Olympics-Figureskating-Japan's Uno puts on brave face as coach tests positive
03/02/2022 04:02
By Chang-Ran Kim
BEIJING, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Japanese figure skater Shoma Uno
said on Thursday that he was unworried by his Swiss coach still
awaiting clearance to travel to Beijing after a positive
COVID-19 test, but expressed some doubt over how it could affect
his performance at the Olympics.
A silver medallist in South Korea four years ago, Uno is
regarded as a strong medal contender at the Beijing Winter Games
along with compatriot Yuzuru Hanyu and American Nathan Chen, and
he is also among the possible competitors for the team event
that starts on Friday with the men's short programme.
Delivering an update on his COVID-19 status on Instagram,
Uno's coach, Stephane Lambiel, said he had no symptoms, was
fully vaccinated and boosted, had tested negative since and was
"waiting a few more days" before travelling to Beijing.
"I can sense that everyone is concerned for me," Uno told
reporters after his first practice session at Beijing's Capital
Indoor Stadium on Thursday.
"I'm not worried, per se. But for me, I equate Stephane with
competition, so I have this doubt in my mind as to whether I
would be able to switch to game-mode without him. I honestly
don't know how it will go."
Uno has credited Lambiel - an Olympic silver medallist
himself - for extending his figure skating career when he had
contemplated retiring.
The 24-year-old relocated to Switzerland to train with
Lambiel in 2019 but the pandemic has forced him to work mostly
on his own in Japan and resort to online coaching from the
two-time world champion.
"I think it's almost as hard for a coach to not be able to
be here as it is for an athlete. I really hope that he will be
able to arrive here as soon as possible."
Lambiel also coaches Latvian Deniss Vasiljevs, who will
start his competition on Feb. 8.
"I am sad that I can't be there for the start of their
Olympic experience, but I look forward to joining them as soon
as it will be safe for everyone," Lambiel wrote on Instagram.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim
Additional reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by
Simon Cameron-Moore)
((ran.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4520-1228))