Sumire Kikuchi

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Club / Team	Fuji Kyuko: Japan
Reason for choosing this sport	Her older sister encouraged her to try the sport.
Name of coach	Keiichiro Nagashima [national], JPN
When and where did you begin this sport?	She began skating at age eight in Japan.

Famous relatives	Her older sister Ayaka competed in speed skating at international level, and won gold in team pursuit at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. Her other older sisters Yuki and Moemi have both represented Japan in short track. Yuki competed at the 2018 Games, and Moemi won bronze in the 3000m relay at the 2017 World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Her sister Ayaka's husband Keiichiro Nagashima has represented Japan in speed skating, and won silver in the 500m at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Nagashima has also served as head coach of the Japanese national short track team. (hochi.news, 11 Sep 2021; nikkansports.com, 28 Oct 2021; SportsDeskOnline, 10 Oct 2018; Pyeongchang Entries, 2018; hochi.co.jp, 02 Sep 2017, 23 Oct 2020; nikkei.com, 04 Oct 2020)
Awards and honours	In 2014 she received the Nagano Prefecture Sports Honorary Award in Japan. (mainichi.jp, 26 Mar 2014) She was a flag bearer for Japan at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. (minamiaiki.jp, 23 May 2012) She received the Best New Athlete Award at the 2011 ABN Sports Grand Awards in Japan. (abn-tv.co.jp, 31 May 2014)
Other sports	She has represented Japan in speed skating, and won bronze in the 1000m, 1500m and the mass start at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. (SportsDeskOnline, 15 Feb 2016; fujitv.co.jp, 06 Aug 2020)
Most influential person in career	Her parents. (Athlete, 11 Feb 2016)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"Keep growing, keep progressing." (Athlete, 04 Nov 2018)
Hobbies	Watching animated films and television series. (skatingjapan.or.jp, 04 Nov 2020; fujitv.co.jp, 06 Aug 2020)
Ambitions	To win a medal in short track skating at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (nhk.or.jp, 25 Sep 2021; hochi.news, 25 Sep 2021)
Other information	RETURN TO SPEED SKATING She combined short track and speed skating at youth and junior international level, but began focusing on short track after finishing high school. In 2019 she took up speed skating again after joining the Fuji Kyuko club in Japan, which has both short track and speed skating teams. She considered competing in both sports at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing but ultimately decided to focus on short track ahead of the 2021/22 season. "It is not enough for me to compete in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games, but I want to contend against Japanese speed skaters Nao Kodaira and Miho Takagi. When I think about where I am in speed skating, firstly I want to win a medal in short track skating." (number.bunshun.jp, 18 Jan 2020; hochi.news, 25 Sep 2021)