By Chang-Ran Kim
BEIJING (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)
