Rio Nakata

Japanese figure skater

Rio Nakata

Nakata performing his free skate at the 2024–25 Junior Grand Prix Final

Native name| 中田璃士
Other names| Nakata Rio
Born|  (2008-09-08) 8 September 2008 (age 16)
Cardiff, Wales
Hometown| Chiba, Japan
Height| 1.66 m (5 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country|  Japan
Coach| Makoto Nakata
Kensuke Nakaniwa
Skating club| Tokio Inkarami
Began skating| 2011
Medal record
| Japan Championships

|  | 2024–25 Osaka | Singles

|
|

World Junior Championships
|  | 2025 Debrecen | Singles

|
|

| 2024 Taipei | Singles

|
|

Junior Grand Prix Final
|  | 2023–24 Beijing | Singles

|
|

| 2024–25 Grenoble | Singles

|
|

Rio Nakata (中田璃士, Nakata Rio, born 8 September 2008) is a Welsh–Japanese figure skater. He is the 2025 Junior World champion, 2024–25 Japan national silver medalist, the 2024 Junior World silver medalist, the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, the 2024–25 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, a five-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist, the 2024–25 Japanese Junior national champion, and the 2023–24 Japanese Junior national silver medalist.[1][2]

## Personal life

[edit]

Nakata was born on 8 September 2008 in Cardiff, Wales to his Welsh mother, Hollie Mason, and Japanese father, Makoto Nakata.[3][4] The family moved to Tokyo, Japan during Nakata's toddler years before eventually settling in Chiba in 2022.[5][6][7] Nakata is bilingual, able to speak Japanese and English fluently. Despite having lived in Japan for most of his life, he primarily communicates with his parents in English while at home.[8][9][10]

He is currently a student at Wakamatsu Junior High School.[11]

His figure skating idol is Shoma Uno.[9]

## Career

[edit]

### Early career

[edit]

Nakata began figure skating in 2011 at the age of three at a rink in Tokyo where his father, Makoto, coached at the time. Since then, Makoto has remained part of Nakata's coaching team.[5][8]

He debuted at the basic novice level by winning silver at the 2018 Tokyo Regionals, before going on to win bronze at the 2018–19 Japan Basic Novice Championships. The following year, Nakata won gold at both events.[2]

Competing at the advanced novice level, Nakata won gold at both the 2020 Tokyo Regionals and the 2020–21 Japan Advanced Novice Championships. As the reigning Japanese national novice champion, Nakata was invited to skate in the gala at the 2020 NHK Trophy. He was then selected to compete at the 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships, finishing seventeenth. The subsequent season, Nakata won silver and gold, respectively, at the 2021 Tokyo Regionals and the 2021–22 Japan Novice Championships. He then placed seventeenth at the 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships.[12]

In summer 2022, Nakata began training at the MF Figure Skating Academy in Chiba due to his father getting a coaching job there. It was there that Kensuke Nakaniwa also joined his coaching team.[6]

### 2022–2023 season: First JGP medal

[edit]

Making his junior international debut, Nakata competed on the 2022–23 ISU Junior Grand Prix, winning silver at the 2022 JGP Latvia and finishing fourth at the 2022 JGP Poland II. With these results, Nakata was named as the first alternate for the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final.[13][14]

He went on to compete at the Japan Eastern Sectional Championships, winning the gold medal. At the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships, Nakata finished fifth and was selected to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Senior Championships due to this top eight finish.[15][12] At those championships, Nakata finished twenty-sixth in the short program and did not advance to the free skate segment of the competition.[16]

Nakata closed his season by winning silver on the junior level at the 2023 Triglav Trophy.[14]

### 2023–2024 season: JGP Final gold and World Junior silver

[edit]

Competing on the 2023–24 ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit, Nakata began his season by winning gold at the 2023 JGP Thailand, landing a clean quad jump (the toe loop) for the first time in competition.[5] He would subsequently win silver at the 2023 JGP Turkey behind South Korean skater, Seo Min-kyu.[17] These results guaranteed Nakata a spot at the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final.[18]

Nakata went on to win gold on the junior level of the 2023 Tokyo Regionals and the silver medal at the 2023 Japan Eastern Sectional Championships.[16] He then won the silver medal at the 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships behind Shunsuke Nakamura. With this result, combined with his success on the Junior Grand Prix series, Nakata was selected to represent Japan at both the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics and the 2024 World Junior Championships.[16][19][20] He was also selected to compete at the 2023–24 Japan Senior Championships due to his top eight finish at the junior championships.[21]

At the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing, China, Nakata placed fourth in the short program after falling on a planned triple Axel attempt and receiving an edge call on his triple Lutz. However, he went on to win the free skate after landing a clean quad toe and seven clean triple jumps, and take the gold medal. At the event, Nakata said, "I wanted to show the world what I can do. It's my biggest competition yet so far and that made me really nervous. Being the youngest competitor here I feel like I am so small, and the others are so big. So, I have to compensate it by skating big!... I am so happy! Today is my mom's birthday and I think I gave her a nice present today... The result is a great achievement, but there are many competitions ahead this season. I need to work harder; I cannot relax now."[22]

Competing on the senior level at the 2023–24 Japan Championships, Nakata finished seventeenth.[16]

Nakata entered the Youth Olympics in Gangwon as one of the favourites for the gold medal in the men's event, which had been won by Japanese the prior two editions. However, after a "woeful" short program in which he made mistakes on two of three jumping passes and fell on a spin entry he finished thirteenth in the segment, and more than twenty points behind the leader.[23] He rebounded in the free skate, coming second in that segment and rising to fifth overall. Nakata called it "a good experience for me this time. I felt the crowd's support for me. I was so happy that I showed everybody what I can do."[24]

Finishing the season at the 2024 World Junior Championships, Nakata had a difficult landing on his jump combination and lost a level on one of his spins, but still earned 77.60 points and came fifth in the segment. He admitted that the Youth Olympic short program had been a "big shock" that left him "pretty scared of the short program today," but was pleased with the result. In the free skate his only error was stepping out of a quad toe loop attempt, and he won the segment with a personal best score of 151.71, earning a gold small medal. Nakata won the silver medal overall, 1.44 points behind champion Seo Min-kyu of South Korea.[25]

### 2024–25 season: Junior national title, Senior national silver medal, and World Junior gold

[edit]

Nakata during his short program at the 2024–25 Junior Grand Prix Final

In preparation for the season, Nakata requested that choreographer, Shin Yea-ji, create his free program to the music of Pirates of the Caribbean as a tribute to his father, who had previously skated to that music as a competitive figure skater.[10] Nakata began the season by competing on the Junior Grand Prix series, winning silver at 2024 JGP Thailand and gold at 2024 JGP China.[26][1] For the latter event's medal ceremony, Nakata changed into his father's old Pirates of the Caribbean costume.[10] His results on the Junior Grand Prix allowed him to qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final for a second consecutive time.[27]

In late November, Nakata competed at the 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships, where he won the gold medal.[2] This result ensured his qualification to compete at the senior championships.[28]

At the Junior Grand Prix Final in Grenoble, France, Nakata won the short program but was only fourth in the free skate due to popping a planned triple Axel and triple Loop in single jumps.[2][29] He would take bronze overall behind Jacob Sanchez of the United States and Seo Min-kyu of South Korea.[30] He expressed frustration following the event, saying, "I was very nervous ahead of my competition. I feel so disappointed. This is giving me a lot of energy for my next competition which will be the Japanese Nationals! I want to achieve all my goals from now on."[31]

In late December, Nakata competed at the 2024–25 Japan Championships, where he delivered two clean skates that included a free skate where he successfully attempted and landed a quad Loop jump for the first time in competition. Due to several of the event's older medal contenders faltering during their short and free programs, Nakata managed to place second in both competition segments and won the silver medal overall behind Yuma Kagiyama. Following the competition, Nakata expressed shock and elation at the result, saying, "I still haven't sorted my head out yet, but I finally achieved my goal. I didn't do well in the 6-minute practice, but I was able to concentrate on what I had to do. I was able to land the (quadruple) loop for the only time in this competition, and I was very happy to land two quadruples for the first time in my life."[2][32][33][34] He was subsequently named to the World Junior team.[35]

At the 2025 World Junior Championship in Debrecen, Hungary, Nakata skated cleanly and scored a personal best, finishing second in that segment, only 0.64 points behind defending champion, Seo Min-kyu. During the free skate, Nakata stepped out of his opening quad Toe-loop attempt but followed that up with a clean quad Toe-triple Toe combination and without any other mistakes. He won the free skate segment, scoring a new personal best of 162.95 and winning the gold medal overall.[36][2] Following the event, he said, "I practiced up until now for this, to get gold here. There are many people around here so I am not showing my emotions too much since it won’t be nice. I will get very happy once I’m back to the hotel. When I made a mistake at the beginning I felt very stressed but after that I calmed down. I was able to hang onto it until the end, and I think the biggest thing I got from this competition, well, I failed my first Toe-loop, but I think the second one was the best one. At first, I thought it was going to go bad. When I had the step out. After that, I wasn’t sure if I could do the Axel but I decided to trust my training up until now, to not let it all go to waste."[37]

Nakata was invited to skate in the gala at the 2025 World Team Trophy as the World Junior champion.[38]

## Programs

[edit]

Season  | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition

|
|
|

2024–2025
[39][40][41] |

* Aroul
* Uccen (DWTS Remix)
by The Taalbi Brothers
choreo. by Misha Ge

* Pirates of the Caribbean
* Jack Sparrow
* Singapore
* At Wit's End
by Hans Zimmer
* My Name is Barbossa
* Treasure
* Beyond My Beloved Horizon
* You Speak of the Trident
by Geoff Zanelli
choreo. by Shin Yea-ji

* Aroul
* Uccen (DWTS Remix)
by The Taalbi Brothers
choreo. by Misha Ge

* * *

* Take Me to Church
by Hozier

* * *

* Someone You Loved
by Lewis Capaldi

2023–2024
[17] |

* God Particle
by Joshua Bell, Hans Zimmer
* 160 BPM
(from Angels & Demons)
by Hans Zimmer
choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto

* Blunt Instrument
(from Casino Royale)
by David Arnold
* Writing's on the Wall
(from Spectre)
by Sam Smith
* James Bond Theme
by Monty Norman
choreo. by Eiji Iwamoto

* Someone You Loved
by Lewis Capaldi

* * *

* Believer
by Imagine Dragons
choreo. by Eiki Hattori

2022–2023
[14] |

* Believer
by Imagine Dragons
choreo. by Eiki Hattori

## Competitive highlights

[edit]

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International: Junior[1]

Event  | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | 24–25
Winter Youth Olympics |  |  |  | 5th |
World Junior Championships |  |  |  | 2nd | 1st
Junior Grand Prix Final |  |  |  | 1st | 3rd
JGP China |  |  |  |  | 1st
JGP Latvia |  |  | 2nd |  |
JGP Poland |  |  | 4th |  |
JGP Thailand |  |  |  | 1st | 2nd
JGP Turkey |  |  |  | 2nd |
Triglav Trophy |  |  | 2nd |  |
National[42][2]
Japan Championships |  |  | 26th | 17th | 2nd
Japan Junior Championships | 17th | 17th | 5th | 2nd | 1st

## Detailed results

[edit]

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [43] Segment  | Type  | Score  | Event

|
|
|

Total  | TSS | 248.99 | 2025 World Junior Championships
Short program | TSS | 86.04 | 2025 World Junior Championships
TES | 45.50 | 2025 World Junior Championships
PCS | 40.54 | 2025 World Junior Championships
Free skating | TSS | 162.95 | 2025 World Junior Championships
TES | 85.39 | 2025 World Junior Championships
PCS | 77.56 | 2025 World Junior Championships

### Senior level

[edit]

2024–25 season

Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
19–22 December 2024  | 2024–25 Japan Championships | 2
90.31  | 2
173.68  | 2
263.99
2023–24 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
20–24 December 2023  | 2023–24 Japan Championships | 16
71.45  | 17
128.82  | 17
200.27
2022–23 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
21–25 December 2022  | 2022–23 Japan Championships | 26
57.74  | –  | 26
57.74

### Junior level

[edit]

2024–25 season

Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
25 February–2 March 2025  | 2025 World Junior Championships | 2
86.04 | 1
162.95 | 1
248.99
5–8 December 2024  | 2024–25 Junior Grand Prix Final | 1
79.39  | 4
135.94  | 3
215.33
15–17 November 2024  | 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships | 2
77.92  | 1
142.55  | 1
220.47
9–12 October 2024  | 2024 JGP China | 1
81.55  | 1
151.98  | 1
233.53
11–14 September 2024  | 2024 JGP Thailand | 2
76.54  | 2
142.17  | 2
218.71
2023–24 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
26 February–3 March 2024  | 2024 World Junior Championships | 5
77.60  | 1
151.71  | 2
229.31
26 January–2 February 2024  | 2024 Winter Youth Olympics | 13
55.59  | 2
142.70  | 5
198.29
7–10 December 2023  | 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final | 4
67.71  | 1
160.06  | 1
227.77
November 17–19, 2023  | 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships | 5
64.28  | 1
141.48  | 2
205.76
6–9 September 2023  | 2023 JGP Turkey | 3
73.55  | 2
148.80  | 2
222.35
23–26 August 2023  | 2023 JGP Thailand | 3
75.28  | 1
142.37  | 1
217.65
2022–23 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
12–16 April 2023  | 2023 Triglav Trophy | 2
65.42  | 2
119.03  | 2
184.45
25–27 November 2022  | 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships | 7
63.26  | 4
126.98  | 5
190.24
5–8 October 2022  | 2022 JGP Poland | 3
76.15  | 4
124.26  | 4
200.41
7–10 September 2022  | 2022 JGP Latvia | 3
68.91  | 3
131.26  | 2
200.17
2021–22 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
19–21 November 2021  | 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships | 10
57.87  | 23
84.60  | 17
142.47
2020–21 season
Date  | Event  | SP | FS | Total
21–23 November 2020  | 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships | 20
47.94  | 15
96.14  | 17
144.08

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Rio NAKATA: Competition Results". International Skating Union. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h "JPN-Rio NAKATA". Skating Scores. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
3. ^ a b Kano, Shintaro (9 December 2023). "Grand Prix Final 2023: Nakata Rio hits 'a home run' to give Japan junior singles sweep". International Olympic Committee.
4. ^ a b 坂上, 武司 (3 August 2022). "「あのカリブ海のように」 宇野昌磨に憧れる13歳ジュニアデビュー". Aashi. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
5. ^ a b c d "中田 璃士". Kyodo News. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
6. ^ a b c "中田璃士選手「全日本選手権で強い選手たちと戦いたい」 - フィギュアスケーターのオアシス♪ KENJIの部屋". JSports. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
7. ^ a b "先生紹介". MF Figure Skating Academy. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
8. ^ a b c "中田璃士選手「気づいたら氷の上に乗っていた」 - フィギュアスケーターのオアシス♪ KENJIの部屋". JSports. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
9. ^ a b c "Rio NAKATA (JPN) - Junior Men Winner - Bangkok 2023 - #JGPFigure". YouTube. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
10. ^ a b c d "On the road to Grenoble - Rio NAKATA (JPN) - Junior Men Winner - Wuxi 2024". YouTube. International Skating Union. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
11. ^ a b "【フィギュア】中田璃士が大逆転Ｖ「１位の意地を見せないと」今季初３回転半２本成功". Nikkan Sports. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
12. ^ a b c "中田 璃士". Japan Skating Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
13. ^ a b "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2022/2023 - Junior Men". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
14. ^ a b c d "Rio NAKATA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022.
15. ^ a b "激闘を勝ち抜き🙌男女8名とペア1組が全日本選手権推薦出場🎉". Twitter. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
16. ^ a b c d e "中田 璃士 Rio NAKATA". Fuji TV. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
17. ^ a b c "Rio NAKATA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024.
18. ^ a b "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2023/2024 - Junior Men". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 October 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
19. ^ a b "YOG 2024" (PDF). Japanese Skating Union. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
20. ^ a b "JUNIOR WORLDS ASSIGNMENTS✨". Twitter. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
21. ^ a b "Nominee 2023" (PDF). Japan Figure Skating Federation. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
22. ^ a b Slater, Paula (10 December 2023). "Rio Nakata rebounds to capture gold at Junior Grand Prix Final". Golden Skate. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
23. ^ a b Gallagher, Jack (27 January 2024). "Rio Nakata's Woeful Short Program Ends Japan's Shot at 3rd Straight Men's Gold at Winter Youth Olympics". Japan Forward. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
24. ^ a b "Youth Olympic Games - Gangwon 2024 Blog - Day 14". International Skating Union. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
25. ^ a b Slater, Paula (2 March 2024). "Minkyu Seo clinches men's title at Junior Worlds". Golden Skate. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
26. ^ a b "Youngsters make history for China and New Zealand at ISU Junior Grand Prix in Bangkok". International Skating Union. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
27. ^ "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2024/2025 - Junior Men". International Skating Union. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
28. ^ "The follow junior skaters have qualified for Senior Nationals". X. Skate Japan News. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
29. ^ "2024 Junior Grand Prix Final - Junior Men's Free Skate". Skating Scores. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
30. ^ "2024 Junior Grand Prix Final - Junior Men's Final Results". Skating Scores. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
31. ^ "Rio Nakata 🇯🇵 135.94 / 215.33". Instagram. Golden Skate. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
32. ^ "2025 Japanese Nationals - Men's Short Program". Skating Scores. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
33. ^ "2025 Japanese Nationals - Men's Free Skate". Skating Scores. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
34. ^ "【フィギュア】16歳・中田璃士が2位「やっと目標達成できた」 有言実行！19年鍵山以来ジュニア表彰台". Sponichi. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
35. ^ "🇯🇵 Japan's assignments for #WorldJFigure". X. Anything GOEs. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
36. ^ "Japan's Rio Nakata captures Junior World men's title in Debrecen". Golden Skate. Golden Skate. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
37. ^ "Rio Nakata 🇯🇵 162.95 / 248.99". Instagram. Golden Skate. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
38. ^ Skating ISU (20 April 2025). Exhibition Gala | ISU World Team Trophy | Tokyo 2025 | #WTTFigure. Retrieved 20 April 2025 - via YouTube.
39. ^ a b "Rio NAKATA: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024.
40. ^ a b Ge, Misha. "Rio Nakata: 2024/25 Short Program". Instagram. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
41. ^ a b "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.
42. ^ a b "Rio NAKATA". RinkResults.com. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
43. ^ a b "Personal Bests - Rio NAKATA (JPN)". International Skating Union. Retrieved 22 December 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Rio NAKATA at the International Skating Union
* NAKATA Rio at Japan Skating Federation
* Rio Nakata at SkatingScores.com
* Rio Nakata on Instagram

* v
* t
* e

World junior figure skating champions (men's singles)

* 1976:  Mark Cockerell
* 1977:  Daniel Beland
* 1978:  Dennis Coi
* 1979:  Vitali Egorov
* 1980:  Alexandre Fadeev
* 1981:  Paul Wylie
* 1982:  Scott Williams
* 1983:  Christopher Bowman
* 1984:  Viktor Petrenko
* 1985:  Erik Larson
* 1986:  Vladimir Petrenko
* 1987:  Rudy Galindo
* 1988:  Todd Eldredge
* 1989:  Viacheslav Zagorodniuk
* 1990:  Igor Pashkevich
* 1991:  Vasili Eremenko
* 1992:  Dmitri Dmitrenko
* 1993:  Evgeni Pliuta
* 1994:  Michael Weiss
* 1995:  Ilia Kulik
* 1996:  Alexei Yagudin
* 1997:  Evgeni Plushenko
* 1998:  Derrick Delmore
* 1999:  Ilia Klimkin
* 2000:  Stefan Lindemann
* 2001:  Johnny Weir
* 2002:  Daisuke Takahashi
* 2003:  Alexander Shubin
* 2004:  Andrei Griazev
* 2005:  Nobunari Oda
* 2006:  Takahiko Kozuka
* 2007:  Stephen Carriere
* 2008–09:  Adam Rippon
* 2010:  Yuzuru Hanyu
* 2011:  Andrei Rogozine
* 2012:  Yan Han
* 2013:  Joshua Farris
* 2014:  Nam Nguyen
* 2015:  Shoma Uno
* 2016:  Daniel Samohin
* 2017:  Vincent Zhou
* 2018:  Alexey Erokhov
* 2019:  Tomoki Hiwatashi
* 2020:  Andrei Mozalev
* 2022:  Ilia Malinin
* 2023:  Kao Miura
* 2024:  Seo Min-kyu
* 2025:  Rio Nakata

* v
* t
* e

Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final champions (men's singles)

* 1997:  Timothy Goebel
* 1998:  Vincent Restencourt
* 1999:  Gao Song
* 2000:  Ma Xiaodong
* 2001:  Stanislav Timchenko
* 2002:  Alexander Shubin
* 2003:  Evan Lysacek
* 2004:  Dennis Phan
* 2005:  Takahiko Kozuka
* 2006:  Stephen Carriere
* 2007:  Adam Rippon
* 2008:  Florent Amodio
* 2009:  Yuzuru Hanyu
* 2010:  Richard Dornbush
* 2011:  Jason Brown
* 2012:  Maxim Kovtun
* 2013:  Jin Boyang
* 2014:  Shoma Uno
* 2015:  Nathan Chen
* 2016:  Dmitri Aliev
* 2017:  Alexei Krasnozhon
* 2018:  Stephen Gogolev
* 2019:  Shun Sato
* 2022:  Nikolaj Memola
* 2023:  Rio Nakata
* 2024:  Jacob Sanchez

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