An article about Kazuki was published today, it's a paid article but thankfully some fans made it temporarily available as a gift
Prayer ‘if you think even 1%,’ for Kazuki Tomono, who is having a hard time...
He leaned his upper body forward repeatedly. Kazuki Tomono (Daiichi Juken Group) was repeating this action.
It was after the short programme (SP) of the figure skating at the National Sports Festival held in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, at the end of January.
On this day, he fell on the opening quadruple toe loop.
"I thought maybe I was leaning too far forward, so I wanted to go a little further back. I was doing it like that."
Before the start of this season, he said, "Right now, winning competitions is the most important thing for me." "A good athlete," "A fun athlete." The 26-year-old hopes to overturn such evaluations.
However, due in part to a hip injury, he finished fifth and sixth in the two Grand Prix (GP) series competitions, and at the All-Japan Championships in December, after finishing third in the SP, he dropped down the order in the free programme to finish fifth.
"At the beginning of the season, I was doing well, but then my form took a big hit and I got injured."
In particular, he's been making mistakes with his jumps. Even in practice, he says he has trouble with quadruple jumps.
In the free skating competition at the All Japan Championships, he fell twice on his jumps.
Over the New Year's holidays, I went to Toyama with my skating friends. Refreshed by eating oily fish and delicious white rice. 'Recently, I've been into nature. Mountains and rivers. I guess I'm just really tired.’
Then, in preparation for the National Sports Festival, he practiced with an awareness of the "axis" of his jumps, based on his reflections at the All Japan Championships. However, in the SP at the National Sports Festival, he thought too much about the axis, his body leaned forward and he fell. He also fell on his quadruple toe loop in the free program.
Something just isn't working. That's the kind of season it is.
Representing Osaka Prefecture, Tomono placed third at the National Sports Festival. He didn't look pleased as he stood on the podium.
At the National Sports Festival, teams of two compete against each other from each prefecture. The other representative for Osaka was Oda Nobunari (37), who would retire after this tournament.
After the award ceremony, the two were interviewed together.
In front of the cameras, Oda struck the "Matsuken Samba II" pose that he used in the SP.
"Want to join in, Tomono-kun? Come on!"
Oda got Tomono involved, brightening up the atmosphere.
'Now Tomono-kun is the real oldest. Until now, he was a false oldest.’
Tomono said softly, ‘Oda-kun has shown me that he can keep evolving, that he can move, he's totally capable’.
Tomono and Oda have competed together in this tournament for three years since Oda returned to active competition. Tomono still remembers the shock after the SP in 2023, when they first competed together.
Seeing Oda's disappointment after his lackluster performance, Tomono said, "It may have been a bitter memory for Oda, but if you hadn't given it your all, you wouldn't feel that disappointment."
Two years later, Tomono has witnessed Oda's continued improvement, even in his late 30s. At the All Japan Championships, he placed fourth, better than his own performance. "Honestly, I was totally taken aback," Tomono said with a laugh.
At the end of the day's interview, Oda changed his tone from friendly to formal and said:
I think everyone has times when they think, "I can't do this anymore," or "I'm no good enough." But even so, if you still think, even 1% that maybe you can still do it, I want you to believe in yourself with all your heart and bet everything on it."
The words were not directed at anyone. Tomono was quietly listening next to him.
Tomono's theme for this season is ‘hatching’. He wants to break out of his shell at the Four Continents Championships, which start on 18 February, so that he can flap his wings in a big way next season, when the Olympic Games are held.
figureskate-soi.com
If he continues to be a regular cast member next year, he could potentially also be invited to SOI USA and/or SOI Canada since he will have retired by then (Japanese competitive skaters are only allowed to perform at SOI Japan). We shall see 
I have seen Kao fans expressing their frustration because Kazuki described Kao as being a quiet and shy person, when in fact Kao is actually quite outgoing, he only gets quiet and shy around the senpai he admires so much, but senpai doesn't notice his feelings 
