TOKYO - Multiple Olympic medalist and former individual figure skating world champion Shoma Uno says he must surpass more established domestic rivals to earn a place at the 2030 Winter Games in ice dance alongside partner Marin Honda.
Uno and girlfriend Honda, a former world junior champion, announced their transition to ice dance on Friday, and they will have the likes of Milan Cortina Olympians Utana Yoshida and Masaya Morita in their sights when they begin competing.
"(We are) in a position to compete against everyone once we step onto the competitive stage," Uno said in a recent interview with Kyodo News.
"If we keep working every day to improve our appeal and abilities and can give 100 percent of our strength, the results will naturally follow."
Asked what prompted her to return to the ice after retiring from individual competition in January 2024, Honda said, "The biggest factor was my feeling that I needed to take on this challenge now, while my body can still move."
Uno, who became the first Japanese figure skater to win back-to-back world titles in 2022 and 2023, said his initial motivation was a desire to showcase the brilliance of Honda's skating through ice dance.
After announcing his retirement in May 2024, Uno performed with Honda as a pair in an ice show series he produced.
Regarding the difference between ice dance shows and competition, Uno said, "An ice show is about entertaining the people who come to watch, while competition is something we do for ourselves. That's the biggest difference."
Honda stressed that in competition, skaters must pay attention to every technical element while they perform.
"We want to develop the technical skills to skate more freely and pursue a competitive career where we skate for each other," Honda said.
The 28-year-old Uno won three Olympic medals -- a silver medal in the team event and a men's singles bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Games, along with a silver medal in the men's event at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Honda, 24, won the women's title at the 2016 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
