18-Year-Old Hana Yoshida Wins First Women’s Grand Prix Series

“Yoshida already got her revenge on Luna Hendricks (24) of Belgium, a talented competitor who won the U.S. competition in October, where Yoshida placed 4th. I think it was a very valuable victory,” said Emi Watanabe, a figure skating commentator.

A new heroine has emerged in the women’s figure skating world. Hana Yoshida, 18, a junior at Chukyo University, won her first Grand Prix (GP) series competition in China, held until November 11.

Yoshida, who has been a triple axel specialist since she was a junior high school student, was regarded as the next generation’s ace, and her first win in her first year in the GP series was as good as advertised.

 

“She has been attending an international school for about seven years since she was five years old, and speaks fluent English. At the press conference, she answered the questions of the foreign media in fluent English, and she was so confident that it was hard to believe that this season was her senior debut.”

“Her weapon is her Axel, which coach Mie Hamada (64), who trained Rika Kihira (21), said, “There is nothing to fix,” This time, she regrettably failed in the triple axel, but she made a double axel and a triple toe loop in a row to win the competition.”

In China, she scored 139.32 points in the free skate, her best of the season, and made a great comeback from 3rd place in the short program.

This season’s free skate “Shakuhachi” has a Japanese theme, with many crane-inspired movements. Although her chances to advance to the GP Finals depend on the results of other skaters, we expect her to compete at the Four Continents Championships in January and the World Championships in March, and to aim for a podium finish.

 

Like a crane, Yoshida, a rising star, is flapping her wings on the world stage!

From the December 1, 2023 issue of FRIDAY