Mone Chiba

Japanese figure skater
Mone Chiba
Chiba at the 2023 Coupe du Printemps
Native name千葉 百音
Born (2005-05-01) May 1, 2005 (age 18)
Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
HometownSendai
Height1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Figure skating career
CountryJapan Japan
CoachMie Hamada, Satsuki Muramoto, Hiroaki Sato, Cathy Reed, Ghislain Briand
Skating clubKinoshita Academy
Began skating2010
Medal record
Figure skating: Ladies' singles
Representing  Japan
Four Continents Championships
Gold medal – first place 2024 Shanghai Women's Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Colorado Springs Women's Singles

Mone Chiba (千葉 百音, Chiba Mone, born May 1, 2005) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2024 Four Continents champion, the 2023 Four Continents bronze medalist, and the 2024 Japanese national silver medalist.

Competing at the junior level, she is the 2022 JGP Poland I silver medalist, a two-time Japanese Junior medalist and two-time Challenge Cup junior champion.

Early life and education

Chiba was born on 1 May 2005 in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. She graduated from Tohoku High School in March 2024.[2][3]

Chiba grew up idolizing Olympic gold medalist and Sendai hometown hero Yuzuru Hanyu;[2] they met on the ice several times and he was "like a big brother" for her before he moved to Toronto, Canada to further his training.[2]

Career

Early years

Chiba began skating in 2010. She placed twenty-first at 2015–16 Japan Novice B Championships and twenty-ninth at 2016–17 Japan Novice A Championships. She made her first international appearance at the 2017 Asian Open in the advanced novice category and was first after the short program. In the free program, she downgraded a jump and had a fall. She finished in fifth place. Chiba placed sixth at 2017–18 Japan Novice A Championships.[4]

Making her junior national championship debut at the 2018–19 Japan Junior Championships, Chiba finished in eighteenth place. The following year, she placed sixth at the 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships and was then invited to compete in the senior event because fourth place Momoka Hatasaki was still a novice skater. She finished in eighteenth place. In the junior category, she won the 2020 Challenge Cup.[4]

2020–21 season

She finished eighth place at the 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships and was invited to the 2020–21 Japan Championships, placing in twentieth there.[4]

2021–22 season

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japan Skating Federation opted not to send junior skaters out internationally in the fall of 2021. As a result, Chiba did not have the opportunity to compete on the Junior Grand Prix.[5] At 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships, Chiba was seventh after the short. However, after a clean free program, she won the bronze medal behind Rion Sumiyoshi and Mao Shimada. She finished eleventh at the senior event.[4]

Chiba was selected to 2022 Challenge Cup in the junior category and again won the competition. Two months later, she was sent to 2022 Egna Trophy, now competing in the senior category. Chiba got third place behind South Korea's Hae-in Lee and Japan's Hana Yoshida.[4]

2022–23 season

Chiba was initially scheduled to make her Junior Grand Prix debut at the Armenian stop on the 2022–23 circuit.[6] However, that was cancelled as a result of the September conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and skaters meant to attend were reassigned elsewhere.[7][8] Instead, she debuted at the Junior Grand Prix event in Gdańsk, Poland. In her short program, she received an edge call on her combination but otherwise gave a clean skate, placing her first with a score of 70.16 points.[9] During the free skate, Chiba landed all her jumps, albeit with a Lutz landed on a quarter. Chiba finished in second place behind Mao Shimada.[10] At her second assignment, the 2022 JGP Italy, Chiba finished third in the short program, but dropped to fourth place after making several errors. She was named the first of three alternates for 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final.[4]

Appearing next at the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships, Chiba won the silver medal behind Shimada.[11] She then competed at the senior level, finishing a surprise third in the short program with a 71.06 score. She said that she "went into the short program with the frustration of last year," when she had finished eleventh in that segment.[12] Chiba struggled in the free skate, coming seventh in that segment and dropping to fifth place overall. Despite being the third-highest-ranked senior-eligible qualifier, she was not assigned to compete at the 2023 World Championships, that going instead to Rinka Watanabe. She was assigned to compete at the 2023 Four Continents Championships.[13][14]

At the Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Chiba was seventh in the short program. However, a new personal best score in the free skate vaulted her into third overall, winning the bronze medal.[15] Saying she had "never dreamed of getting a bronze medal," she assessed that "my skating maybe was not as grand as I would have liked it, but I am still satisfied."[16]

Chiba ended her season with a gold medal at the 2023 Coupe du Printemps.[4]

In May 2023, it was announced that Chiba had relocated from Sendai to Uji, Kyoto, where she would be coached by Mie Hamada at the Kinoshita Academy.[17][18]

2023–24 season

Chiba began the season on the Challenger circuit, coming sixth at the 2023 CS Autumn Classic International.[4] She made her senior Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Skate America, where she finished in sixth place.[19] At her second assignment, the 2023 Grand Prix de France, she came ninth. Chiba said afterward that she had struggled with dizziness prior to the free skate, but "after the second half of my performance, I think I was able to jump well."[20]

At the 2023–24 Japan Championships, Chiba finished third in the short program, less than two points back of second-place Mako Yamashita but also less than a point ahead of two other skaters. She admitted after the segment that she had felt "a little unwell" since the French Grand Prix, but said that she had been able to recover adequately, while self-critiquing that "with my current skating skills, I'm only able to express half of the emotions. However, I did everything I was capable of."[21] In the free skate, she rose to second place to claim the silver medal. Of the result, Chiba said she "trained very hard and everything paid off."[22]

Chiba won the short program at the 2024 Four Continents Championships, the only error being an incorrect edge call on her triple Lutz. Her 71.10 point score was a new personal best. She said that nervousness had impacted her artistic performance, joking that "my eyebrows looked like a figure eight from start to finish."[23] She went on to win the free skate as well, receiving another Lutz edge call and a quarter underrotation call on a triple flip, setting additional new personal bests in the free skate (143.88) and total score (214.98) and winning the gold medal. Chiba assessed that she "tried to focus myself solely on the competition, that is how I could get this ideal result."[24]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2023–2024
[25][26]
2022–2023
[27][28][29]
  • Schindler's List
    by John Williams, Itzhak Perlman
    choreo. by Akiko Suzuki
  • Finale
    (from East of Eden)
    by Lee Holdridge
    choreo. by Akiko Suzuki
2021–2022
[30]
2020–2021
[31]
2019–2020
[31]
2018–2019
2017–2018

Competitive highlights

JGP: Junior Grand Prix; GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series

International[4]
Event 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24
Worlds 7th
Four Continents 3rd 1st
GP France 9th
GP Skate America 6th
CS Autumn Classic 6th
Printemps 1st
Egna Trophy 3rd
International: Junior[4]
JGP Armenia C
JGP Italy 4th
JGP Poland 2nd
Challenge Cup 1st 1st
International: Advanced novice
Asian Open 5th
National[32]
Japan 18th 20th 11th 5th 2nd
Japan Junior 18th 6th 8th 3rd 2nd
Japan Novice 21st B 29th A 6th A
Eastern Sect. 3rd J 1st J 2nd J 3rd J 4th J
Kinki Reg. 2nd
Toh.-Hok. Reg. 3rd B 3rd A 1st A 1st J 1st J 1st J 1st J
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Cancelled
A = Novice A; B = Novice B; J = Junior

Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE system [32]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 214.98 2024 Four Continents
Short program TSS 71.10 2024 Four Continents
TES 39.24 2021 JGP Poland I
PCS 32.31 2024 Four Continents
Free skating TSS 143.88 2024 Four Continents
TES 75.42 2024 Four Continents
PCS 68.46 2024 Four Continents

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

Senior level

2023–24 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 18–24, 2024 2024 World Championships 13
62.64 		5
132.82 		7
195.46
Jan. 30 – Feb. 4, 2024 2024 Four Continents Championships 1
71.10 		1
143.88 		1
214.98
December 20–24, 2023 2023–24 Japan Championships 3
68.02 		2
141.25 		2
209.27
November 3–5, 2023 2023 Grand Prix de France 9
56.59 		10
108.17 		9
164.76
October 20–22, 2023 2023 Skate America 5
64.24 		6
113.55 		6
177.79
September 14–16, 2023 CS Autumn Classic 6
57.66 		6
102.59 		6
160.25
2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 17–19, 2023 2023 Coupe du Printemps 1
66.97 		1
124.02 		1
190.99
February 7–12, 2023 2023 Four Continents Championships 7
67.28 		2
137.70 		3
204.98
December 21–25, 2022 2022–23 Japan Championships 3
71.06 		7
129.06 		5
200.12
2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 7–10, 2022 2022 Egna Spring Trophy 2
67.78 		3
110.82 		3
178.60
December 22–26, 2021 2021–22 Japan Championships 9
64.41 		12
119.89 		11
184.30
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 24–27, 2020 2020–21 Japan Championships 24
54.45 		18
103.77 		20
158.22
2019–20 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 18–22, 2019 2019–20 Japan Championships 17
52.76 		19
97.74 		18
150.50

Junior level

2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 25–27, 2022 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships 2
65.72 		2
127.43 		2
193.15
October 12–15, 2022 2022 JGP Italy 3
64.07 		4
121.66 		4
185.73
September 28 – October 1, 2022 2022 JGP Poland I 1
70.16 		2
135.66 		2
205.82
2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 24–27, 2022 2022 Challenge Cup 1
66.42 		1
108.87 		1
175.29
November 19–21, 2021 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships 7
58.97 		2
116.44 		3
175.41
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 21–23, 2020 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships 13
53.17 		8
99.30 		8
152.47
2019–20 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 20–23, 2020 2020 Challenge Cup 1
64.65 		1
117.21 		1
181.86
November 15–17, 2019 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships 7
56.51 		6
105.08 		6
161.59
2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 23–25, 2018 2018–19 Japan Junior Championships 8
53.50 		19
83.41 		18
136.91

Novice level

2017–18 season
Date Event SP FS Total
October 20–22, 2017 2017–18 Japan Novice Championships – 6
84.11 		6
84.11
August 2–5, 2017 Asian Open Trophy 1
41.35 		5
59.22 		5
100.57
2016–17 season
Date Event SP FS Total
October 21–23, 2016 2016–17 Japan Novice A Championships – 29
65.11 		29
65.11
2015–16 season
Date Event SP FS Total
October 23–25, 2015 2015–16 Japan Novice B Championships – 21
53.73 		21
53.73

References

  1. ^ "Mone CHIBA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2021-09-30.
  2. ^ a b c "Next-generation skating talent Chiba inspired by hometown hero Hanyu". Kyodo News. December 22, 2021.
  3. ^ "フィギュアスケート四大陸金メダル・千葉百音が卒業式　ホームルームで涙…初出場の世界選手権へ「ノーミス目標」". Hochi News. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Competition Results: Mone CHIBA". International Skating Union.
  5. ^ "2021 Junior Grand Prix Series". International Figure Skating. July 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "Six NextGen skaters head to Armenia for the fourth stop on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit". Skate Canada. September 15, 2022.
  7. ^ "Cancellation of the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Yerevan (ARM)". International Skating Union. September 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "Reallocation of entries of cancelled ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2022 Yerevan, Armenia". International Skating Union. September 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "JGP Gdańsk 2022 Judges Details Per Skater, Women's Short Program" (PDF). International Skating Union.
  10. ^ "Shimada (JPN) scores second Junior Grand Prix victory". International Skating Union. October 3, 2022.
  11. ^ Gallagher, Jack (November 28, 2022). "Mao Shimada Lands Quad Toe Loop, Retains Japan Junior Championships Crown". Japan Forward.
  12. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 22, 2022). "Kaori Sakamoto Seizes Lead after Short Program at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
  13. ^ Mitsuoka, Maria-Laura (December 24, 2022). "Japan's Kaori Sakamoto reclaims national title". Golden Skate.
  14. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 24, 2022). "Kaori Sakamoto Captures Third National Title at Japan Championships". Japan Forward.
  15. ^ Slater, Paula (February 11, 2023). "Haein Lee catapults to gold at Four Continents". Golden Skate.
  16. ^ "Haein Lee (KOR) surges from sixth to take Four Continents gold". International Skating Union. February 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "木下アカデミー移籍の千葉百音「練習の濃度、オフアイスのトレーニングも増えた」". Hochi News. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  18. ^ "18歳・千葉百音「かなえたい夢のために」26年ミラノ五輪へ新天地で再スタート". Sponichi. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  19. ^ ""Queen" Loena Hendrickx (BEL) takes Skate America crown". International Skating Union. October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  20. ^ Gallagher, Jack (November 7, 2023). "Yuma Kagiyama Claims Bronze in Grand Prix Return". Japan Forward. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  21. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 23, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto Takes Big Lead in Short Program at Japan Championships". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  22. ^ Gallagher, Jack (December 25, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto Reigns Again at Japan Championships with Huge Score". Japan Forward. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  23. ^ Gallagher, Jack (February 1, 2024). "Yuma Kagiyama Takes a Commanding Lead After Short Program at Four Continents". Japan Forward. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  24. ^ Gallagher, Jack (February 3, 2024). "Mone Chiba Wins Gold at Four Continents; Rinka Watanabe Claims Bronze". Japan Forward. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  25. ^ "Mone CHIBA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023.
  26. ^ 倉沢, 仁志. "仙台から京都へ移籍　18歳・千葉百音が目指す「憧れの場所」". Manichi. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  27. ^ "#千葉百音 選手 2022-2023シーズンプログラム". Quadruple Axel 編集部. Twitter. July 30, 2022.
  28. ^ "〈 #DOI 〉 #千葉百音 選手 SP『Schindler's List』を披露しました。". Quadruple Axel 編集部. Twitter. July 1, 2022.
  29. ^ "Mone CHIBA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022.
  30. ^ "Mone CHIBA: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2022-07-28.
  31. ^ a b "Mone Chiba Profile". Fuji TV.
  32. ^ a b "JPN-Mone CHIBA". SkatingScores.

External links