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Rena Uezono

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Rena Uezono
Native name上薗 恋奈
Born (2010-06-07) June 7, 2010 (age 14)
Aichi, Japan
HometownNagoya
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country Japan
CoachMihoko Higuchi
Skating clubLYS Figure Skating Club
Began skating2017
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Taipei Singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
Bronze medal – third place 2023–24 Beijing Singles

Rena Uezono (上薗 恋奈, Uezono Rena, born June 7, 2010) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2024 World Junior bronze medalist, the 2023–24 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2023 JGP Poland champion, and the 2023 JGP Turkey silver medalist.

At the domestic level, Uezono is the 2023–24 Japan Junior bronze medalist and the 2022–23 Japan Novice A champion.

Personal life

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Uezono was born on 7 June 2010 in Aichi, Japan. She looks up to fellow Japanese skater and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.[1]

Her hobbies include playing the piano, cooking, and fashion.[2]

Uezono's figure skating idols are Mao Asada, Yuna Kim, and Yuzuru Hanyu.[3]

Career

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Uezono began skating in 2017 at the age of seven after being inspired by watching Mao Asada perform at an ice show in her home region of Aichi.[3][4]

She won the silver medal at the 2020 Japanese National Novice Championships in the novice B category.[5]

2021–22 season

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Uezono placed fifth at the 2021 Japanese National Novice A Championships and was invited to compete at the 2021–22 Japan Junior National Championships. She finished in eighteenth place after two falls in the free skate.[6] Following the season, Uezono joined Mihoko Higuchi's newly founded skating club, the LYS Skate Club. In turn, Higuchi began coaching her as well.<ref=GS24/>

2022–23 season

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Uezono won the 2022 Japan National Novice A Championships, 15.77 points above Mayuko Oka, and was again invited to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships.[7] After a clean short program, Uezono placed in eleventh. However, two falls in the free skate dropped her to the thirteenth place.

She was invited to skate in the gala at the 2023 World Team Trophy.[8]

2023–24 season

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As the reigning national novice champion, Uezono was selected to make her international competitive debut on the Junior Grand Prix at the 2023 JGP Turkey. Fourth in the short program, she moved up to second overall after the free skate, taking the silver medal.[9] Weeks later she won gold at the 2023 JGP Poland, in the processing qualifying to the Junior Grand Prix Final.[10]

Based on her prior results, Uezono was considered a podium contender at the 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships.[11] She won the bronze medal, in the process qualifying to the senior national championships.[12] Next appearing at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing, Uezono finished third in both segments and claimed the bronze medal there as well. She set new personal bests in both segments and overall.[13][14] She then competed at the senior national championships at month's end, finishing fourth, less than two points back of bronze medalist Mao Shimada. Uezono described skating in the final group of the free skate as "very nerve-wracking, but I was able to skate with the best skaters and that was a good experience."[15]

Uezono finished the season at the 2024 World Junior Championships in Taipei. In the short program, she fell on her jump combination and finished in eighth place. She rallied in the free skate, coming third in that segment with a new personal best, and rising to third place overall.[16]

2024–25 season

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Uezono began her season on the Junior Grand Prix by competing at 2024 JGP Czech Republic, entering as the pre-event favourite.[17] She placed second in the short program but fourth free skate after falling twice during her free program. She would drop to a disappointing fourth place overall.[18] She went on to place fourth again at 2024 JGP Slovenia.[19]

In late November, Uezono competed at the 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships, where she finished fifth.[20] This result ensured her qualification to compete at the senior championships.[21]

Programs

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2024–2025
[22][23]
2023–2024
[4]
2022–2023
[24]
  • New Moon (The Meadow)
    (from The Twilight Saga: New Moon)
    by Alexandre Desplat
  • F for You
    by Disclosure, Mary J. Blige
    choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi
  • Come Around Me
  • Sorry
    by Justin Bieber
    choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi

Competitive highlights

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International: Junior[25]
Event 21–22 22–23 23–24 24–25
Junior Worlds 3rd
JGP Final 3rd
JGP Czech Republic 4th
JGP Poland 1st
JGP Slovenia 4th
JGP Turkey 2nd
National[25][20]
Japan 4th TBD
Japan Junior 18th 13th 3rd 5th
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

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ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [20]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 196.46 2023–2024 JGP Final
Short program TSS 67.87 2023–2024 JGP Final
TES 38.79 2023–2024 JGP Final
PCS 29.08 2023–2024 JGP Final
Free skating TSS 132.74 2024 World Junior Championships
TES 71.73 2024 World Junior Championships
PCS 61.01 2024 World Junior Championships

Senior level

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2023–24 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 20–24, 2023 2023–24 Japan Championships 6
66.22 		4
134.47 		4
200.69

Junior level

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2024–25 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 15–17, 2024 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships 10
58.06 		5
122.63 		5
180.69
October 2–5, 2024 2024 JGP Slovenia 5
63.09 		4
118.18 		4
181.27
September 4–9, 2024 2024 JGP Czech Republic 2
64.41 		4
112.90 		4
177.31
2023–24 season
Date Event SP FS Total
Febryary 26–March 3, 2024 2024 World Junior Championships 8
61.96 		3
132.74 		3
194.70
December 7–10, 2023 2023–24 JGP Final 3
67.87 		3
128.59 		3
196.46
November 17–19, 2023 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships 6
60.95 		2
125.56 		3
186.51
September 27–30, 2023 2023 JGP Poland 2
64.85 		1
127.46 		1
192.31
September 6–9, 2023 2023 JGP Turkey 4
63.64 		2
124.07 		2
187.71
2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 25–27, 2022 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships 11
56.17 		16
92.82 		13
148.99
2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 19–21, 2021 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships 20
49.32 		18
86.73 		18
136.05

References

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  1. ^ "フィギュア界次世代スター候補・上薗恋奈の素顔 宇野昌磨の恩師に師事「来季はトリプルアクセル」" [The real face of Rena Uezono, the next-generation star candidate in the figure world. Studying under Shoma Uno's coach: "Triple Axel next season"]. Nagoya TV.
  2. ^ "上薗　恋奈" [Rena Uezono]. Japan Skating Federation.
  3. ^ a b di Sanzio, Chloé (July 28, 2024). "Japan's Junior Sensation Rena Uezono". Golden Skate. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Rena UEZONO: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "2020 Japan Novice B Ladies - Final Results". Japan Skating Federation.
  6. ^ "Junior Women - Final Results". Japan Skating Federation.
  7. ^ "JOCジュニアオリンピックカップ大会 第91回全日本フィギュアスケートジュニア選手権大会 - 推薦選手について" [JOC Junior Olympic Cup Tournament 91st All Japan Junior Championships - About the nominated athletes] (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Skating Federation. November 2022.
  8. ^ "Exhibition Gala - Tokyo 2023 - #WTTFigure". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Ami Nakai (JPN) and Rio Nakata (JPN) secure Junior Grand Prix Final spot in Istanbul (TUR)". International Skating Union. September 11, 2023. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  10. ^ "Figure Skaters grab eight more tickets to the Final at ISU Junior Grand Prix in Gdansk (POL)". International Skating Union. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  11. ^ Gallagher, Jack (November 17, 2023). "Mao Shimada Aims for a Three-peat at the Japan Junior Championships". Japan Forward. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  12. ^ Gallagher, Jack (November 20, 2023). "Mao Shimada Catches Up to Arakawa and Ando with 3rd Japan Junior Crown". Japan Forward. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  13. ^ Slater, Paula (December 8, 2023). "Shimada defends Junior Grand Prix Final title". Golden Skate. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  14. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 9, 2023). "Mao Shimada Achieves Historic First with Second Straight Victory at the JGP Final". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  15. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 25, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto Reigns Again at Japan Championships with Huge Score". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  16. ^ Slater, Paula (March 1, 2024). "Mao Shimada defends Junior World title". Golden Skate. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
  17. ^ Gallagher, Jack (September 11, 2024). "Kaoruko Wada Stuns Rena Uezono to Win in Junior Grand Prix Debut". Japan Forward. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Newcomers and Junior stars set highlights at ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava". International Skating Union. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "Rena UEZONO". International Skating Union.
  20. ^ a b c "JPN-Rena UEZONO". SkatingScores.
  21. ^ "The follow junior skaters have qualified for Senior Nationals:". X. Skate Japan News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Rena UEZONO: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024.
  23. ^ "2024木下トロフィー争奪フィギュアスケート大会　(8/3～4)" (PDF). Fuji TV. Fuji TV. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  24. ^ "高橋星名が全日本ノービス歴代2位のスコア、上薗恋奈が女子唯一の90点台で初優勝【全日本ノービス選手権・結果】" [Sena Takahashi has the 2nd highest score in the history of All Japan Novice, and Rena Uezono is the only female to win with a score of 90 [All Japan Novice Championship Results]] (in Japanese). Fuji News Network. October 27, 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Rena UEZONO: Competition Results". International Skating Union.
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