Figure skating: Seventeen-year-old starlet Nakai Ami’s fairytale season continues with Olympic team selection for Japan
Seventeen-year-old senior debutante Nakai Ami has made Japan’s figure skating squad for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 after a stunning performance this Sunday, 21 December.
In her rookie senior season, Nakai has brought significant attention to her talent by clinching a Grand Prix Final silver medal and narrowly missing the podium with a fourth-place finish at the Japan Figure Skating Championships 2025.
“It’s been a lifelong dream of mine and it’s finally come true,” Nakai expressed. “But now my next goal is to come away with a good result at the Olympics. Fifty days will fly by. But I plan on spending every day to the fullest so I can be at my absolute best.”
Nakai will lead an inspiring group of seven first-time Olympians, which includes fellow competitors Chiba Mone in women’s singles, Sato Shun and Miura Kao in men’s events, as well as Nagaoka Yuna/Moriguchi Sumitada in pairs, with Yoshida Utana/Morita Masaya representing ice dance.
Veterans Sakamoto Kaori (women), Kagiyama Yuma (men), and Miura Riku/Kihara Ryuichi (pairs) return from the Beijing 2022 squad, ready to defend Japan’s glory after winning silver in the team event. Sakamoto and Kagiyama secured their spots at nationals, while Miura/Kihara’s history and success ensured their nomination despite injury complications.
Additionally, the alternates named are Tomono Kazuki, Yamamoto Sota, and Tsuboi Tatsuya for the men’s events, alongside Watanabe Rinka and Aoki Yuna for the women.
As National Olympic Committees possess exclusive authority over their country’s representation at the Winter Games, Nakai and her teammates eagerly await their participation confirmation ahead of the thrilling competition in February.
This season’s successes of Nakai and her colleagues push Japan firmly onto the figure skating map, as fans worldwide look forward to an exhilarating showcase in Milano Cortina 2026.
