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Sumitada Moriguchi
Sumitada Moriguchi (森口 澄士, Moriguchi Sumitada, born December 29, 2001) is a Japanese pair skater. With partner, Yuna Nagaoka, he is the 2023–24 Japan national champion and the 2024–25 Japan national silver medalist.[1] With former partner, Haruna Murakami, he is the 2022 JGP Poland I bronze medalist and the 2022–23 Japan national champion on both the senior and junior levels.[2] Personal lifeMoriguchi was born on 29 December 2001 in Kyoto, Japan.[3] He studied Faculty of Commerce at Doshisha University, graduating in March 2024.[4][5] CareerEarly careerMoriguchi began figure skating in 2010 after being inspired by watching Daisuke Takahashi win the bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. His first coach was Yoko Ishii.[4][6] He competed at the 2016–17, 2018–19, and the 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships, respectively finishing twenty-ninth, twentieth, and nineteenth at those events. Following the latter season, Moriguchi began training under Mie Hamada.[7][8] He would go on to compete at the 2020–21, placing twelfth. In the spring of 2021, Moriguchi decided to try pairs skating after Hamada suggested that he give the discipline a try due to his long limbs and naturally strong back. He initially teamed up with Ikura Kushida, however, their partnership ended in the fall of that year before they got the chance to compete together.[4][9][7] He went on to place thirteenth at the 2021–22 Japan Championships in the men's singles event.[10][8] Partnership with Murakami2022–23 seasonAt the suggestion of Mie Hamada, Moriguchi decided to team up with fellow Hamada student, Haruna Murakami. Coached by Hamada, Narumi Takahashi, Bruno Marcotte, and Brian Shales, the pair debuted on the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix.[11][3] The finished fourth at the 2022 JGP Czech Republic and third at the 2022 JGP Poland I. They then went on to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships, winning the gold medal.[3] Although initially listed as alternates to compete at the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final in Turin, Italy, they were ultimately called up to compete due to the withdrawal of Canadian pair team, Ava Kemp / Yonathan Elizarov.[12] At the Final, Murakami/Moriguchi placed fifth in the short program and third in the free skate, finishing in fourth place overall. They went on to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Championships, which they won, after Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara were forced to withdraw due to flight delays.[13][3] Moriguchi also competed in the men's singles event at Nationals and finished seventh, his highest result to date. Selected to compete at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Calgary, Alberta, Murakami/Moriguchi finished fourth after placing sixth in the short program and fourth in the free skate.[3] Moriguchi went on to compete at the 2023 Triglav Trophy, where he won the silver medal behind Nozomu Yoshioka. Following the season, it was announced that Murakami/Moriguchi had parted ways due to Moriguchi no longer being age eligible to compete on the junior level and Murakami being age ineligible to compete on the senior level for another three years.[14] Partnership with Nagaoka2023–2024 seasonIn April 2023, pairs coach, Bruno Marcotte suggested that Moriguchi try pair skating with Yuna Nagaoka after noticing her potential as a pairs skater during a training camp that was organized by the Japan Skating Federation. Following a successful tryout, the pair decided to team up with their long-term goal being to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. They were officially announced as a pair team in May 2022. It was also announced that Nagaoka/Moriguchi would primarily train at the Kinoshita Academy, where they would work with coaches, Mie Hamada, Cathy Reed, Satsuki Muramoto, and Hiroaki Sato, while also making frequent trips to Oakville, Ontario, Canada to work with pair skating coaches, Bruno Marcotte and Brian Shales, at the Oakville Skating Club.[7][15][16][17][18] They debuted as a pair at the Japan Eastern Sectionals, which they won. Elected as a host pick, Nagaoka/Moriguchi made their Grand Prix debut at the 2023 NHK Trophy. They scored 45.36 for their short program, 90.03 for their free, and 135.39 overall, placing eighth. They went on to win gold at the 2023–24 Japanese National Championships.[19] They were named to the 2024 World team on the condition that they could obtain their technical minimums at the 2024 Bavarian Open or the 2024 International Challenge Cup.[20][21] At these events, Nagaoka/Moriguchi finished fourth and sixth respectively. Although the pair scored the scored the minimum technical element score needed for the free skate, they failed to score the minimum technical element score for the short program. As a result, they were unable to compete at the 2024 World Championships.[22][1] 2024–2025 seasonNagaoka/Moriguchi began their season by competing at the 2024 CS John Nicks International Pairs Competition, where they finished eighth.[1] Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix series, Nagaoka/Moriguchi scored personal bests in all competition segments at the 2024 NHK Trophy and finish in seventh place overall.[19] The team would also surpass the minimum technical element score, making them eligible to compete at the World Championships.[23] Initially only assigned one Grand Prix event, Nagaoka/Moriguchi's names were assigned to the 2024 Finlandia Trophy days before the event following the withdrawal of Australian pair team, Golubeva/Giotopoulos Moore.[24][25] At the event, the pair place eighth of the eight pair teams in the short program but would score a personal best free skate by almost eight points, finishing third in that competition segment and moving up to sixth place overall.[19][26] In late December, the pair won the silver medal at the 2024–25 Japan Championships behind Miura/Kihara.[27] They were subsequently named to the Four Continents and World teams.[28][29] ProgramsWith Nagaoka
With Murakami
Single Skating
Competitive highlightsPairs with Nagaoka
Pairs with Murakami
Men's singles
Detailed results
Pair skatingWith NagaokaCurrent personal best scores are highlighted in bold.
With MurakamiCurrent personal best scores are highlighted in bold.
Singles skatingSenior results
Junior results
References
External links
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