretty good for Shoma's, Satoko's and Kaori's placements at Olympics 2018. All first time Olympians. The coaches know this.
All depends on skaters and where they are,because i'm sure Kaori prefer to be fully fresh and not risking injury,while Mone and Ami has struggle especially mentally when pressure is there and they need that confidence boost.Its still one month till 4CC and one month till Olympics which is really good schedule for improvements.
 
Finally,

#Japan Nationals 2025 Newcomer Award: Ryoga Morimoto & Sumika Kanazawa
I didn't see the post yet but is it possibly Ryoto Mori?
Since he's another one of my "kids" I'd be super happy about that
Also, he's the 2nd Men's alternate to Junior Worlds...which tbh, was the only assignment that surprised me

Edit: I just saw the official sheet and it is indeed Ryoga Morimoto, not Ryoto Mori
I wonder what Ryoga accomplished this season that got him selected for this award? :scratch2:
Eh doesn't matter, he seems like a nice, hardworking kid, Happy for him!
 
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All depends on skaters and where they are,because i'm sure Kaori prefer to be fully fresh and not risking injury,while Mone and Ami has struggle especially mentally when pressure is there and they need that confidence boost.Its still one month till 4CC and one month till Olympics which is really good schedule for improvements.
Yeah but like, COVID made any 4CC assignment impossible even if the 2022 Olympians wanted to go. And some of them probably wanted it! But there was the mandatory quarantine rule and everything, they would not make it on time to enter Beijing without finishing the quarantine if they do go to 4CC (not to mention the fallout if they tested positive for COVID after 4CC).

Now that everything is normal, yes, the Olympians do want to go to 4CC. And some of them need it, like you said. They will be prioritized over others who don't make the team.
 
Personally I like taht the 4CC is a little more 'treated' with the same consideration as the EC, being the 'regional' ISU championship.
Hear me out, I am well aware that the likely winners from 4CC come from big feds with multiple talented skaters that deserve to skate in a chamionship( no argument there, maybe allow 4 athletes from the very top feds who can qualify it), but I never liked that the 4CC is sometimes treated like the step-child, just because is the newest ISU championship.
(I know, it cannot be the EC, and thus cannot have the prestige of it,as the oldest international championship and a continental championship. But knowing this still doesn't nullify my feelings regarding the more than often secondary billing the 4CC gets-and saying this as someone from a European country)
If you forever threat 4CC as for the secondary team, it will have the second-best(veeeeeery arguable, I know) title, especially in singles.
Hope that in a few decades maybe there will be a need to have more continental championships. I can hope🤞

Comming back to the topic, while I will forever mourn not seeing Kazuki at the Olympics(I don 't want a reason for subtitution, so careful boys!), I have a good feeling about the Men's upcoming performance. Kaori rules in my book:jump3: and can't wait for Ami and Mone to deliver their best. The pairs....RikuRyuu without at least a medal is a tragedy and YunaSumi should have a great reharsal for 2030. UtaMasa, gamba and enjoy!
 
Congratulations 🎊 to all that made teams for world, Jr world, Sr world, 4cc, and Olympic.

I understand Japan goes by their point system that all skaters know.
Even Rinka hinted she was surprised and elated at her gp assignments. She didnt think she be assigned. She was going to do her best to get to GP final . Go from there..thr rest is up to Japan Federation.

Do I think Rinka should have went to 4cc and worlds . Yes. But I am not Japan nor the skaters.
.I find it Interesting that Japan is sending Ami and Mone to 4cc.
Just two weeks before olympics and a week and half before team
Most likely will skate well for Japan (expected)
U.s. uses not to.
 
That's not surprising, I expect to see Worlds WD at a later date for the top athletes, but the only one I could see skipping is Kaori if she wins gold at the Olympics and Miura/Kihara because they both already have a World title. Everyone else is likely to go to try and win their first World title/medal in a depleted post-Olympics field.
I hope you're right because my heart can't take Kazuki in competition anymore... I'd rather see him at Kassouya.
 
I hope you're right because my heart can't take Kazuki in competition anymore... I'd rather see him at Kassouya.
Let's go to 4CC to cheer for Kazuki and Sota!
I knew the three guys being sent were going to be chosen for sure
...but I totally understand if you don't want to go bc of Kao
 
Personally I like taht the 4CC is a little more 'treated' with the same consideration as the EC, being the 'regional' ISU championship.
Hear me out, I am well aware that the likely winners from 4CC come from big feds with multiple talented skaters that deserve to skate in a chamionship( no argument there, maybe allow 4 athletes from the very top feds who can qualify it), but I never liked that the 4CC is sometimes treated like the step-child, just because is the newest ISU championship.
(I know, it cannot be the EC, and thus cannot have the prestige of it,as the oldest international championship and a continental championship. But knowing this still doesn't nullify my feelings regarding the more than often secondary billing the 4CC gets-and saying this as someone from a European country)
If you forever threat 4CC as for the secondary team, it will have the second-best(veeeeeery arguable, I know) title, especially in singles.
Hope that in a few decades maybe there will be a need to have more continental championships. I can hope🤞
Fair, but skaters choosing not to go to 4CC is really not about not respecting 4CC . It's about logistics. 4CC is always close to Worlds/Olympics often within a week or two and usually requires a lot of travel for skaters unlike Europeans. Selfishly, I enjoy it when the stronger nations send their "B" teams as the B teams from Japan and the US are often a joy to watch.
 
Let's go to 4CC to cheer for Kazuki and Sota!
I knew the three guys being sent were going to be chosen for sure
...but I totally understand if you don't want to go bc of Kao
I really wish I could go but sadly my personal/financial situation won't allow it 😭

But I'm really glad he's having the opportunity to go to one more international competition with Sota and Kao. I think that will be a fun comp!
 
Fair, but skaters choosing not to go to 4CC is really not about not respecting 4CC . It's about logistics. 4CC is always close to Worlds/Olympics often within a week or two and usually requires a lot of travel for skaters unlike Europeans. Selfishly, I enjoy it when the stronger nations send their "B" teams as the B teams from Japan and the US are often a joy to watch.
Not arguing there about logistics, I just wish it wasn't such a defining factor :)
 
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