He's pretty guarded with his personal life, isn't he? Maybe if he resumes his non-no articles, he'll let us know.
Meanwhile, Kazuki is on Fuji TV's countdown to Nats today!
There was another interview with Kazuki published yesterday, see machine translation below. From a marketing POV, really interesting to see so much Kazuki content during GPF, he's really being treated as the 7th man.
フィギュアスケート男子の友野一希（第一住建グループ）が6日までに「THE ANSWER」の単独インタビューに応じた。ミラノ五輪出場を目指す27歳。初の大舞台へ重要なシーズンで味わった「人生最大」の挫折、運命の全日本選手権（19日開幕）に向けた現在の心境を聞いた。（取材・文＝THE ANSWER編集部・宮内 宏哉）
the-ans.jp
Tomono Kazuki: 30 minutes that saved him from the biggest setback of his life: "Why don't you do it?" Heated debate with his mentor, culminating in the All Japan Championships
Exclusive interview reveals Olympic year mindset
Figure skater Kazuki Tomono (Daiichi Juken Group) granted an exclusive interview to THE ANSWER on the 6th. The 27-year-old, aiming for the Milan Olympics, spoke about the "greatest setback of his life" experienced during this crucial season leading to his first major stage, and his current mindset ahead of the fateful All-Japan Championships (opening on the 19th). (Interview and text by THE ANSWER Editorial Department, Hiroya Miyauchi)
14 November, Lake Placid, New York State, USA. At the age of 27, Tomono experienced the greatest setback of his life.
"It's the Skate America, isn't it? I think it's an immediate answer."
At Skate America, the fifth event of the Grand Prix (GP) Series. His 16th GP competition saw his first victory, which had seemed within reach, vanish before his eyes.
In the men's short programme, he performed to "That's It", landing his quadruple jump flawlessly. He took the lead with a high score of 95.77 points. However, in the free skate the following day, skating last, he fell twice. He finished in third place, leaving him with profound regret.
"I suppose it's partly because it's so recent... but there's no failure that sticks in the mind quite like that one". Though Tomono has endured tough experiences since his junior days, the deeper his passion for skating grows each year, the more profound the bitterness he tastes.
Finishing seventh overall in the Grand Prix series, he fell just short of qualifying for the six-skater Grand Prix Final. He missed his chance to gain an advantage in the race for selection for the Milan Olympics. Even Tomono, who describes himself as "quick to switch gears", was understandably downcast.
After Skate America, on his first day back at practice. The shock lingered, and neither his body nor his mind were responding. What saved him was the intense time spent facing his coach, Taijin Hiraike, on the ice.
'Why aren't you doing it? Don't you feel frustrated?'
Coach Hiraike's words unleashed the pent-up emotions within Tomono. For about thirty minutes towards the end of practice, they clashed head-on. 'It was incredibly rare – the first time it had ever gone that far. Emotions just poured out, like "Of course I'm frustrated!"'. Before he knew it, the anger and doubt he'd been directing at himself had cleared.
Releasing negative emotions outwardly
"The teacher helped me drain all the pus"
"The teacher didn't ask 'Are you alright?' but simply said it straight away. That was what worked for me. It drew out my feelings more, and immediately turned into motivation. It felt like they helped me drain all the pus."
I was able to release negative emotions and consider what to do next. This crucial Olympic season. To secure my ticket, I must achieve a strong result at the All-Japan Championships. What I arrived at was the necessity of practising to combat the 'fear of failure'.
No matter how well I train or how good my form is, you never know what will happen in competition. I've experienced that fear painfully. That's precisely why unwavering 'confidence' is vital, no matter what situation I face on the day. That was my conclusion.
"It's not about creating conditions harder than the actual competition, but rather, right from the start of practice, I play the music in the same format as the competition. I assess how well I can perform under those conditions right now, then practise again. Even when the probability of failure is higher, I maintain solid confidence and see each programme through to the end. I constantly hold that mindset."
At present, Yuma Kagiyama and Shun Sato, who have secured their places at the Grand Prix Final, hold a lead in the race for Olympic selection. Tomono now faces the prospect of a fierce battle for the third spot.
The Olympic stage was once a dream he "never considered". His mindset shifted at the 2022 World Championships. He placed third in the short programme with a personal best score of 101.12 points, surpassing the 100-point mark for the first time. Though he couldn't improve his score in the free skate and finished sixth overall, it became the catalyst that made the Olympics a realistic goal for the first time.
Tomono describes Milan as the place where "my senior skating career began". It's a place steeped in memories, having finished fifth at his first World Championships there in 2018. He felt a strange connection knowing the 2026 Olympics would be held on the same stage. "This means something. I absolutely have to do it." That conviction had also begun to take root.
Positioning the Olympic year as a culmination: "I intend to shoulder all my feelings and give it my all."
Positioning the decisive Olympic year as a culmination. With each passing year, the resolve only grows stronger.
"Above all, it's about focusing on what I want to achieve. I believe that's the best way to repay those who support me. Even when things end badly, I know many people are cheering me on behind the scenes. My Olympic journey is no longer just my own. My coach shares this feeling and is moving forward with me, so I'm carrying all that support on my shoulders as I train now.
But I think the biggest factor is that there's no pressure from others; it's simply that my goal is the Olympics. Perhaps because my own resolve has grown stronger, those around me are supporting me so much. I believe something emanating from me is getting through, and as I decided for myself and moved forward, that feeling (of doing it for others) emerged without me realising it.
Heading into the decisive All-Japan Championships, his current mindset is "I simply want to burn myself out completely." Though his mental state dipped after Skate America, it has been steadily regaining energy with each passing day.
"I intend to channel all that frustration into the All-Japan Championships. Beyond that, I'm constantly visualising my ideal self and achieving good results. I see every single day as a battle."
With his thoughts now clear, what kind of performance does Kazuki Tomono wish to showcase at the All-Japan Championships?
"I hope to convey my approach to life, or rather, the time I've spent engaging with skating. My goal is to deliver performances where each day is visible, something truly memorable. I want people to feel 'I'm glad I supported him', but above all, it's for myself. I believe everything will come back in some form. I don't think what I've done is wrong, and I want people to see me see it through to the end.
His unique worldview, blending expressive artistry that unites with the music and exceptionally talented skating, has earned him popularity both domestically and internationally. Yet, what the beloved Tomono feels he lacks is the strength as a competitor and the results. "Ultimately, it's about achieving results. That aspect has become a stronger goal for me." The stage for the decisive battle is Tokyo's Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Imagining the applause pouring in from all 360 degrees, Tomono stands on the ice once again today.
Kazuki Tomono
Born 15 May 1998 in Osaka Prefecture, aged 27. Finished fourth at the All Japan Championships in his senior debut season (2017-2018) and placed fifth at the World Championships. He has long competed at the highest level, including a second-place finish at the 2021-22 Four Continents Championships and third place at the 2022-23 All Japan Championships. He is currently affiliated with Daiichi Juken Group, headquartered in his hometown of Osaka. His hobbies include saunas and reading.
) I maintain that the 'fierce competition' the journalist writes about is basically only Kao. He and Kazuki are on roughly the same footing. All of the others just don't have the body of work and consistency to show (as much as it pains me to say that in one case), or are too young.
12 days to go
Kazuki Tomono
I'm determined to focus on the result and seize the Olympics from the very depths of my being
