Shun Sato (figure skater)


Shun Sato is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2020 Bavarian Open champion, the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a two-time Japan Junior national silver medalist. He is the junior world record holder for the men's free skating and combined total score.

Personal life

Sato was born on February 6, 2004 in Sendai, Japan.
His favorite animals are pandas. Sato's figure skating idol is fellow Sendai native Yuzuru Hanyu, who gave him an amulet when Sato was five years old.

Career

Early career

Sato began skating in 2009. He is a four-time Japanese national novice champion and the 2018–19 Japanese national junior silver medalist. On the junior level, Sato is also the 2018 Bavarian Open silver medalist and the 2019 International Challenge Cup champion.
As the four-time Japanese national novice champion, Sato was invited to skate in the gala at the 2015 NHK Trophy, 2016 NHK Trophy and 2017 World Team Trophy. He was also invited to skate in the gala at the 2019 World Championships as the silver medalist in 2018 Japanese junior nationals.

2019–2020 season

Sato won the gold medal in his Junior Grand Prix debut at 2019 JGP United States, ahead of reigning JGP Final champion Stephen Gogolev of Canada. He then won bronze at 2019 JGP Croatia. Sato's results qualified him to the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final. At the JGP Final, he set new junior world records for the free skating and the combined score en route to winning the gold medal, ahead of Russians Andrei Mozalev and Daniil Samsonov. He remarked "I was surprised that I could win here."
Sato won the silver medal at the 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships, behind Yuma Kagiyama and ahead of Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda. As a result, he was invited to compete in the senior division at the 2019–20 Japan Championships, alongside the rest of the top six finishers in the junior division. Sato placed fifth in the senior event and was named to the team for the 2020 World Junior Championships with Kagiyama, and placed sixth there.

Programs

Competitive highlights

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Detailed results

Junior level