[Winter Olympics] Make Speed Skating 100x More Fun: Two Japanese Stars to Know and Key Viewing Tips

How to Make Speed Skating 100x More Fun

At the Winter Olympics and world championships, speed skating is always one of the headline sports.
At first glance it may look like “just skating fast”, but in reality it is a deeply strategic sport full of
tactics, mind games and individual style.

In this article we introduce two Japanese skaters that will instantly make watching speed skating more enjoyable,
plus some beginner-friendly viewing tips that help you follow the races.

Basic Things to Watch in Speed Skating

• Pacing (is the skater a “fast starter” or “strong finisher”?)
• How lap times drop off – or hold steady – as the race goes on
• At major events, how they stack up against the European powerhouses

Two Japanese Skaters to Know

1) Miho Takagi – The Face of Japanese Speed Skating

For many years now, Miho Takagi has been at the forefront of Japanese and world speed skating
at the Olympics and world championships. From 500 m up to 1500 m, she is one of the world’s truly
complete, all-round skaters.

• Exceptionally stable technique from the start all the way to the finish
• Her final-lap surge is among the best in the world
• A rare athlete who can realistically fight for medals in multiple distances

If you’re not sure who to follow, start with Miho Takagi.
Simply tracking her races will naturally help you understand the flow of the whole tournament.

2) Wataru Morishige – The Next-Generation Leader of the Men’s Long Distances

On the men’s side, the skater drawing attention as someone who can go toe-to-toe with the world’s best
over the longer distances is Wataru Morishige.
He has been steadily producing results at world championships and international races, and is growing into
a central figure of the Japanese men’s team.

• Race patterns that see him climbing the rankings in the second half
• Taking the fight straight to the European long-distance specialists
• A realistic medal contender at the Olympics and world championships

Long-distance races can be tricky to follow, and it’s often hard to tell who is really “winning”.
But if you focus on how Morishige’s lap times develop, the shape of the race becomes much easier to understand.

Why Speed Skating Gets Interesting When You “Compare”

One of the true charms of speed skating lies in the comparison between
a skater’s own best times and the global standard.
Thinking about where the Japanese skaters are closing the gap and where they are choosing to attack
can make a single race many times more exciting.

At the Winter Olympics and other major events, try to watch with a sense of
“where Japan stands in the world right now”.
That perspective alone will change how you experience each lap.

*This article is based on information from the Japan Skating Federation and official competition data.
For the latest updates, please refer to the relevant official websites and social media channels.