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Sota Yamamoto
Yamamoto at 2023 Skate Canada International
Native name	山本 草太
Born	(2000-01-10) January 10, 2000 (age 24) Kishiwada, Osaka, Japan
Hometown	Aichi
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Japan
Discipline	Men's singles
Coach	Machiko Yamada Yuko Hongo Soshi Tanaka
Skating club	Chukyo University
Began skating	2005
Medal record
Grand Prix Final 2022–23 Turin Singles Japan Championships 2023–24 Nagano Singles Winter Youth Olympics 2016 Lillehammer Singles World Junior Championships 2015 Tallinn Singles Junior Grand Prix Final 2014–15 Barcelona Singles 2015–16 Barcelona Singles

Sōta Yamamoto (山本 草太, Yamamoto Sōta, born 10 January 2000) is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2022–23 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a three-time ISU Grand Prix medalist (including gold at the 2023 Skate Canada International), a four-time ISU Challenger Series medalist (two gold, two silver), the 2023 World University Games champion, and the 2023–24 Japanese national bronze medalist.

Earlier in his career, he was the 2016 Youth Olympic champion, the 2015 World Junior bronze medalist, a two-time Junior Grand Prix Final medalist (silver in 2014, bronze in 2015), and the 2015–16 Japan junior national champion.

Personal life

Yamamoto was born on January 10, 2000, in Kishiwada, Osaka, Japan. He is currently a student at the School of Sport Sciences at Chukyo University.

Career

Yamamoto started skating when he was five. He is a 3-time Japanese national novice medalist. He was invited to skate in the gala at the 2013 World Team Trophy as the Japanese national novice champion in the same season.

2013–14 season

Yamamoto debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series in 2013–14 season, placing 11th in Riga, Latvia, his sole assignment. At the Japan Championships, he was 5th in the junior competition and 14th at the senior event.

2014–15 season

During the 2014–15 JGP series, Yamamoto won silver medals in Courchevel, France and Tallinn, Estonia, which qualified him to the 2014–15 JGP Final in Barcelona, Spain. Ranked first in the short program and third in the free skate, he finished second overall, behind Shoma Uno and ahead of Alexander Petrov. Nationally, he was the junior silver medalist, behind Shoma Uno, and finished 6th at the senior event. At the 2015 World Junior Championships, Yamamoto placed 7th in the short program and 3rd in the free skate to win the bronze medal in his first appearance at that competition.

2015–16 season

Competing in the 2015–16 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Yamamoto won the bronze medal in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and gold in Toruń, Poland. These results qualified him for the 2015–16 JGP Final, where he was awarded the bronze medal. He won his first junior national title at the 2015 Japanese Junior Championships.

In February 2016, Yamamoto won the gold medal in the men's singles discipline at the Winter Youth Olympics ahead of Latvia's Deniss Vasiljevs and Russia's Dmitri Aliev. He fractured his right ankle in practice on March 12, causing him to withdraw from the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen.

2017–18 season

After missing the entirety of the 2016–2017 season, Yamamoto returned to competition domestically at the 2017–18 Japan Championships, placing ninth. Venturing out internationally, he placed fifth at the Coupe du Printemps.

2018–19 season

Debuting on the Challenger series, Yamamoto won gold at the 2018 CS Asian Open. He fared less well at his second Challenger, placing ninth at the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy. Making his Grand Prix debut, Yamamoto was sixth at Japan's 2018 NHK Trophy. Ninth at the Japan Championships, he finished the season with a gold medal at the 2019 Challenge Cup.

2019–20 season

Again beginning the season with two Challenger assignments, Yamamoto won the silver medal at the 2019 CS U.S. Classic after placing third in the short program and second in the free skate. the season at the 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy, and led the field after the short program, in which he set a new personal best and landed two quad jumps. He fell four times in the free skate, placing sixth in the segment, but narrowly took the silver medal overall.

2020–21 season

Yamamoto won the gold medal at the domestic Western Sectionals championship, qualifying for a berth to the national championships. Assigned to the 2020 NHK Trophy, he placed eighth. He was ninth at the 2020–21 Japan Championships.

2021–22 season

Yamamoto debuted on the Grand Prix at the 2021 Skate Canada International, finishing in seventh. He was seventh as well at the 2021 NHK Trophy, and said afterwards he felt he was "able to grow a little bit since Skate Canada." Yamamoto finished the fall season with a gold medal at the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup.

At the 2021–22 Japan Championships, Yamamoto finished in eight place. He went on to win the bronze medal at the International Challenge Cup.

2022–23 season

Beginning the season on the Grand Prix, Yamamoto won the short program at the 2022 Grand Prix de France. He was overtaken in the free skate by Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa, but still scored a new personal best in that segment and won the silver medal, his first Grand Prix podium placement. Yamamoto reflected on his past struggles with injury, saying that it made the moment "special for me, and I know I couldn't have achieved it myself. I have had all the support from my team as well as support from the fans." At his second event, the 2022 NHK Trophy on home ice in Sapporo, Yamamoto again finished first in the short program with a new personal best score of 96.49, ahead of reigning World champion Shoma Uno. He was again overtaken in the free skate, this time by Uno, but won his second silver medal and qualified to the Grand Prix Final for the first time. He said that he was pleased at the prospect of competing together with Uno at the Final.

At the Final in Turin, Yamamoto finished second in the short program behind Uno. He assessed that his quad Salchow was "not perfect, but I am happy I was able to skate without any mistakes and going into the free skating, it will be a confidence boost." The segment also saw several other skaters, such as widely favoured American Ilia Malinin, underperform. In the free skate, Yamamoto set a new personal best (on his way to a personal best total score as well), finishing third in the segment behind Uno and Malinin, but remaining second overall. Winning the silver medal, he said he was pleased to have delivered a satisfactory free skate for the first time in the season and to have achieved his goal of making the podium.

Yamamoto finished third in the short program at the 2022–23 Japan Championships, but a seventh-place free skate dropped him to fifth overall. Despite this, due to the Japan Skating Federation's selection criteria incorporating international results, he was selected as Japan's third man for the 2023 World Championships, which occasioned some controversy due to national silver medalist Koshiro Shimada being passed over.

Named to the Japanese team for the 2023 Winter World University Games in Lake Placid, Yamamoto won the gold medal, finishing more than thirty points ahead of silver medalist Tatsuya Tsuboi. He then won the silver medal at the International Challenge Cup at the end of February. Yamamoto was fifteenth in his World Championship debut on home ice in Saitama.

2023–24 season

Yamamoto began the season at the 2023 CS Autumn Classic International, finishing in fourth place. Moving on to the Grand Prix, he started at the 2023 Skate Canada International. First in the short program despite an underrotated quad jump and a spin error, he was only third in the free skate, but remained in first place overall to claim his first Grand Prix gold medal. At the 2023 Cup of China, he finished in sixth place after struggles in the short program.

At the 2023–24 Japan Championships, Yamamoto finished second in the short program, albeit more than ten points behind segment leader Shoma Uno. In the free skate he came third, and placed third overall, winning the bronze medal and standing on the Japanese national podium for the first time in his senior career. Reflecting on his career, Yamamoto said there "were good times and bad times, and there were really tough days. But I'm glad I did my best even through those times. This is the result I was aiming for, but I want to look even further ahead, set my goals even higher, and grow even more."

Yamamoto competed at the 2024 Four Continents Championships in Shanghai, coming fourth in both segments and finishing fourth overall.

2024–25 season

Yamamoto opened the season by winning gold at the 2024 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Yamamoto placed third in the short program at 2024 Skate Canada International. However, he dropped to fourth after making a few costly mistakes during his free skate. Following the event, Christopher Tin, who composed one of tracks that Yamamoto used for his free program, praised Yamamoto's performance on his social media accounts. Three weeks later, Yamamoto would also place fourth at the 2024 Finlandia Trophy.

Programs

Competitive highlights

• GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
• JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
• CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
• Medals at team events are awarded for the team results only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.

Detailed results

• Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships.
• Medals at team events are awarded for the team results only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.

Senior level

Results in the 2013–14 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Dec 20–23, 2013	2013–14 Japan Championships	11	65.90	19	104.72	14	170.62

Results in the 2014–15 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Dec 26–28, 2014	2014–15 Japan Championships	7	67.19	6	139.61	6	206.80

Results in the 2015–16 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Dec 24–27, 2015	2015–16 Japan Championships	11	62.92	5	152.23	6	215.15

Results in the 2017–18 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Dec 20–24, 2017	2017–18 Japan Championships	8	72.88	10	135.39	9	208.27
Mar 16–18, 2018	2018 Coupe du Printemps	6	69.04	5	128.77	5	197.81

Results in the 2018–19 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Aug 1–5, 2018	2018 CS Asian Open Trophy	6	57.92	1	141.00	1	198.92
Oct 5–7, 2018	2018 CS Finlandia Trophy	8	72.16	10	133.63	9	205.79
Nov 9–11, 2018	2018 NHK Trophy	6	74.98	5	138.42	6	213.40
Dec 20–24, 2018	2018–19 Japan Championships	10	71.95	8	140.74	9	212.69
Feb 21–24, 2019	2019 International Challenge Cup	1	82.24	1	171.63	1	253.87

Results in the 2019–20 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 17–22, 2019	2019 CS U.S. International Classic	3	82.88	2	157.23	2	240.11
Oct 11–14, 2019	2019 CS Finlandia Trophy	1	92.81	6	130.43	2	223/24
Nov 22–24, 2019	2019 NHK Trophy	7	74.88	5	151.39	6	226.27
Dec 18–22, 2019	2019–20 Japan Championships	13	68.16	7	152.33	7	220.49

Results in the 2020–21 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 3, 2020	2020 Japan Open	–	–	2	137.97	1	–
Nov 27–29, 2020	2020 NHK Trophy	9	62.38	7	127.81	8	190.19
Dec 24–27, 2020	2020–21 Japan Championships	9	82.60	6	134.74	9	217.34

Results in the 2021–22 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 2, 2021	2021 Japan Open	–	–	4	156.13	1	–
Oct 29–31, 2021	2021 Skate Canada International	7	78.78	8	146.96	7	225.74
Nov 12–14, 2021	2021 NHK Trophy	5	86.05	8	152.85	7	238.90
Nov 17–20, 2021	2021 CS Warsaw Cup	1	91.75	3	155.90	1	247.65
Dec 22–26, 2021	2021–22 Japan Championships	4	93.79	12	146.39	8	240.18
Feb 24–27, 2022	2022 International Challenge Cup	1	90.25	3	147.51	3	237.76

Results in the 2022–23 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 4–6, 2022	2022 Grand Prix de France	1	92.42	3	165.48	2	257.90
Nov 18–20, 2022	2022 NHK Trophy	1	96.49	6	161.36	2	257.85
Dec 8–11, 2022	2022–23 Grand Prix Final	2	94.86	3	179.49	2	274.35
Dec 21–25, 2022	2022–23 Japan Championships	3	86.89	7	158.52	5	245.41
Jan 13–15, 2022	2023 Winter World University Games	1	101.32	1	173.54	1	274.86
Feb 23–26, 2023	2023 International Challenge Cup	2	84.72	2	160.89	2	245.61
Mar 20–26, 2023	2023 World Championships	17	75.48	15	156.91	15	232.39

Results in the 2023–24 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 14–16, 2023	2023 CS Autumn Classic International	7	70.39	3	160.84	4	231.23
Oct 27–29, 2023	2023 Skate Canada International	1	89.56	3	168.86	1	258.42
Nov 10–12, 2023	2023 Cup of China	8	75.48	5	170.10	6	245.58
Dec 20–24, 2023	2023–24 Japan Championships	2	94.58	3	192.42	3	287.00
Jan 30 – Feb 4, 2024	2024 Four Continents Championships	4	94.44	4	168.99	4	263.43

Results in the 2024–25 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 19–21, 2024	2024 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	3	79.00	1	183.72	1	262.72
Oct 25–27, 2024	2024 Skate Canada International	3	92.16	3	164.84	4	257.00
Nov 15-17, 2024	2024 Finlandia Trophy	4	82.43	3	167.48	4	249.91

Junior level

Results in the 2011–12 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 25–27, 2011	2011–12 Japan Championships (Junior)	14	41.62	10	90.98	11	132.60

Results in the 2012–13 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 17–18, 2012	2012–13 Japan Championships (Junior)	11	47.32	4	112.29	4	159.61

Results in the 2013–14 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Aug 28–31, 2013	2013 JGP Latvia	11	56.15	12	100.08	11	156.23
Nov 22–24, 2013	2013–14 Japan Championships (Junior)	3	62.28	10	103.82	5	166.10
Mar 14–16, 2014	2014 Coupe du Printemps	1	65.24	–	–	1	65.24

Results in the 2014–15 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Aug 20–23, 2014	2014 JGP France	3	65.66	2	130.14	2	195.80
Sep 24–27, 2014	2014 JGP Estonia	2	66.42	2	136.28	2	202.70
Nov 22–24, 2014	2014–15 Japan Championships (Junior)	2	67.81	1	134.69	2	202.50
Dec 10–14, 2014	2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final	1	76.14	3	136.98	2	213.12
Mar 2–8, 2015	2015 World Junior Championships	7	69.99	3	145.46	3	215.45

Results in the 2015–16 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 2–5, 2015	2015 JGP United States	2	65.11	3	138.57	3	203.68
Sep 23–26, 2015	2015 JGP Poland	1	75.16	1	157.26	1	232.42
Nov 21–23, 2015	2015–16 Japan Championships (Junior)	1	70.42	1	142.98	1	213.40
Dec 9–13, 2015	2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final	3	72.85	4	132.46	3	205.31
Feb 12–21, 2016	2016 Winter Youth Olympics	1	73.07	3	142.45	1	215.52

References

1. ^ "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022.
2. "山本草太選手、横井ゆは菜選手 スケート部の結果を学園首脳陣に報告しました". Chukyo University. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
3. "山本が世界ジュニア欠場 練習中に右足首骨折／フィギュア" [Yamamoto fractures right ankle in practice, will miss Junior Worlds] (in Japanese). Sanspo. 10 March 2016. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016.
4. Browne, Ken (October 13, 2019). "SHOMA UNO LEADS JAPAN 1-2 IN FINLANDIA TROPHY". Olympic Channel.
5. "2020 JAPAN OPEN & NATIONALS UPDATE". International Figure Skating.
6. Slater, Paula (November 28, 2020). "Yuma Kagiyama commands men's event; snatches NHK Trophy gold". Golden Skate.
7. Slater, Paula (October 30, 2021). "USA's Chen back on track; takes gold at Skate Canada". Golden Skate.
8. Slater, Paula (November 13, 2021). "Shoma Uno defends NHK Trophy title". Golden Skate.
9. ^ "Competition Results: Sota YAMAMOTO". International Skating Union.
10. Slater, Paula (December 26, 2021). "Yuzuru Hanyu reigns in Saitama". Golden Skate.
11. Slater, Paula (November 5, 2022). "Fa captures gold on home ice at Grand Prix de France". Golden Skate.
12. "Yamamoto's Short Program sends Japanese crowd home happy at end of first day of NHK Trophy in Sapporo". International Skating Union. November 18, 2022.
13. "Uno (JPN) proves he is the one to beat as Free Skating fightback secures Sapporo gold". International Skating Union. November 19, 2022.
14. Slater, Paula (November 19, 2022). "Uno defends NHK title again". Golden Skate.
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17. Slater, Paula (December 11, 2022). "Uno wins first Grand Prix Final gold". Golden Skate.
18. "World Champion Uno (JPN) proves his class with ISU Grand Prix Final gold". International Skating Union. December 10, 2022.
19. Gallagher, Jack (December 23, 2022). "Shoma Uno Powers to Big Lead in Short Program at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
20. Gallagher, Jack (December 26, 2022). "Shoma Uno Claims Fifth National Title By a Large Margin at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
21. Gallagher, Jack (December 27, 2022). "Shoma Uno is Unhappy with Team Selection Process for World Championships". Japan Forward.
22. Gallagher, Jack (January 18, 2023). "Mihara and Yamamoto Lead Japan Medal Rush at the Winter World University Games". Japan Forward.
23. Gallagher, Jack (February 27, 2023). "Japan Continues Domination with Medal Bonanza at Challenge Cup". Japan Forward.
24. Gallagher, Jack (March 26, 2023). "Shoma Uno Wins Second Straight World Title Despite Free Skate Struggles". Japan Forward.
25. Slater, Paula (October 29, 2023). "Sota Yamamoto captures first Grand Prix gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
26. Slater, Paula (November 11, 2023). "Siao Him Fa surprises; takes Cup of China gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
27. Gallagher, Jack (December 22, 2023). "Shoma Uno Returns to Form with a Smooth Short Program at the Japan Championships". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
28. Gallagher, Jack (December 24, 2023). "Shoma Uno Equals Yuzuru Hanyu with Sixth Victory at the Japan Championships". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
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30. Odeven, Ed (February 4, 2024). "Yuma Kagiyama Triumphs at the Four Continents". Japan Forward. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
31. ^ "JPN–Sota Yamamoto". SkatingScores.com.
32. Tin, Christopher. "I've been following Team Japan in the ISU 2024 #SkateCanada". X. X. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
33. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 3, 2024.
34. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2024/25 Short Program". X. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
35. "フィギュア 2024-2025男子新プログラム一覧【鍵山優真・三浦佳生・佐藤駿 等】". Skate Japan. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
36. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023.
37. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021.
38. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020.
39. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 13, 2019.
40. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019.
41. Dreams on Ice 2015 (Television production) (in Japanese). Japan: Fuji TV. 22 June 2015.
42. フィギュアスケート (in Japanese). Japan. 12 July 2015. BS Fuji.
43. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 29, 2015.
44. Xiong, Wei (August 29, 2015). "Sota Yamamoto sets sights on Junior World title". Golden Skate.
45. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015.
46. "Sota YAMAMOTO: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 22, 2014.

External links

Media related to Sota Yamamoto at Wikimedia Commons

• Sota Yamamoto at the International Skating Union
• Sota Yamamoto at SkatingScores.com

• 2000 births
• Japanese male single skaters
• Living people
• People from Kishiwada, Osaka
• Figure skaters at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
• Youth Olympic gold medalists for Japan
• World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists
• Competitors at the 2023 Winter World University Games
• Medalists at the 2023 Winter World University Games
• 21st-century Japanese sportsmen
• Winter World University Games medalists in figure skating
• FISU World University Games gold medalists for Japan
• Medalists at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics