Yuna Aoki caps Japanese sweep at Four Continents debut
2026 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships: Women
Yuna Aoki capped the Women’s podium in a Japanese sweep on Friday in Beijing, China in her Four Continents debut. Teammates Ami Nakai and Mone Chiba took the silver and bronze, respectively. It was the first time Aoki and Nakai had competed at this event.
Yuna Aoki
Aoki broke the 70-point mark for the first time with a new personal best (71.41) after her passionate short program to “Adiós Nonino.” She landed a solid triple Lutz-triple loop, double Axel and triple flip. All three spins were awarded a level four while the footwork was a level three. She placed second going into the free skate.
“This is a significant achievement for me,” she said of her score. “I want to score over 130 points in free skate, so I want to focus on doing what needs to be done; relax and enjoy the process more than just pursuing scores. I’ve also gone through tough times, but now I can slide out the style I want. My coach encouraged me to give it my all, and I also hope to achieve a total score of 200 someday.”
The 2024 NHK Trophy bronze medalist gave a near-solid performance in the free skate with her delightful routine to music from La La Land. She landed a total of seven triple jumps, including a triple Lutz-triple loop and double Axel-Euler-triple flip. The only error was a slightly underrotated triple flip near the end. All spins were graded a level four, while the footwork was a level three. She earned positive GOES throughout and earned a new personal best score of 145.98. With a total score of 217.39, she edged out overnight leader Nakai for first place overall.
“For today’s free program, my condition wasn’t great this morning,” said 24-year-old, “but I remained focused and my body was remembering what I needed to do. So, I was able to perform my program well and I was satisfied with it. I haven’t really thought that I would medal and this result would come. It hasn’t really sunk in. I’m very grateful and happy about the result. I’m happy to achieve my personal best today. I feel like the results that I had was what I’ve been building on. Throughout my career, it felt like my effort has finally paid off. Even though I wasn’t expecting this exact result, I felt like it my practice has finally paid off.”
Ami Nakai
Nakai put a foot down on her opening triple Axel, but the triple Lutz-triple toe and triple loop were solid in her nostalgic short program to La Strada. She also picked up a level four on two spins and earned positive grades of execution (GOEs) on all elements except for the Axel. She scored 73.83 points for first place going into the free skate.
“I was under pressure; however I was able to put up a good practice, and I was able to perform well,” said the 17-year-old. “I was in good condition, and I was happy about that. For tomorrow, I would like to land a triple Axel, and I want to jump other jumps well without any mistakes. Overall, I’m happy that I was able to go into the free program with first place in short.”
The 2025-26 Grand Prix Final silver medalist delivered an uplifting free skate to “What a Wonderful World.” She left points on the table after taking a fall on a triple Axel, but landed a total of five solid triple jumps, including a triple Lutz-triple toe. A triple flip received an edge call, and a triple loop was landed on the quarter, but the layback spin and footwork received a level four. She placed second (141.95) in the free skate and slipped to second place overall (215.78).
“I was disappointed that I fell on the triple Axel,” said Nakai, “but I managed to finish my program pretty well. Throughout the season, I carried momentum and I was able to perform on this condition. That’s something I was excited about. And I’m very excited that I was able to get a medal at my first Four Continents championships.”
Mone Chiba
Chiba took a fall in the short program on a triple Lutz, but the opening triple flip-triple toe and double Axel were clean. Her fun energetic routine to “Last Dance” also featured three level-four spins and footwork, and she placed third with 68.07 points in this segment.
“I’m disappointed about the Lutz and the fall,” said the 2025 World bronze medalist. “During my six-minute practice, the combo jump was a little iffy. But while I was performing, today I was able to focus and managed to land the combo, so I’m happy about that. At the end of the performance, I was unable to control my legs, and I couldn’t focus. Going into the free program, I would like to refocus and put up a good performance and land each jump carefully.”
The two-time Four Continents medalist opened with a triple flip-triple toe, but landed several jumps on the quarter, including a triple loop, triple Lutz and double loop. She also underrotated a triple Salchow and triple flip. Her dramatic free skate to selections from Romeo and Juliet otherwise featured strong level-four spins and footwork which were awarded high GOEs. She placed third in this segment and overall (134.16 / 202.23).
“Throughout this competition, including the short program and the free program, I’ve been disappointed,” said Chiba. “I only have two weeks until the Olympics. What I really need to do is to accept where I am and really think what needs to be done and progress day by day to aim high.”
Bradie Tennell
USA’s Bradie Tennell placed seventh is the short program with a new season’s best of 66.05 points. The only error in her routine to “Young and Beautiful” was an underrotated triple toe on the back end of a triple Lutz (which received an edge call). The double Axel and triple loop were clean, and she earned a level four on the footwork and change combination spin.
“I thought I skated really well,” said the 2018 Olympian. “I was really happy with that performance, and I thought it was a really good and solid skate. I’m happy with what I did. I like this city. It’s cold, but it’s a nice city and it’s fun to be in the place where the Olympics were the last time. So, it’s been a good experience. Tomorrow, I just want to skate for myself, and skate a program that I can be proud of.”
The 2025 Four Continents silver medalist placed fourth after her free skate set to The Mission soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. She underrotated the back end of her opening triple Lutz-triple toe, but landed a triple loop-double Axel sequence. A triple flip and triple Lutz (in combination with a double toe-double loop) were slightly underrotated, but the triple Salchow and triple loop were clean. All four spins garnered a level four, and she moved up three places to fourth overall (199.37).
“I feel better than before,” said the 27-year-old. “I was a bit disappointed yesterday after the short program, and I was upset with the score. But I really tried very hard today. I tried to channel the energy that I didn’t have four years ago, when I was injured, that feeling of wanting it so badly. And I used that for the performance today. I think it worked, so I’m happy.”
Haein Lee
Haein Lee of South Korea placed sixth in the short program with a new season’s best of 67.06. She slightly underrotated the back end of triple Lutz-triple toe as well as triple flip in her routine to “Sirens.” However, she displayed good footwork and level-four spins, all of which received positive GOEs.
“I’m very happy today!” said the 20-year-old. “Two years ago in Shanghai, I made mistakes and cried a lot. But I think today I did well. Not the best, but I think it’s okay. I was happy when I was back on the ice. People gave me so much energy and I always feel grateful for that. So, I want to give them my love during my performance. I will still focus on the competition; I just want to do that step by step.”
The 2023 Four Continents champion opened her free skate with a solid double Axel-triple toe, but doubled a Lutz in a double toe-double loop combination. The following triple Salchow was clean, but she later underrotated a triple loop and two triple flips. A triple Lutz was also landed on the quarter. While the spins were graded a level four, the mistakes were costly, and she placed sixth (125.60) in this segment. Still, with a total score of 192.66, she placed fifth overall.
“Being able to participate in this competition, I think it’s a good experience,” said Lee. “I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m very proud of the results of this competition. I think the atmosphere is very good. Last year for me when I was not good enough, I didn’t skate well. My fans gave me a lot of energy to move on and go forward so I can skate well. I hope I can do my best at the Olympics.”
Jia Shin
Jia Shin of South Korea found herself in 14th place (53.97) after a subpar short program. She took a fall on an underrotated triple Lutz as well as triple flip.
The two-time Challenger Series bronze medalist took another fall on a underrotated triple loop in the free skate but was otherwise solid. Her routine to Liebesträume No. 3 in A-Flat Minor included a triple Lutz-triple toe, triple flip-double toe-double loop and a triple flip-double Axel sequence. She showed good control and depth of edge in her level-four footwork, and two spins were also graded a level four. She earned 131.09 points for fifth place, and with a total score of 185.06, soared to sixth place overall.
“Until yesterday, my mind was really complicated, and I was a little worried,” said the 17-year-old. “There was a free program left, so I tried to forget it quickly. I wasn’t in bad shape during the morning practice, so I was a little less worried about the jump, but I still made another mistake today, so it’s a bit disappointing. I think I need to make up for the mistakes we made this time and prepare for the next time.”
Canada’s Gabrielle Daleman placed seventh overall (183.47), followed by USA’s Sarah Everhardt (182.72), and Kazakhstan’s Sofia Samodelkina (182.51).
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