Medalist (メダリスト)

Three minutes…

Just 180 seconds…

We pour everything we've learned into those minutes.

That's the figure skating world.

We practice everything tens, hundreds, thousands of times over.

The jumps, spins, steps…

To execute them flawlessly, to ensure success.

Weeks and months spent training.

Even so,

cruel reality can come crashing down.

A slight slip up, a slight wavering of the heart, causes mistakes like that one.

Even so, there's no time to dwell on it.

No time for regret.

In the little remaining time,

you must rise once again to affirm everything you've been practicing

up until this point.

Within the ice skating world, there shines an unwavering star.

It's as if the whole world turns around her.

She emits a brilliance clearly different from those around her.

A shining star like that…

You can't get close to it, even if you want to.

You're hesitant even to reach out toward it.

I wonder what people feel

when faced with such a star.

THE ATHLETE'S PLEDGE

It's no good.

I need to check it once more from the start. Let's see…

Goodness. Tsukasa, you're still up?

Ah, Kago.

What's with that look on your face?

Nothing.

I'm just doing final checks for the current structure

to see if there's any way to get a higher score…

Oh, dear…

That's not good.

I don't know much about skating,

but when you're over-prepared, even a small mistake can make you panic.

Don't you think it's important to relax a bit?

I know, I just ended up…

But when I look at past data,

everyone has their own strategies and styles for scoring high points,

and I can't help getting excited…

Even though you supported me…

I'm sorry.

I couldn't make your dream come true. I couldn't give you anything in return.

This program was amazing too.

That jump alone earned them

- such a great score… -

…and the steps were fantastic as well.

Well then, since I'm off tomorrow, I'll just get some good rest.

Good luck in the championship.

Yep! Thank you.

Sleep well.

- Huh? You're here, you're here! - Oh.

Good morning.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Coach Tsukasa, Coach Hitomi. - Hmm?

I'm going to do my best today.

Same here.

Let's give it our all.

- You'll do your best for Inori today… - Huh? Um

won't you?

- Please make sure she wins. - Um? Um… Um?

- Please, dear! - Geez! Dad!

- Um… -

- Don't bother Coach Tsukasa like that! -

Honestly, I didn't expect we'd even get this far,

all the way to the Chubu Block championship.

We shouldn't be satisfied with that alone.

For elite clubs, getting this far is the bare minimum.

Today, we have to beat skaters who are completely at home skating here.

There are only five slots available to advance to the All-Japans Novice.

A fierce contest between 15 people for just five seats.

The challenge is keeping your spirits up against Novice skaters,

who were once so untouchable.

The true test of my skills as a coach begins here.

He was so reluctant in the beginning,

yet he's grown into an admirable teacher.

- The one thing that really bothers me is… - Hmm?

I really wanted to see Inori in her glorious moment at the opening ceremony.

COACHES DON'T USUALLY ATTEND THE OPENING CEREMONY

FIGURE SKATING CHUBU BLOCK CHAMPIONSHIP

JAPAN SKATING FEDERATION

Here I am.

CHUBU BLOCK CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING CEREMONY

The Chubu Block championship…

The place I've always dreamed of reaching.

Thank you, Coach Tsukasa, Coach Hitomi, Mom, everyone…

Oh, yeah.

Hikaru!

I don't know a single person here.

Sota and Rioh should be here too.

Oh, they're Novice A skaters.

I'm going to sit with them.

This one, this one! It's super funny!

- Really? - I feel kind of awkward joining them…

No, stop it.

I can't keep acting all nervous like this. After all, I'm a Novice now too.

I'll be cheery and bright.

Yeah!

Miss Inori!

Just like Coach Tsukasa!

- Listen up, you shiny girls! - Oh?

I'm Inori Yuitsuka, Novice A!

Which seat should I sit in?

- Flex it! - Flex it!

- - What's "flex it"?

Flex it!

W-We don't have assigned seats so you can just sit where you like.

- Thank you! -

Your ribbon is amazing! Super cute!

You scored 10 billion flex points!

EEK…

Thank you…

I'm sensing some kind of spiritual energy that feels familiar…

Spiritual energy?

This is your fourth time competing?

That's right.

We're all from different clubs,

but because we spent time together at the Nagano camp, we're all friends.

There are also others like the kid from Toyohashi

who nails super high triple jumps.

The kid from Ishikawa who placed second at this year's Meikoh Cup,

and the kid who won last year's Chubu championship.

I see…

I convinced myself that simply becoming a Novice

meant I was on the same level as them.

Everyone's…

Track records are totally flexing it!

Like I said, what's flexing it?

Sure, we've got some experience, but we're still no match for Hikaru.

- Come on. - Huh?

Let's not do this before the competition.

Yuna…

- Huh? - And?

I was just checking the entry list.

Hikaru's not on it.

Huh?

Great. You passed.

As expected of Jun's student.

Thank you.

You're already Cinderella.

What further magic are you expecting from me?

What did you come all the way to Russia for?

I'm a young skater who's fairly good at ballet.

But it's not enough.

I want to experience ballet at the world's highest level.

Oh…

I don't want to be Cinderella.

I want to be the one who casts the magic.

Hikaru, once an orphan,

was adopted into our family by a remarkable twist of fate.

She possesses a remarkable ability to draw people in

and firmly grasp the luck that comes her way.

I'll be the one to judge that.

Where is the girl in question?

Behind you.

Huh?

Her eyes shimmered and flickered like those of a wild beast.

I thought that surely this child,

even if I did nothing,

would be discovered by the world and brought out into the light.

I guess she'll end up on the same path as me.

- Hmm? Well… - Yeah.

Hikaru was chosen as a seeded skater at the summer training camp.

Even if she doesn't participate in this championship,

her spot in the All-Japans is already secured.

Oh, really!

It's really unusual because, normally,

seeded skaters still participate to get experience.

Now I think about it, she did mention…

Yeah, at All-Japans!

It's a promise!

That's right…

Hikaru believes I can make it through this championship.

- Huh? The elementary school kids… - Huh?

They don't look as lively as usual.

I think I've seen them on TV.

They're the designated skaters from Chubu.

The skating federation selects 20 athletes each year.

Talented skaters who support powerhouse Japan.

There are three rankings.

There's Junior Skater A… Junior Skater B…

SKATER A - IRUKA OKAZAKI SKATER B - MARIKA KURIONE

…and at the very top level of Japanese athletes are the Top Skaters.

It's Riina Kojoh, a competitor from the previous Olympics!

- Um… Riina… - Yuna, Yotsuha, what's wrong?

You look so glum…

- How… - Huh?

How do I get to the Olympics?

What?

Ah…

Inori, you shouldn't ask something like that.

Huh?

What? Huh?

Who do you think you're talking to?

Do you really think the hurdle to get to the Olympics is so low

that you can clear it just by asking how to do it?

- Are you trying to taunt us or something? -

Iruka…