# Rena Uezono

Rena Uezono (上薗 恋奈, Uezono Rena, born June 7, 2010) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2024 World Junior bronze medalist, the 2023–24 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2023 JGP Poland champion, and the 2023 JGP Turkey silver medalist.
At the domestic level, Uezono is the 2023–24 Japan Junior bronze medalist and the 2022–23 Japan Novice A champion.

## Personal life

Uezono was born on 7 June 2010 in Aichi, Japan. She looks up to fellow Japanese skater and two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu.
Her hobbies include playing the piano, cooking, and fashion.
Uezono's figure skating idols are Mao Asada, Yuna Kim, and Yuzuru Hanyu.

## Career

Uezono began skating in 2017 at the age of seven after being inspired by watching Mao Asada perform at an ice show in her home region of Aichi.
She won the silver medal at the 2020 Japanese National Novice Championships in the novice B category.

### 2021–22 season

Uezono placed fifth at the 2021 Japanese National Novice A Championships and was invited to compete at the 2021–22 Japan Junior National Championships. She finished in eighteenth place after two falls in the free skate. Following the season, Uezono joined Mihoko Higuchi's newly founded skating club, the LYS Skate Club. In turn, Higuchi began coaching her as well.<ref=GS24/>

### 2022–23 season

Uezono won the 2022 Japan National Novice A Championships, 15.77 points above Mayuko Oka, and was again invited to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships. After a clean short program, Uezono placed in eleventh. However, two falls in the free skate dropped her to the thirteenth place.
She was invited to skate in the gala at the 2023 World Team Trophy.

### 2023–24 season

As the reigning national novice champion, Uezono was selected to make her international competitive debut on the Junior Grand Prix at the 2023 JGP Turkey. Fourth in the short program, she moved up to second overall after the free skate, taking the silver medal. Weeks later she won gold at the 2023 JGP Poland, in the processing qualifying to the Junior Grand Prix Final.
Based on her prior results, Uezono was considered a podium contender at the 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships. She won the bronze medal, in the process qualifying to the senior national championships. Next appearing at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing, Uezono finished third in both segments and claimed the bronze medal there as well. She set new personal bests in both segments and overall. She then competed at the senior national championships at month's end, finishing fourth, less than two points back of bronze medalist Mao Shimada. Uezono described skating in the final group of the free skate as "very nerve-wracking, but I was able to skate with the best skaters and that was a good experience."
Uezono finished the season at the 2024 World Junior Championships in Taipei. In the short program, she fell on her jump combination and finished in eighth place. She rallied in the free skate, coming third in that segment with a new personal best, and rising to third place overall.

### 2024–25 season

Uezono began her season on the Junior Grand Prix by competing at 2024 JGP Czech Republic, entering as the pre-event favourite. She placed second in the short program but fourth free skate after falling twice during her free program. She would drop to a disappointing fourth place overall. She went on to place fourth again at 2024 JGP Slovenia.
In late November, Uezono competed at the 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships, where she finished fifth. This result ensured her qualification to compete at the senior championships, where she placed twenty-sixth, failing to advance to the free skate segment of the competition.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2024–2025 | Voilà by Barbara Pravi choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | Prelude in C-sharp minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff Chronos by Kirill Richter choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | The King's Affirmation by Imiko Scream & Shout by will.i.am ft. Britney Spears |
| 2023–2024 | New Moon (The Meadow) (from The Twilight Saga: New Moon) by Alexandre Desplat F for You by Disclosure, Mary J. Blige choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | Pray by Matthew Bellamy & Dan Weiss Mechanisms by Kirill Richter choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | Come Around Me Sorry by Justin Bieber choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi |
| 2022–2023 | New Moon (The Meadow) (from The Twilight Saga: New Moon) by Alexandre Desplat F for You by Disclosure, Mary J. Blige choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | Backstage Romance (from Moulin Rouge!) by Ricky Rojas, Robyn Hurder choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi | New Moon (The Meadow) (from The Twilight Saga: New Moon) by Alexandre Desplat F for You by Disclosure, Mary J. Blige choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi Come Around Me Sorry by Justin Bieber choreo. by Mihoko Higuchi |

## Competitive highlights

International: Junior :
| Event | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | 24–25 |
| Junior Worlds | | | 3rd | |
| JGP Final | | | 3rd | |
| JGP Czech Republic | | | | 4th |
| JGP Poland | | | 1st | |
| JGP Slovenia | | | | 4th |
| JGP Turkey | | | 2nd | |
| National |||||
| Japan | | | 4th | 26th |
| Japan Junior | 18th | 13th | 3rd | 5th |
| TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew |||||

## Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 196.46 | 2023–2024 JGP Final |
| Short program | TSS | 67.87 | 2023–2024 JGP Final |
| Short program | TES | 38.79 | 2023–2024 JGP Final |
| Short program | PCS | 29.08 | 2023–2024 JGP Final |
| Free skating | TSS | 132.74 | 2024 World Junior Championships |
| Free skating | TES | 71.73 | 2024 World Junior Championships |
| Free skating | PCS | 61.01 | 2024 World Junior Championships |

### Senior level

2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 19–22, 2024 | 2024–25 Japan Championships | 26 48.08 | - | 26 48.08 |
| 2023–24 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 20–24, 2023 | 2023–24 Japan Championships | 6 66.22 | 4 134.47 | 4 200.69 |

### Junior level

2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| November 15–17, 2024 | 2024–25 Japan Junior Championships | 10 58.06 | 5 122.63 | 5 180.69 |
| October 2–5, 2024 | 2024 JGP Slovenia | 5 63.09 | 4 118.18 | 4 181.27 |
| September 4–9, 2024 | 2024 JGP Czech Republic | 2 64.41 | 4 112.90 | 4 177.31 |
| 2023–24 season ||||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| February 26–March 3, 2024 | 2024 World Junior Championships | 8 61.96 | 3 132.74 | 3 194.70 |
| December 7–10, 2023 | 2023–24 JGP Final | 3 67.87 | 3 128.59 | 3 196.46 |
| November 17–19, 2023 | 2023–24 Japan Junior Championships | 6 60.95 | 2 125.56 | 3 186.51 |
| September 27–30, 2023 | 2023 JGP Poland | 2 64.85 | 1 127.46 | 1 192.31 |
| September 6–9, 2023 | 2023 JGP Turkey | 4 63.64 | 2 124.07 | 2 187.71 |
| 2022–23 season ||||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| November 25–27, 2022 | 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships | 11 56.17 | 16 92.82 | 13 148.99 |
| 2021–22 season ||||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| November 19–21, 2021 | 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships | 20 49.32 | 18 86.73 | 18 136.05 |