Takahiko Kozuka

Takahiko Kozuka

Kozuka at the 2008 Skate America
Personal information
Country represented Japan
Born February 27, 1989
Nagoya, Japan
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Coach Nobuo Sato, Yuka Sato, Jason Dungjen
Former coach Tsuguhiko Kozuka, Kumiko Sato
Choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne, Marina Zueva
Former choreographer Yuka Sato, Kurt Browning, David Wilson, Fedor Andreev
Skating club Toyota Motor Corporation SC
Training locations Toyota, Aichi
Detroit
Former training locations Yokohama
Began skating 1992
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 258.41
2011 Worlds
Short program 86.39
2012-13 Grand Prix Final
Free skate 180.79
2011 Worlds

Takahiko Kozuka (小塚 崇彦 Kozuka Takahiko, born February 27, 1989) is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2011 World silver medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final medalist, a two-time Four Continents medalist, and the 2010–11 Japanese national champion. He is also the 2006 World Junior champion and the 2005–06 JGP Final champion.

Personal life

Kozuka was born in Nagoya, Japan. His father, Tsuguhiko Kozuka, was a singles skater and competed at the 1968 Olympics, his mother was an ice dancer, and his grandfather, Mitsuhiko Kozuka, was prominent in early Japanese skating.[1] As both his parents are coaches, he stepped onto the ice at age three and began skating seriously at five.[2]

Kozuka studied sports education at Chukyo University.[3] His thesis compares jumps performed on the floor to those on the ice.[4] He has worked for Toyota, one of his sponsors.[3]

Career

Kozuka was inspired by Yuka Sato's win at the 1994 World Championships.[1]

Kozuka is known for the quality of his edges and basic skating skills.[5] His coaching team made him practice compulsory figures when he was a child.[3]

Early career

In the 2005–06 season, Kozuka won the Junior Grand Prix Final, the Japanese Junior Championships, and the World Junior Championships.

Senior career

2006–2009

Kozuka debuted on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series in the 2006–07 season. He won the bronze medal at the 2006 NHK Trophy and placed 6th in the 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard. He placed 6th in the 2006–07 Japanese Championships and 4th in the 2007 Asian Winter Games.

In the 2007–08 season, he won the silver medal at the 2007–08 Japan Championships. He placed 8th at the 2008 Four Continents and 8th at the 2008 Worlds.

In the 2008–09 season, Kozuka won gold at the 2008 Skate America and silver at the 2008 Trophee Eric Bompard.[6] He qualified for the Grand Prix Final where he won the silver medal. Kozuka won another national silver medal at the 2008–09 Japan Championships. He won the bronze medal at the 2009 Four Continents and placed 6th at the 2009 Worlds.

2009–2010 season

In the 2009–10 season, Kozuka won the silver medal at the 2009 Cup of Russia earning 215.13 points and placed seventh in the 2009 NHK Trophy scoring 186.00. He won the bronze medal at the Japanese National Championships with 236.13 points, placing second in the short program and third in the free skate, and thus qualified to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics and at the 2010 World Championships.

Kozuka finished eighth overall in the men's singles at the 2010 Winter Olympics with 231.19 points.[7] At the 2010 Worlds he finished in tenth position with a total of 216.73 points.

2010–2011 season

Kozuka's assigned events for the 2010–11 ISU Grand Prix season were the 2010 Cup of China and the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard. He won the 2010 Cup of China with 233.51 points, placing first in both the short program and the free skate. He went on to win the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard with 248.07, again winning both segments of the competition.[8] He was the top qualifier for the men's event at the 2010–11 Grand Prix Final.

During a practice session at the Grand Prix Final, Kozuka inadvertently collided with Daisuke Takahashi.[9] Both were shaken but went on to compete at the event. Kozuka said, "I apologized to him and he accepted the apology with a smile and claimed that he was not in pain but I still feel awful about it. I promised him and his coach that it will never happen again."[10] Kozuka was fourth in the short program and second in the free skate, and won the bronze medal. He won his first national title in December 2010, placing first in both the short program and the free skate to total 251.93 points. At the 2011 World Championships, he placed sixth in the short program but moved to second overall after the long program and won his first World medal.

2011–present

Kozuka was assigned to 2011 Skate America and 2011 NHK Trophy for the 2011–12 Grand Prix season, and he won the bronze medal at Skate America and the silver medal at NHK Trophy. Kozuka earned the silver medal at the 2011 Japanese national figure skating championships, thus qualifying for a spot on the Japanese team for the 2012 World Championships,[11] where he finished 11th.

Kozuka began the 2012–13 season by winning gold at the 2012 Skate America and then won silver at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup. He injured his right instep in mid-December 2012.[12] Kozuka finished 5th at the Japan Championships.

In 2013–14, Kozuka obtained a bronze medal at the 2013 Cup of China. He placed 3rd at the 2013 Japanese National Championships but was not included in the Japanese team to the Olympics. He was assigned instead to the 2014 Four Continents Championships where he won the silver medal. When Daisuke Takahashi withdrew from the 2014 World Championships, Kozuka replaced him as a substitute and placed 6th at that competition.

In 2014-15, Kozuka placed 8th and 6th, respectively, at Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cup. [13] He placed 6th in the short program at the 2014 Japanese National Championships, but rallied with a second-place free skate to place 3rd overall. He was assigned to the 2015 World Championships, where he finished 12th.

Programs

Kozuka performing his exhibition gala to Stayin' Alive at the 2007 Cup of Russia.
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2014–2015
  • A Evaristo Carriego
    by Eduardo Oscar Rovira
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2013–2014
[14]
2012–2013
[15]
  • Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso
    by Camille Saint-Saëns
    choreo. by Marina Zueva
2011–2012
[16]
2010–2011
[18][19]
2009–2010
[20]
2008–2009
[21]
2007–2008
[22]
  • Beatles Concerto for
    2 Pianos and Orchestra　
    by John Rutter
2006–2007
[23]
2005–2006
[24]
2004–2005
[25]
  • Car Wash
    by Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera
2003–2004
2002–2003
2001–2002
  • Espana Cani
    by Pascual Marquina Narro
2000–2001
  • The Mexican Hat Dance
    by Jarabe tapatio

Competitive highlights

Kozuka (left) with the other medalists at the 2011 World Championships.
Kozuka (center) with the other medalists at the 2008 Skate America.
Results[26]
International
Event 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014-15
Olympics 8th
Worlds 8th 6th 10th 2nd 11th 6th 12th
Four Continents 8th 3rd 4th 2nd
Grand Prix Final 2nd 3rd 5th
GP Bompard 6th 2nd 1st
GP Cup of China 1st 3rd
GP NHK Trophy 3rd 7th 2nd
GP Rostelecom 5th 2nd 2nd 6th
GP Skate America 8th 1st 3rd 1st 6th
GP Skate Canada 8th
Asian WG 4th
Universiade 2nd
Gardena Sp. Trophy 1st
International: Junior
Junior Worlds 1st
JGP Final 1st
JGP Canada 4th 2nd
JGP Hungary 7th
JGP Japan 1st
JGP Mexico 2nd
JGP Poland 9th
National
Japan Champ. 4th 4th 6th 2nd 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 5th 3rd 3rd
Japan Junior 7th 6th 4th 1st
Team events
World Team 3T/8P 1T/6P
Japan Open 3T/4P 1T/4P 3T/3P 1T/2P 1T/2P 3T/6P
GP = Grand Prix; JGP = Junior Grand Prix;
T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only.

Detailed results

(Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.)

Senior results

2014–2015 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 23–29, 2015 2015 World Championships 19
70.15		 9
146.81		 12
222.69
February 4–8, 2015 2015 Winter Universiade 1
77.15		 3
140.55		 2
217.70
December 26–28, 2014 2014–15 Japan Championships 6
72.39		 2
173.29		 3
245.68
November 14–16, 2014 2014 Rostelecom Cup 3
81.38		 7
135.42		 6
216.80
October 31 – November 2, 2014 2014 Skate Canada 6
75.85		 11
127.32		 8
203.17
October 4, 2014 2014 Japan Open (team event) – 6
119.51		 3
2013–2014 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 24–30, 2014 2014 World Championships 6
85.54		 6
152.48		 6
238.02
January 20–26, 2014 2014 Four Continents Championships 4
76.85		 1
159.53		 2
236.38
December 20–23, 2013 2013–14 Japan Championships 3
90.70		 4
174.11		 3
264.81
November 1–3, 2013 2013 Cup of China 3
81.62		 5
145.30		 3
226.92
October 17–20, 2013 2013 Skate America 4
77.75		 5
153.20		 6
230.95
October 5, 2013 2013 Japan Open (team event) – 2
158.32		 1
2012–2013 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 1–3, 2013 2013 Gardena Spring Trophy 1
81.18		 2
147.45		 1
228.63
December 20–23, 2012 2012–13 Japan Championships 3
84.58		 7
143.98		 5
228.56
December 6–9, 2012 2012 Grand Prix Final 4
86.39		 5
166.88		 5
253.27
November 9–11, 2012 2012 Rostelecom Cup 3
76.34		 3
153.65		 2
229.99
October 19–21, 2012 2012 Skate America 2
85.32		 1
166.12		 1
251.44
October 6, 2012 2012 Japan Open (team event) – 2
165.08		 1
2011–2012 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 18–22, 2012 2012 World Team Trophy 8
73.61		 5
151.69		 6
225.30
March 26 – April 1, 2012 2012 World Championships 13
71.78		 11
146.85		 11
218.63
December 22–26, 2011 2011–12 Japan Championships 2
85.60		 2
165.37		 2
250.97
November 11–13, 2011 2011 NHK Trophy 2
79.77		 2
155.25		 2
235.02
October 21–23, 2011 2011 Skate America 2
70.69		 2
141.40		 3
212.09
October 1, 2011 2011 Japan Open (team event) – 3
148.21		 3
2010–2011 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 24 – May 1, 2011 2011 World Championships 6
77.62		 2
180.79		 2
258.41
February 15–20, 2011 2011 Four Continents Championships 6
66.25		 2
157.27		 4
223.52
December 24–27, 2010 2010–11 Japan Championships 1
87.91		 1
164.02		 1
251.93
December 9–12, 2010 2010 Grand Prix Final 4
77.90		 2
159.89		 3
237.79
November 26–28, 2010 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard 1
77.64		 1
170.43		 1
248.07
November 5–7, 2010 2010 Cup of China 1
77.40		 1
156.11		 1
233.51
October 2, 2010 2010 Japan Open (team event) – 4
150.71		 1
2009–2010 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 22–28, 2010 2010 World Championships 4
84.20		 12
132.53		 10
216.73
February 14–27, 2010 2010 Winter Olympic Games 8
79.59		 8
151.60		 8
231.19
December 25–27, 2009 2009–10 Japan Championships 2
80.54		 3
155.59		 3
236.13
November 5–8, 2009 2009 NHK Trophy 5
74.05		 10
111.95		 7
186.00
October 22–25, 2009 2009 Rostelecom Cup 2
75.50		 2
139.63		 2
215.13
October 3, 2009 2009 Japan Open (team event) – 4
130.13		 3
2008–2009 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 16–19, 2009 2009 World Team Trophy 10
65.25		 7
125.68		 8
190.93
March 23–29, 2009 2009 World Championships 5
79.35		 7
142.83		 6
222.18
February 2–8, 2009 2009 Four Continents Championships 3
76.61		 4
145.15		 3
221.76
December 24–27, 2008 2008–09 Japan Championships 2
77.40		 2
148.54		 2
225.94
December 10–14, 2008 2008 Grand Prix Final 1
83.90		 3
140.73		 2
224.63
November 13–16, 2008 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard 2
77.00		 2
153.78		 2
230.78
October 23–26, 2008 2008 Skate America 3
80.10		 1
146.08		 1
226.18
2007–2008 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 17–23, 2008 2008 World Championships 8
70.91		 8
134.24		 8
205.15
February 13–17, 2008 2008 Four Continents Championships 7
67.48		 6
128.90		 8
196.38
December 26–28, 2007 2007–08 Japan Championships 2
72.70		 2
146.64		 2
219.34
November 22–25, 2007 2007 Cup of Russia 7
64.65		 4
135.33		 5
199.98
October 25–28, 2007 2007 Skate America 10
56.25		 7
121.22		 8
177.47
2006–2007 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 29, 2007 2007 Japan Open (team event) – 4
132.76		 1
February 1–3, 2007 2007 Asian Winter Games 5
58.73		 4
118.38		 4
177.11
December 27–29, 2006 2006–07 Japan Championships 5
70.49		 6
130.39		 6
200.88
Nov. 30 – Dec. 3, 2006 2006 NHK Trophy 4
67.95		 3
140.39		 3
208.34
November 16–19, 2006 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard 11
56.04		 6
121.81		 6
177.85

Junior results

2005–2006 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 6–12, 2006 2006 World Junior Championships 2
60.07		 1
119.98		 1
180.05
December 22–26, 2005 2005–06 Japan Championships 10
55.80		 3
137.20		 4
193.00
December 10–11, 2005 2005–06 Japan Junior Championships 1
62.10		 1
121.20		 1
183.30
November 24–27, 2005 2005 Junior Grand Prix Final 1
60.14		 1
118.58		 1
178.72
October 20–23, 2005 2005 JGP SBC Cup 3
52.11		 1
106.83		 1
158.94
October 20–23, 2005 2005 JGP Montreal 3
52.10		 2
113.67		 2
165.77
2004–2005 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 24–26, 2004 2004–05 Japan Championships 1
71.46		 6
111.23		 4
182.69
November 20–21, 2004 2004–05 Japan Junior Championships 3
58.50		 3
110.61		 4
169.11
September 2–5, 2004 2004 JGP Budapest 14
42.87		 5
100.07		 7
142.94
2003–2004 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 21–23, 2003 2003–04 Japan Junior Championships 4 6 6
October 30 – November 2, 2003 2003 JGP Poland 11 8 9
September 24–28, 2003 2003 JGP Mexico 4 2 2
2002–2003 season
Date Event SP FS Total
November 23–24, 2002 2002–03 Japan Junior Championships 9 7 7
September 26–29, 2002 2002 JGP Canada 6 7 4

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gallagher, Jack (January 30, 2011). "Kozuka striving to improve despite recent success". japantimes.co.jp. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012.
  2. ↑ Mittan, Barry (May 9, 2006). "Near Perfect Season for Japan’s Kozuka". SkateToday.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Athletes: Takahiko Kozuka". NBCOlympics.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012.
  4. ↑ Golinsky, Reut (December 21, 2010). "Short update with Takahiko Kozuka". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  5. ↑ Rutherford, Lynn (October 22, 2011). "Brezina hangs on for Skate America title". Icenetwork. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  6. ↑ Flade, Tatjana (November 30, 2008). "Kozuka breaks through on the Grand Prix". Golden Skate.
  7. ↑ "2010 Winter Olympics Results - Figure Skating". ESPN. 18 January 2010.
  8. ↑ "Takahiko Kozuka and Kiira Korpi win Trophee Bompard". usatoday.com. Associated Press. June 13, 2011. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Crash no excuse for Grand Prix meltdown: Takahashi". breitbart.com. Associated Press. December 12, 2010. Archived from the original on December 24, 2011.
  10. ↑ Kondakova, Anna (December 11, 2010). "Chan edges out Oda for Grand Prix title". Golden Skate. Retrieved December 12, 2010.
  11. ↑ http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/sp20111226f1.html
  12. ↑ 小塚、右足痛めていた…５位に「もう一度やり直します」 [Kozuka injured right foot]. sponichi.co.jp (in Japanese). December 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012.
  13. ↑ Kondakova, Anna (2 December 2014). "One step at a time for Japan’s Kozuka". Golden Skate.
  14. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Rutherford, Lynn (October 20, 2011). "Rink Notes: Kozuka taking things slow". Icenetwork. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011.
  19. ↑ Peret, Paul (January 19, 2011). "Takahiko Kozuka Stepping Out of the Shadows". IFS Magazine.
  20. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 29, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009.
  22. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 26, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 18, 2007.
  24. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 22, 2006.
  25. ↑ "Takahiko KOZUKA: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 19, 2005.
  26. ↑ "Competition Results: Takahiko KOZUKA". International Skating Union.

External links

Media related to Takahiko Kozuka at Wikimedia Commons

World Record Holder
Preceded by
Japan Daisuke Takahashi		 Men's Free Skating
28 April 2011 		Succeeded by
Canada Patrick Chan