HACHINOHE, Aomori Prefecture – Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda is in first place after the men’s short program at the Japan Junior Championships on Sunday afternoon. The 18-year-old is five points ahead of Sena Miyake going into Monday’s free skate.
Rino Matsuike has an even bigger lead with a seven-point margin over Hana Yoshida following the women’s short program Sunday evening.
Honda, skating 27th out of the 29 skaters entered, put on a smooth show to “S.O.S d’un terrien un détresse” at Flat Hachinohe to earn a score of 80.38 points. He opened with a nice triple axel, then landed a triple flip/triple toe loop combination and a triple lutz. The Osaka native received a level four on his step sequence and one of his spins.
Miyake (75.28) skated second and held the lead all the way until Honda took the ice. Yuto Kishina (73.85) is in third place.
Honda will need to improve on Monday if he is to hold off favorite Kao Miura for the title. Miura is in fifth place on 71.56, but will move up if he can land three clean quads like he did to win the East Japan Sectional Championships two weeks ago.
Miura landed all of his jumps, but only got a level two on his step sequence and one of his spins.
Matsuike peformed to the theme from “The Color Purple” and began with a fine triple lutz, followed by a double axel. She went on to land triple flip/triple toe loop combination, while receiving level fours on two of her spins and step sequence for a tally of 69.06.
The 16-year-old Matsuike, who claimed a bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix in Latvia last season, was poised from start to finish and her scoresheet reflected it.
Yoshida, who was third in this event in 2019 behind winner Mana Kawabe and Tomoe Kawabata, was also impressive in scoring 62.05. The 15-year-old from Nagoya hit all of her jumps and earned level fours on all of her spins and step sequence. If she can duplicate her performance and land her triple axel in Monday’s free skate, Yoshida could top the podium.
Rion Sumiyoshi (59.96) is in third place as she looks to collect her first career medal at this competition.
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