Waseda University student Yuka Nagai scored a comfortable victory at the Tokyo Region Championship on Saturday. The 21-year-old Nagai won with a total of 171.19 points, ahead of Akari Matsubara, who finished second with 155.69.
Ibuki Sato rounded out the podium in third place at 155.28.
Nagai’s story is quite an interesting one.
The Tokyo native finished second at two Junior Grand Prix events in the 2014-15 season and was seventh at the world junior championships. She was fourth at the Japan nationals that year behind Satoko Miyahara, Rika Hongo and Wakaba Higuchi.
The following season she made her debut on the senior circuit, earning the bronze medal at Skate Canada, and it appeared she was on her way to a promising international career. However, after poor showings in her two GPs in the 2016-17 season, Nagai chose to focus on her studies at university and has not competed in an international event since.
She has skated in the Japan nationals each season in the succeeding years and came in ninth in 2019.
Nagai’s smooth skating and interpretation are still very evident, however, and one wonders if she concentrated full time on skating what she could achieve.
She skated to “Elisabeth” in her short program on Friday and took the lead with a tally of 61.08. She looked lovely in a white outfit and earned level fours on two of her spins.
Nagai popped her double axel and doubled a planned triple lutz in her free skate to “East of Eden” in her free skate on Saturday, but still held on to win.
Marin Honda, who competed despite recently suffering a dislocated shoulder, was seventh on 140.95. She moved up from ninth after the short program.
Honda landed two triple toe loops early in her free skate, but was unable to land another triple jump in the remainder of the program.
Taiichiro Yamakura captured the men’s title on Sunday with 167.35. The 20-year-old jumped from fifth place after the short program to prevail over Kento Kobayashi (165.26), who claimed second place, and Ryo Kobayashi (164.45) who was third.
