Yuma Kagiyama cheer/appreciation thread

[Sylvia]

Starting this thread now for the 2021 World SILVER medalist in his debut appearance!

ETA: https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7SFj3HyVQ/

 

[paskatefan]

Love watching him skate. His reaction in the K&C after the free skate was priceless!

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma's humble message today: https://www.instagram.com/p/CM-dK-8pE9Z/

 

[kwanfan1818]

for Kagiyama. He competed in Richmond JGP a few years ago and is beautiful to watch.

 

[Vash01]

He is just 17. It will be interesting to watch him develop. Congrats to him on the world silver medal.

 

[MorganaLefay]

Easily, the highlight discovery of this year's World's for me. Never saw him before and completely blown away by his jump technique, exuberant artistry, and sparkling personality. Those smiling eyes above the mask

 

[Marco]

Absolutely wonderful, definitely the future, but also the now.

I wonder if he will have a harder quad for next season - but his SKATING is actually also top notch. Reminds me of the smoothness of Nobunari Oda but without the COP mistakes.

 

[VGThuy]

He was also a highlight for me. I’m glad he had such a great Worlds. His skating is amazing.

 

[zigzig]

I'm obsessed with him and was thrilled to see him win silver. Such explosive yet easy jumps, smooth skating, funky cool choreography.

 

[Sylvia]

Worth re-posting here from the 2021 Worlds Men FS thread:

Article in Japanese with a photo of Yuma Kagiyama pushing his dad Masakazu in a wheelchair on arriving home to Japan. Masakazu suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2018 and is still going through rehab. Worlds was his first trip abroad with Yuma since the illness.

鍵山優真１枚の写真　車いすの父と二人三脚で進む姿 - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ

先月28日に幕を閉じたフィギュアスケート世界選手権（ストックホルム）で、鍵山優真（星槎国際高横浜）が日本男子史上最年少の17歳で銀メダルに輝いた。ショートプロ… - 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

 

[Sylvia]

Great to see/hear that Javi was impressed with Yuma in his Worlds debut!
'He surprised the whole world': Javier Fernandez on 17-year-old Japanese skater Yuma Kagiyama (2-min. clip from That Figure Skating Show's recap of the Men's SP): https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1877773379560

2-minute video feature (before Yuma won the 2020 Youth Olympic Games gold medal in Lausanne) with English subtitles for Yuma's interview clips - also includes a brief clip of his father, Masakazu, competing at the 1992 Albertville Olympics:

Yuma Kagiyama on being coached by his dad

Yuma Kagiyama left a big impression at the Japanese Nationals, and he is just getting started.

www.olympicchannel.com

 

[mjb52]

Yuma's excitement in the K & C when he won a medal was so incredibly endearing. Excited to see him keep on developing. Very cool that his father could be there with him.

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma Kagiyama interview article by Mie Noguchi that was published on the Canon Japan website on April 15:

キヤノンスポーツ総合サイト

キヤノンのスポーツ関連情報をまとめたスポーツ総合サイトです。

global.canon

Google translated excerpts:

My dad [Masakazu, also his coach] decided to go with him for the world championships. I used a wheelchair because it would be very difficult to move at the international airport (due to rehabilitation), but the people at the airport were very kind and pushed me to the gate. I was helped by everyone. There were various restrictions due to the measures against corona, but I was really looking forward to going to an overseas competition together for the first time, and I was really grateful. After arriving, I talked with my father, "Because I'm here, I'll act firmly without regrets and go home."

I'd like to keep the ["Vocussion"] short next season for now. When I first saw it, it gave me an explosive impression, and I think it's a program that audiences will probably feel that way. So, I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of reaction and how people will feel when I try it in an overseas game where customers come in. I am planning to change the free program, and I would like to create a program that will be evaluated firmly at the Olympics while changing the system from the short program. As for my favorite genre, I enjoy playing songs like this short by myself, and I remember having fun skating on "Tucker" last season and "Mask" two seasons ago.

He has landed the quad loop in practice and wants to try the quad Lutz next ("I haven't practiced yet, but the one I think I can do best is the quadruple Lutz. As my father said, if you change the tightening method a little, you can turn 4 turns immediately, so I would like to practice as soon as possible.")

 

[Sylvia]

Happy 18th Birthday (May 5), Yuma!
2 fun drawings by Mika Matsuda: https://www.instagram.com/p/COdJ3dNJ_qD/

ETA:

Yuma shared 3 photos at the end of the Prince Ice World shows (his birthday cake is 3rd one): https://www.instagram.com/p/COfYYWGp_sI/

Yuma’s tweet (Google translated): https://twitter.com/yuuuma1555/status/1389887014670012419?s=21

I'm 18 years old!
Many congratulatory messages Thank you very much
PIW also finished 10 performances successfully
It was really nice to be able to skate on this stage! I had a great time with a lot of fun.
I want to stay healthy even when I turn 18!
The best birthday! !! !! !!
#PIW2021

 

[kittyjake5]

Happy 18th Birthday to Yuma!

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma Kagiyama selected for the first time as the player [skater] of the year "Aiming to win a medal at the Beijing Olympics next season" (May 14):

鍵山優真、年間最優秀選手に初選出「来季は北京五輪でメダル獲得目指す」 - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ

東京運動記者クラブのスケート分科会は14日、2020～21年の「スケーター・オブ・ザ・イヤー」（年間最優秀選手）に、フィギュア男子の鍵山優真（18＝星槎国際高… - 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

Google translation:
On the 14th, the skating subcommittee of the Tokyo Athletic Press Club will feature Yuma Kagiyama (18 = Hoshigaki International High Yokohama) as a figure skater for the 2020-21 "Skater of the Year" (player of the year) he was elected for the first time. He achieved a silver medal at the World Championships (Stockholm) in March, when he first appeared, and made a leap to 3rd place at the All Japan Championships at the end of last year for the second consecutive year.
The comments from Kagiyama, who won the award for the first time, are as follows.
"I am very pleased to receive the evaluation from reporters in the first year of full-scale participation in seniors. I will continue to make efforts to win medals at the Beijing Olympics next season."
(Previous winners of this award were speed skater Tatsuya Shinhama in 19-20, Rika Kihira in 18-19, and Yuzuru Hanyu in 17-18).

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma debuted his SP to "When You're Smiling" by Michael Bublé at the July 9th "Dreams on Ice" show, according to this tweet in Japanese: https://twitter.com/AxelQuadruple/status/1413452217592422406
This article says Lori Nichol choreographed the program:

鍵山優真が新ＳＰを披露「この状況だからこそ笑顔増やしたい」 - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ

フィギュアスケートのアイスショー「ドリーム・オン・アイス」が9日、KOSE新横浜スケートセンターで開幕した。昨季世界選手権2位の鍵山優真（18＝星槎国際高横浜… - 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

... "I want to increase my smile because of this situation. First of all, I have to have fun and skate." The quad was challenging Lutz and the loop and vowed that he would like to practice for more stability.

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma's amazing FS (197.49 - currently is 3rd highest on ISU SB list) that catapulted him from 7th in SP to gold at the Grand Prix in Torino (no commentary): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuS6Kw8DUEs

Pre-Nationals article (Dec. 16, 2021):

鍵山優真の野望　２年後の５回転ジャンプ　「可能性十二分に」父正和コーチ - フィギュア : 日刊スポーツ

フィギュアスケート男子で昨季の世界選手権2位の鍵山優真（18＝オリエンタルバイオ／星槎）が、まずは初の日本一を目指す。22年北京五輪開幕50日前の16日に合わ… - 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

Summarized here: https://twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1471336319351930886

In a new interview, Yuma Kagiyama says he’ll likely not try 4Lo at Nationals, to stick with jumps he’s most confident at. He’s aiming for the first Olympic spot.
He’s been practicing at the rink at Chukyo University, where he hopes to be accepted for next spring.
Next season, Yuma wants to complete all quads except the axel.
After that, in 23-24, he wants to aim for a quint. He says since Hanyu is doing world’s 1st 4A, a quint is the next thing to aim for.

Awww, a bit of interview & practice footage of a 6-year-old Yuma (with his father) in this Fuji TV Sports fluff piece (Dec. 16): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o0EzS0JgLo&t=212s

 

[Sylvia]

Fuji TV has uploaded the medalists' Nationals videos - Yuma's SP jumps were 4S+3T, 4T fall & 3A; FS jumps were 4S, 3Lz, 4T+3T, 3A+1Eu+2S / 4T, 3F+3Lo, 3A (-1.26).

SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ5LO7-BFoQ
FS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41NnA7ClJ40

Yuma won his third consecutive bronze medal - 292.41 (95.15 SP 3rd, 197.26 FS 2nd) - and has qualified for his first Olympic team!

 

[Sylvia]

Since winning gold at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, Japanese figure skater Kagiyama Yuma has established himself as one of the most exciting new faces in the sport. Here, he chats to Olympics.com about how his career has progressed since and his goals for Beijing 2022. (Q&A with Olympics.com, published on Jan. 27) https://olympics.com/en/news/kagiyama-yuma-interview-figure-skating-beijing-2022

Excerpt:

How significant is the mental side of competing for you as a top skater?
This season, especially, I realised the importance of the mental side. There are some things I could do well in practice, however, in the actual competition performance, I was unable to make the jumps that I wanted to in the face of mounting pressure.
I think self-belief is very important. I would like to have a positive mindset when I perform. The mental aspect is very important for me.
What would you say your goals are going into your first Olympic Winter Games next month?
My biggest goal for the Olympics is to make no mistakes in both the short programme and the free skate. Beyond that, I hope to go to the top. I want to show a good performance.

 

[Sylvia]

Article by Jack Gallagher (Jan. 29, 2022):

[ICE TIME] Yuma Kagiyama Takes On the Olympic Challenge with Heroes Yuzuru Hanyu, Shoma Uno

"My biggest goal for the Olympics is to make no mistakes in both the short program and the free skate. Beyond that, I hope to go to the top,” the rising teenage star said.

japan-forward.com

 

[Sylvia]

Yuma was just WOW in his 1st place Olympics Team Event free skate! NBC Sports' video (geoblocked outside USA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL44JXkYs_o

Re-posting here from the JPN news thread in GSD:

This may have been posted but I found it fascinating that Carolina Kostner worked with Yuma on his SP when he was in Italy last fall.

https://twitter.com/YumachiGIFs/status/1489856600105840641

 

[bardtoob]

His Team Olympic LP in Beijing gave me chills.

 

[orbitz]

Yuma was simply spectacular. The best skating performance delivered by anyone so far this entire season. I love everything about it.

If he skates a clean SP and LP next week then he'll definitely be on the podium. And don't be surprised if he wins the gold medal.

 

[VGThuy]

The best thing about Kagiyama’s skate and score is that he could do even better!

 

[3T3T]

I thought Yuma’s free skate was fantastic. That for me, was the best male skate of the season so far. It all looked so easy and effortless. The jumps were amazing. He worked so well with the music.

I wouldn’t object to see a performance like that on the top step of the Olympic podium. On this form he can challenge both Chen and Hanyu.

What a delight.

 

[zigzig]

his jumps are insane - textbook, gorgeous.

 

[japanice]

No. 43 - Yuma Kagiyama

Jack speaks with 2021 world silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama about winning the gold medal at the Youth Olympics, his impressions of Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno, the dynamic with his father as his coach, a

soundcloud.com

 

[Vash01]

Yuma was fabulous last night.

 

[Fadeevfanboy]

He is a huge threat to both Chen and Hanyu at this point. HUGE. Especialy as the pressure on him does not come anywhere to either of those guys.