Post-FS interviews with Shoma, January 27th

Interview clip:

“I landed the things I’ve been working on the most, such as the quads in the second half and the combination jumps, so I’m relieved. I don’t think I was able to show my best in the short or the free, but I was able to show that practice pays off, so I would like to work hard using this as a source of confidence moving forward. I hope the Olympics will not leave me with things I need to work on and instead leave me satisfied, and of course, I hope it’ll be fun.“

Articles (x, x, x, x, x, x):

“I was able to go into the free with a much stronger attitude than in the short. The results do not show my abilities. I don’t feel accomplished, but I am relieved. There’s always been a high chance of me messing up the two quads in the first half, so I’ve been thinking to myself, ‘let’s just forget about it (the first half) and move on to the second half [if that happens]’. I think it was good that I was able to do that here with the flip, as I pretended that [the fall on the flip] was just me losing a game of rock paper scissors. I’m happy I was able to land the toeloops in the second half. The biggest problem here was that I wasn’t confident in myself. I would like to polish my jumps and increase their success rates and face the Olympics with confidence. I will perceive this as a starting point and I wish to deliver even better there.”

When asked about his new costume, he said, laughing, "I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but I will most likely skate at the Olympics with the blue one, so this will be it for this costume.” When asked about his hairstyle, he said that he only did it because he was advised to do so, saying “I don’t really like it.“