Professional figure skater Shoma Uno (28), who competed in both the 2018 Pyeongchang and 2022 Beijing Olympics, winning a total of three medals—the most by any Japanese male skater at the time—had the audience in stitches with his signature humorous style during a talk event in Tokyo. Alongside skaters Yuma Kagiyama, Koshiro Shimada, Kazuki Tomono, Sota Yamamoto, Takashi Tsuduki, and Ryo Nakata, Uno appeared at an event for medical device manufacturer Colantotte, with which he has an advisory contract. Before approximately 500 fans, he delivered a witty and engaging talk.
When asked about the source of his motivation, Uno wrote “being pampered” on a flip board. “Everyone has their own way of staying motivated, but they just don’t say it. Having this many people supporting me is definitely a huge motivation. When I get praised on social media, it really fires me up,” he confessed bluntly, passionately explaining that he thrives on being complimented, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Later, when asked to name his top three news stories of the year, while other skaters cited competition achievements, Uno surprisingly wrote “Shoma Uno” in the number one spot, leaving the second and third slots blank. “I feel like there’s nothing else to say. This past year, I’ve been quite active, showing up everywhere, and looking at myself from an outside perspective. If I say too much, it’ll get cringe, so I’ll stop here. I thought this was the safest choice,” he said in his unique phrasing, making everyone laugh.
His younger colleague by six years, Yuma Kagiyama, looked on with admiration, saying, “Uno is really doing whatever he wants. I want to live a life where I can do what I want too.” The younger skater revealed his renewed longing for his senior, who continues to exude a one-of-a-kind presence both on and off the ice.
