Sōta Yamamoto

Japanese figure skater
Sota Yamamoto
Yamamoto at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
Native name山本 草太
Born (2000-01-10) January 10, 2000 (age 24)
Kishiwada, Osaka, Japan
HometownAichi
Height1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Figure skating career
Country Japan
DisciplineMen's singles
CoachMachiko Yamada
Yuko Hongo
Yukiko Murakami
Skating clubChukyo University
Began skating2005
Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 2022–23 Turin Singles
Japan Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023–24 Nagano Singles
Winter Youth Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2016 Lillehammer Singles
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Tallinn Singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 2014–15 Barcelona Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2015–16 Barcelona Singles

Sōta Yamamoto (山本 草太, Yamamoto Sōta, born 10 January 2000) is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2022–23 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a three-time ISU Grand Prix medalist (including gold at the 2023 Skate Canada International), a four-time ISU Challenger Series medalist (two gold, two silver), the 2023 World University Games champion, and the 2023–24 Japanese national bronze medalist.

Earlier in his career, he was the 2016 Youth Olympic champion, the 2015 World Junior bronze medalist, a two-time Junior Grand Prix Final medalist (silver in 2014, bronze in 2015), and the 2015–16 Japan junior national champion.

Personal life

Yamamoto was born on January 10, 2000, in Kishiwada, Osaka, Japan.[1] He is currently a student at the School of Sport Sciences at Chukyo University.[2]

Career

Yamamoto started skating when he was five. He is a 3-time Japanese national novice medalist. He was invited to skate in the gala at the 2013 World Team Trophy as the Japanese national novice champion in the same season.

2013–14 season

Yamamoto debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series in 2013–14 season, placing 11th in Riga, Latvia, his sole assignment. At the Japan Championships, he was 5th in the junior competition and 14th at the senior event.

2014–15 season

Yamamoto (right) with teammate Shoma Uno at the 2015 World Junior Championships

During the 2014–15 JGP series, Yamamoto won silver medals in Courchevel, France and Tallinn, Estonia, which qualified him to the 2014–15 JGP Final in Barcelona, Spain. Ranked first in the short program and third in the free skate, he finished second overall, behind Shoma Uno and ahead of Alexander Petrov. Nationally, he was the junior silver medalist, behind Shoma Uno, and finished 6th at the senior event. At the 2015 World Junior Championships, Yamamoto placed 7th in the short program and 3rd in the free skate to win the bronze medal in his first appearance at that competition.

2015–16 season

Competing in the 2015–16 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Yamamoto won the bronze medal in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and gold in Toruń, Poland. These results qualified him for the 2015–16 JGP Final, where he was awarded the bronze medal. He won his first junior national title at the 2015 Japanese Junior Championships.

In February 2016, Yamamoto won the gold medal in the men's singles discipline at the Winter Youth Olympics ahead of Latvia's Deniss Vasiljevs and Russia's Dmitri Aliev. He fractured his right ankle in practice on March 12, causing him to withdraw from the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen.[3]

2017–18 season

After missing the entirety of the 2016–2017 season, Yamamoto returned to competition domestically at the 2017–18 Japan Championships, placing ninth. Venturing out internationally, he placed fifth at the Coupe du Printemps.

2018–19 season

Debuting on the Challenger series, Yamamoto won gold at the 2018 CS Asian Open. He fared less well at his second Challenger, placing ninth at the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy. Making his Grand Prix debut, Yamamoto was sixth at Japan's 2018 NHK Trophy. Ninth at the Japan Championships, he finished the season with a gold medal at the Challenge Cup.

2019–20 season

Again beginning the season with two Challenger assignments, Yamamoto won the silver medal at the 2019 CS U.S. Classic after placing third in the short program and second in the free skate. the season at the 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy, and led the field after the short program, in which he set a new personal best and landed two quad jumps. He fell four times in the free skate, placing sixth in the segment, but narrowly took the silver medal overall.[4]

2020–21 season

Yamamoto won the gold medal at the domestic Western Sectionals championship, qualifying for a berth to the national championships.[5] Assigned to the 2020 NHK Trophy, he placed eighth.[6] He was ninth at the 2020–21 Japan Championships.

2021–22 season

Yamamoto debuted on the Grand Prix at the 2021 Skate Canada International, finishing in seventh.[7] He was seventh as well at the 2021 NHK Trophy, and said afterwards he felt he was "able to grow a little bit since Skate Canada."[8] Yamamoto finished the fall season with a gold medal at the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup.[9]

At the 2021–22 Japan Championships, Yamamoto finished in eight place.[10] He went on to win the bronze medal at the International Challenge Cup.[9]

2022–23 season

Beginning the season on the Grand Prix, Yamamoto won the short program at the 2022 Grand Prix de France. He was overtaken in the free skate by Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa, but still scored a new personal best in that segment and won the silver medal, his first Grand Prix podium placement. Yamamoto reflected on his past struggles with injury, saying that it made the moment "special for me, and I know I couldn't have achieved it myself. I have had all the support from my team as well as support from the fans."[11] At his second event, the 2022 NHK Trophy on home ice in Sapporo, Yamamoto again finished first in the short program with a new personal best score of 96.49, ahead of reigning World champion Shoma Uno.[12] He was again overtaken in the free skate, this time by Uno, but won his second silver medal and qualified to the Grand Prix Final for the first time. He said that he was pleased at the prospect of competing together with Uno at the Final.[13][14]

At the Final in Turin, Yamamoto finished second in the short program behind Uno. He assessed that his quad Salchow was "not perfect, but I am happy I was able to skate without any mistakes and going into the free skating, it will be a confidence boost." The segment also saw several other skaters, such as widely favoured American Ilia Malinin, underperform.[15][16] In the free skate, Yamamoto set a new personal best (on his way to a personal best total score as well), finishing third in the segment behind Uno and Malinin, but remaining second overall. Winning the silver medal, he said he was pleased to have delivered a satisfactory free skate for the first time in the season and to have achieved his goal of making the podium.[17][18]

Yamamoto finished third in the short program at the 2022–23 Japan Championships, but a seventh-place free skate dropped him to fifth overall.[19][20] Despite this, due to the Japan Skating Federation's selection criteria incorporating international results, he was selected as Japan's third man for the 2023 World Championships, which occasioned some controversy due to national silver medalist Koshiro Shimada being passed over.[21]

Named to the Japanese team for the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, Yamamoto won the gold medal, finishing more than thirty points ahead of silver medalist Tatsuya Tsuboi.[22] He then won the silver medal at the International Challenge Cup at the end of February.[23] Yamamoto was fifteenth in his World Championship debut on home ice in Saitama.[24]

2023–24 season

Yamamoto began the season at the 2023 CS Autumn Classic International, finishing in fourth place.[9] Moving on to the Grand Prix, he started at the 2023 Skate Canada International. First in the short program despite an underrotated quad jump and a spin error, he was only third in the free skate, but remained in first place overall to claim his first Grand Prix gold medal.[25] At the 2023 Cup of China, he finished in sixth place after struggles in the short program.[26]

At the 2023–24 Japan Championships, Yamamoto finished second in the short program, albeit more than ten points behind segment leader Shoma Uno.[27] In the free skate he came third, and placed third overall, winning the bronze medal and standing on the Japanese national podium for the first time in his senior career. Reflecting on his career, Yamamoto said there "were good times and bad times, and there were really tough days. But I'm glad I did my best even through those times. This is the result I was aiming for, but I want to look even further ahead, set my goals even higher, and grow even more."[28]

Yamamoto competed at the 2024 Four Continents Championships in Shanghai, coming fourth in both segments and finishing fourth overall.[29][30]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2023–2024
[31][32][33]
  • Exogenesis: Symphony
    Part 3: Redemption
    by Muse
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2022–2023
[1]
2021–2022
[34]
2020–2021
[35]
  • Dark Eyes
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
  • Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
    by Randy Edelman
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2019–2020
[36]
2018–2019
[37]
2017–2018
2015–2016
[38][39][40][41]
2014–2015
[42]
2013–2014
[43]
2012–2013
  • Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
    by Randy Edelman
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto

Competitive highlights

Yamamoto (right) at the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final podium
Yamamoto (right) at the 2015 World Junior Championships podium
Yamamoto (left) at the 2014–15 JGP Final podium
Competition placements at senior level [44]
Season 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
World Championships 15th
Four Continents Championships 4th
Grand Prix Final 2nd
Japan Championships 9th 9th 7th 9th 8th 5th 3rd
GP Cup of China 6th
GP Finland TBD
GP France 2nd
GP NHK Trophy 6th 6th 8th 7th 2nd
GP Skate Canada 7th 1st TBD
CS Asian Open Trophy 1st
CS Autumn Classic 4th
CS Finlandia Trophy 9th 2nd
CS U.S. Classic 2nd
CS Warsaw Cup 1st
Challenge Cup 1st 3rd 2nd
Coupe du Printemps 5th
Japan Open 1st
(2nd) 		1st
(4th)
World University Games 1st
Competition placements at junior level [44]
Season 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16
Winter Youth Olympics 1st
World Junior Championships 3rd
Junior Grand Prix Final 2nd 3rd
Japan Championships (Senior) 14th 6th 6th
Japan Championships (Junior) 11th 4th 5th 2nd 1st
JGP Estonia 2nd
JGP France 2nd
JGP Latvia 11th
JGP Poland 1st
JGP United States 3rd
Coupe du Printemps 1st

Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [45]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 274.35 2022 Grand Prix Final
Short program TSS 96.49 2022 NHK Trophy
TES 55.46 2022 NHK Trophy
PCS 41.03 2022 NHK Trophy
Free skating TSS 179.49 2022 Grand Prix Final
TES 100.87 2022 Grand Prix Final
PCS 83.82 2023 Skate Canada International
ISU personal best scores in the +3/-3 GOE System [45]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 232.42 2015 JGP Poland
Short program TSS 76.14 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final
TES 43.46 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final
PCS 34.85 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
Free skating TSS 157.26 2015 JGP Poland
TES 86.74 2015 JGP Poland
PCS 70.80 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
  • Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships.
  • Medals at team events are awarded for the team results only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.

Senior level

Results in the 2013–14 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Dec 20–23, 2013 Japan 2013–14 Japan Championships 11 65.90 19 104.72 14 170.62
Results in the 2014–15 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Dec 26–28, 2014 Japan 2014–15 Japan Championships 7 67.19 6 139.61 6 206.80
Results in the 2015–16 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Dec 24–27, 2015 Japan 2015–16 Japan Championships 11 62.92 5 152.23 6 215.15
Results in the 2017–18 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Dec 20–24, 2017 Japan 2017–18 Japan Championships 8 72.88 10 135.39 9 208.27
Mar 16–18, 2018 Luxembourg 2018 Coupe du Printemps 6 69.04 5 128.77 5 197.81
Results in the 2018–19 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Aug 1–5, 2018 Thailand 2018 CS Asian Open Trophy 6 57.92 1 141.00 1 198.92
Oct 5–7, 2018 Finland 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy 8 72.16 10 133.63 9 205.79
Nov 9–11, 2018 Japan 2018 NHK Trophy 6 74.98 5 138.42 6 213.40
Dec 20–24, 2018 Japan 2018–19 Japan Championships 10 71.95 8 140.74 9 212.69
Feb 21–24, 2019 Netherlands 2019 International Challenge Cup 1 82.24 1 171.63 1 253.87
Results in the 2019–20 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 17–22, 2019 United States 2019 CS U.S. International Classic 3 82.88 2 157.23 2 240.11
Oct 11–14, 2019 Finland 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy 1 92.81 6 130.43 2 223/24
Nov 22–24, 2019 Japan 2019 NHK Trophy 7 74.88 5 151.39 6 226.27
Dec 18–22, 2019 Japan 2019–20 Japan Championships 13 68.16 7 152.33 7 220.49
Results in the 2020–21 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Oct 3, 2020 Japan 2020 Japan Open – – 2 137.97 1 –
Nov 27–29, 2020 Japan 2020 NHK Trophy 9 62.38 7 127.81 8 190.19
Dec 24–27, 2020 Japan 2020–21 Japan Championships 9 82.60 6 134.74 9 217.34
Results in the 2021–22 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Oct 2, 2021 Japan 2021 Japan Open – – 4 156.13 1 –
Oct 29–31, 2021 Canada 2021 Skate Canada International 7 78.78 8 146.96 7 225.74
Nov 12–14, 2021 Japan 2021 NHK Trophy 5 86.05 8 152.85 7 238.90
Nov 17–20, 2021 Poland 2021 CS Warsaw Cup 1 91.75 3 155.90 1 247.65
Dec 22–26, 2021 Japan 2021–22 Japan Championships 4 93.79 12 146.39 8 240.18
Feb 24–27, 2022 Netherlands 2022 International Challenge Cup 1 90.25 3 147.51 3 237.76
Results in the 2022–23 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Nov 4–6, 2022 France 2022 Grand Prix de France 1 92.42 3 165.48 2 257.90
Nov 18–20, 2022 Japan 2022 NHK Trophy 1 96.49 6 161.36 2 257.85
Dec 8–11, 2022 Italy 2022–23 Grand Prix Final 2 94.86 3 179.49 2 274.35
Dec 21–25, 2022 Japan 2022–23 Japan Championships 3 86.89 7 158.52 5 245.41
Jan 13–15, 2022 United States 2023 Winter World University Games 1 101.32 1 173.54 1 274.86
Feb 23–26, 2023 Netherlands 2023 International Challenge Cup 2 84.72 2 160.89 2 245.61
Mar 20–26, 2023 Japan 2023 World Championships 17 75.48 15 156.91 15 232.39
Results in the 2023–24 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 14–16, 2023 Canada 2023 CS Autumn Classic International 7 70.39 3 160.84 4 231.23
Oct 27–29, 2023 Canada 2023 Skate Canada International 1 89.56 3 168.86 1 258.42
Nov 10–12, 2023 China 2023 Cup of China 8 75.48 5 170.10 6 245.58
Dec 20–24, 2023 Japan 2023–24 Japan Championships 2 94.58 3 192.42 3 287.00
Jan 30 – Feb 4, 2024 China 2024 Four Continents Championships 4 94.44 4 168.99 4 263.43

Junior level

Yamamoto at the 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final
Results in the 2011–12 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Nov 25–27, 2011 Japan 2011–12 Japan Championships (Junior) 14 41.62 10 90.98 11 132.60
Results in the 2012–13 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Nov 17–18, 2012 Japan 2012–13 Japan Championships (Junior) 11 47.32 4 112.29 4 159.61
Results in the 2013–14 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Aug 28–31, 2013 Latvia 2013 JGP Latvia 11 56.15 12 100.08 11 156.23
Nov 22–24, 2013 Japan 2013–14 Japan Championships (Junior) 3 62.28 10 103.82 5 166.10
Mar 14–16, 2014 Luxembourg 2014 Coupe du Printemps 1 65.24 – – 1 65.24
Results in the 2014–15 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Aug 20–23, 2014 France 2014 JGP France 3 65.66 2 130.14 2 195.80
Sep 24–27, 2014 Estonia 2014 JGP Estonia 2 66.42 2 136.28 2 202.70
Nov 22–24, 2014 Japan 2014–15 Japan Championships (Junior) 2 67.81 1 134.69 2 202.50
Dec 10–14, 2014 Spain 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final 1 76.14 3 136.98 2 213.12
Mar 2–8, 2015 Estonia 2015 World Junior Championships 7 69.99 3 145.46 3 215.45
Results in the 2015–16 season [44]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 2–5, 2015 United States 2015 JGP United States 2 65.11 3 138.57 3 203.68
Sep 23–26, 2015 Poland 2015 JGP Poland 1 75.16 1 157.26 1 232.42
Nov 21–23, 2015 Japan 2015–16 Japan Championships (Junior) 1 70.42 1 142.98 1 213.40
Dec 9–13, 2015 Spain 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final 3 72.85 4 132.46 3 205.31
Feb 12–21, 2016 Norway 2016 Winter Youth Olympics 1 73.07 3 142.45 1 215.52

References

  1. ^ a b "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "山本草太選手、横井ゆは菜選手 スケート部の結果を学園首脳陣に報告しました". Chukyo University. Chukyo University. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  3. ^ "山本が世界ジュニア欠場　練習中に右足首骨折／フィギュア" [Yamamoto fractures right ankle in practice, will miss Junior Worlds] (in Japanese). Sanspo. 10 March 2016. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
  4. ^ Browne, Ken (October 13, 2019). "SHOMA UNO LEADS JAPAN 1-2 IN FINLANDIA TROPHY". Olympic Channel.
  5. ^ "2020 JAPAN OPEN & NATIONALS UPDATE". International Figure Skating.
  6. ^ Slater, Paula (November 28, 2020). "Yuma Kagiyama commands men's event; snatches NHK Trophy gold". Golden Skate.
  7. ^ Slater, Paula (October 30, 2021). "USA's Chen back on track; takes gold at Skate Canada". Golden Skate.
  8. ^ Slater, Paula (November 13, 2021). "Shoma Uno defends NHK Trophy title". Golden Skate.
  9. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Sota YAMAMOTO". International Skating Union.
  10. ^ Slater, Paula (December 26, 2021). "Yuzuru Hanyu reigns in Saitama". Golden Skate.
  11. ^ Slater, Paula (November 5, 2022). "Fa captures gold on home ice at Grand Prix de France". Golden Skate.
  12. ^ "Yamamoto's Short Program sends Japanese crowd home happy at end of first day of NHK Trophy in Sapporo". International Skating Union. November 18, 2022.
  13. ^ "Uno (JPN) proves he is the one to beat as Free Skating fightback secures Sapporo gold". International Skating Union. November 19, 2022.
  14. ^ Slater, Paula (November 19, 2022). "Uno defends NHK title again". Golden Skate.
  15. ^ "World Champion Uno leads Japanese sweep of Men's Short Program". International Skating Union. December 8, 2022.
  16. ^ Slater, Paula (December 9, 2022). "Uno leads men in Japanese sweep at Grand Prix Final". Golden Skate.
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  18. ^ "World Champion Uno (JPN) proves his class with ISU Grand Prix Final gold". International Skating Union. December 10, 2022.
  19. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 23, 2022). "Shoma Uno Powers to Big Lead in Short Program at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
  20. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 26, 2022). "Shoma Uno Claims Fifth National Title By a Large Margin at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
  21. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 27, 2022). "Shoma Uno is Unhappy with Team Selection Process for World Championships". Japan Forward.
  22. ^ Gallagher, Jack (January 18, 2023). "Mihara and Yamamoto Lead Japan Medal Rush at the Winter World University Games". Japan Forward.
  23. ^ Gallagher, Jack (February 27, 2023). "Japan Continues Domination with Medal Bonanza at Challenge Cup". Japan Forward.
  24. ^ Gallagher, Jack (March 26, 2023). "Shoma Uno Wins Second Straight World Title Despite Free Skate Struggles". Japan Forward.
  25. ^ Slater, Paula (October 29, 2023). "Sota Yamamoto captures first Grand Prix gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
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  28. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 24, 2023). "Shoma Uno Equals Yuzuru Hanyu with Sixth Victory at the Japan Championships". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  29. ^ Gallagher, Jack (February 1, 2024). "Yuma Kagiyama Takes a Commanding Lead After Short Program at Four Continents". Japan Forward. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  30. ^ Odeven, Ed (February 4, 2024). "Yuma Kagiyama Triumphs at the Four Continents". Japan Forward. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
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  32. ^ "2023/24 Free Program". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  33. ^ Wilson, David. "Short Program 2023/24". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  34. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021.
  35. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020.
  36. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 13, 2019.
  37. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019.
  38. ^ Dreams on Ice 2015 (Television production) (in Japanese). Japan: Fuji TV. 22 June 2015.
  39. ^ フィギュアスケート [Figure Skate TV!] (in Japanese). Japan. 12 July 2015. BS Fuji.
  40. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 29, 2015.
  41. ^ Xiong, Wei (August 29, 2015). "Sota Yamamoto sets sights on Junior World title". Golden Skate.
  42. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015.
  43. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 22, 2014.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Sota Yamamoto". SkatingScores.com.
  45. ^ a b "Personal Bests – Sota Yamamoto". International Skating Union.

External links

Media related to Sota Yamamoto at Wikimedia Commons

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