Yoshida: “I want to find my own skating style”

It wasn’t until last year, when Yoshida made her senior international debut (at major events), that she really thought about the Olympics – or the World Championshipswhere she would finish eighth in 2024.

“(The) Olympics only happen every four years, so it’s very special; everyone aspires to it,” she explained. “So it’s very difficult. But, like aiming for the Olympics and preparing for the Olympics, (that’s) one of my motivations.”

As she rose to the highest ranks, Yoshida participated in some of the sport’s biggest exhibition tours, including Stars on Ice in Japan, where she and reigning world silver medalist Isabelle Levito of the United States established a close friendship.

“She’s so cute, I love her,” Yoshida said of Levito, saying the two tended to spend entire sessions together laughing. “She looks so calm when she skates, but we talk and play. I really enjoy spending time with her.”

Even if the triple Axel remains a constant force, Yoshida wants to continue to build his skating in a unique way: a style of skating that is unique to him.

Her programs reflect this this season: Yoshida chose two pieces of music that are both a change of style and a challenge for her. If she had any doubts about how her musical performance was going, she only had to look further than the composer Christophe Tinwhose music she skates to in the short program.

“I’m a fan” Tin wrote oncalling out two other Japanese skaters in the process.

“I want to find my own style of skating that…others don’t have,” Yoshida said thoughtfully. “And so I think I want to make my program a special one, a program that only I can skate.”