Kagiyama Leads NHK Trophy to Launch Olympic Season
Japan's Yuma Kagiyama took the lead after the short programme at the NHK Trophy on Friday, marking his first Grand Prix appearance this season as he prepares for the Winter Olympics.
Top Performers in Osaka
The event in Osaka saw Kagiyama, the 2022 Beijing Olympic silver medalist, dominate with a score of 98.58 before his home crowd. Despite leading, Kagiyama expressed disappointment with his performance.
"I made mistakes on things I couldn't believe. I think that's the first time I've ever made a mistake on a spin in competition. It's frustrating to make a mistake on something you can usually do as a matter of course."
He remained focused on the next day's competition: "I'll put this behind me and look to tomorrow."
Olympic Rivalry and Competition Standings
Kagiyama, 22, is considered the main rival to double world champion Ilia Malinin for Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games in February.
- Kagiyama leads compatriot Shun Sato, who scored 96.67 and won last month's Cup of China.
- South Korea's Cha Jun-hwan is in third place with 91.60.
Sato aims to secure his spot for next month's Grand Prix Final in Nagoya.
Women’s Short Programme
Japan's three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto topped the women’s short programme at the NHK Trophy.
Author’s summary: Yuma Kagiyama leads the NHK Trophy short programme in Osaka, showing Olympic readiness despite imperfections, with key rivals closely following.