Silver medallist Shoma Uno looking to shine at NHK Trophy
The PyeongChang 2018 runner-up will headline the Grand Prix in Hiroshima
Figure Skating
Shoma Uno is hungry.
The Japanese skater will be aiming to continue his winning start to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating season when he takes to the ice at the Hiroshima Green Arena.
The PyeongChang silver medallist opened his season with a victory at Skate Canada and has been working hard to repeat the performance in front of home fans at the NHK Trophy this weekend.
"I want to show my fans the progress I have made." - Shoma Uno to Japan Times
Better than second best
Last season was a tale of second place-finishes for Uno.
He was runners up at the Four Continents Championships before claiming silver at PyeongChang 2018 and closed off the season with at another silver at the World Championships in Milan.
All that after finishing second last season's Grand Prix Final in Nagoya.
This year, the 20-year-old has been putting in the hours to go one better.
"I have been working hard on all aspects of skating, jumps, spins, steps and I hope the results are evident." - Shoma Uno to Japan Times
Skating to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven in the short program, Uno had set the best short program score of the season at the Lombardia Trophy before it was eclipsed by Yuzuru Hanyu at GP Helsinki last weekend.
He currently holds the third highest total score of the season, behind Yuzuru Hanyu and world champion Nathan Chen.
The fourth Grand Prix event of six will see Uno face competition in the form of last year's winner, Sergei Voronov who took bronze at Skate America. The Russian will also be eyeing victory in Japan to secure himself a ticket to the Grand Prix Finals.
Another Russian, Dmitri Aliev who won silver at last season's European Championships should also be in the mix as will 2017 World Junior Champion Vincent Zhou from America.
Uno meanwhile will be focused on winning on home ice to book his ticket to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Vancouver this December.