US figure skating star Ilia Malinin was upstaged on his Olympic debut on Saturday as Japan's Yuma Kagiyama led the men's short program in the team event to keep the pressure on defending champion the United States. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/olympics/2026/02/08/malinin-japan-team-skating/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #olympics #iliamalinin #yumakagiyama #2026milanocortinaolympics
In figure skating, music is not simply accompaniment — it is the emotional engine of the program, shaped by pacing and physical timing of every element with the potential of electrifying an arena. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/olympics/2026/02/01/kagiyama-figure-skating-music/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #olympics #yumakagiyama #iliamalinin #turandot #christophertin #2026milanocortinaolympics
Japan did not win an Olympic figure skating medal until 1992, but it is now among the sport’s world powers, with kids dreaming of becoming the next Yuzuru Hanyu or Mao Asada. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/olympics/2026/01/29/japan-hanyu-asada-new-generation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #olympics #yuzuruhanyu #maoasada #kaorisakamoto #yumakagiyama #maoshimada #2026milanocortinaolympics
Japan’s top figure skaters have plenty of potential to win medals at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, but will have to contend with a resurgent United States as well as Russian athletes. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/olympics/2026/01/08/figure-skating-milano-cortina/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #olympics #2026milanocortinaolympics #kaorisakamoto #yumakagiyama #rikumiura #ryuichikihara #aminakai #monechiba #shunsato #adeliiapetrosian #petrgumennik #alysaliu #iliamalinin
Ilia Malinin showed why he is the red-hot favorite for Olympic gold by winning the Grand Prix Final on Saturday, overtaking home favorite Yuma Kagiyama. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/12/07/more-sports/us-double-grand-prix-final/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #moresports #iliamalinin #grandprixfinal #yumakagiyama #shunsato #kaorisakamoto #monechiba #aminakai #alysaliu
Mone Chiba and Yuma Kagiyama won double gold for Japan at the Finlandia Trophy on Saturday to seal their berths for next month's Grand Prix Final in Nagoya. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/23/more-sports/japan-double-gold-finlandia-trophy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #moresports #finlandiatrophy #monechiba #yumakagiyama
Three-time world figure skating champion Kaori Sakamoto delivered a masterclass to win women's singles gold at the NHK Trophy on Saturday with the world's best score this season. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/11/10/more-sports/kaori-sakamoto-nhk-trophy/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #moresports #kaorisakamoto #nhktrophy #yumakagiyama
Kaori Sakamoto and U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin will headline the Olympic season opener at the elite ISU Grand Prix de France in Angers starting Friday, looking to lay the groundwork for gold at the Winter Olympics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2025/10/16/more-sports/kaori-sakamoto-grand-prix-assignments/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #moresports #kaorisakamoto #iliamalinin #yumakagiyama #isugrandprixseries
