Yuna Shiraiwa

Not to be confused with Yuna Hiraiwa.
Yuna Shiraiwa
Shiraiwa at the 2019 Internationaux de France
Native name 白岩 優奈
Born November 26, 2001
Kyoto, Japan
Hometown Takatsuki
Height 1.51 m (4 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country Japan
Coach Takeshi Honda
Skating club Kansai University
Began skating 2007

Yuna Shiraiwa (白岩 優奈, Shiraiwa Yūna, born November 26, 2001) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2018 CS Asian Open silver medalist, the 2017 Asian Trophy silver medalist, and the 2018 Coupe du Printemps bronze medalist. Earlier in her career, she won gold medals at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events and finished within the top five at three World Junior Championships (2016, 2017, 2019).

Personal life

Shiraiwa was born on November 26, 2001, in Kyoto, Japan.

Career

Early years

Shiraiwa began skating in 2006, after being inspired by Shizuka Arakawa's 2006 Olympic victory. Mie Hamada became her coach when Shiraiwa was six years old.

She competed at the 2014–15 Japan Junior Championships but did not qualify for the free skate, having ranked 27th in the short program.

2015–2016 season

Shiraiwa debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) circuit during the 2015–16 season. At her first JGP assignment, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, she placed fifth in the short program and first in the free skate, winning the gold medal by a margin of 8.06 points ahead of silver medalist Marin Honda. Ranked third in the short and first in the free, she outscored Russia's Alisa Fedichkina by 0.42 for gold at the JGP in Logroño, Spain. Shiraiwa's results qualified her for the JGP Final in Barcelona.

In November, Shiraiwa won the silver medal at the 2015-16 Japan Junior Championships behind Wakaba Higuchi. A month later, at the JGP Final, Shiraiwa finished 5th. Making her debut at the Japan Championships on the senior level, she placed 5th, and was named as a member of the Youth Olympic and the Junior World teams.

At the 2016 Youth Olympics in Hamar, Norway, Shiraiwa finished fourth, before going on to place fourth at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

2016–17 season

Competing on the Junior Grand Prix, Shiraiwa finished fourth at the 2016 JGP Russia and won the silver at the 2016 JGP Germany.

She went on to compete at the 2016–17 Japan Junior Championships, winning the silver medal behind Kaori Sakamoto. At the senior nationals, Shiraiwa placed seventeenth in the short program but third in the free skate, ultimately moving up to sixth place overall.

Selected to compete at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Taipei, Taiwan, Shiraiwa finished fifth.

2017–18 season

Making her senior international debut, Shiraiwa won the silver medal at the Asian Open Trophy. She then went on to compete at the 2017 CS Finlandia Trophy, where she finished seventh.

Debuting on the senior Grand Prix series, Shiraiwa finished eighth at the 2017 NHK Trophy and sixth at the 2017 Internationaux de France.

At the 2017–18 Japan Championships, Shiraiwa placed ninth. She then closed her season with a bronze medal at the 2018 Coupe du Printemps.

2018–19 season

Shiraiwa began her season by winning silver at the 2018 CS Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy and placing fifth at the 2018 CS U.S. Classic.

On the 2018–19 Grand Prix series, Shiraiwa finished fourth at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki and fifth at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup.

At the 2018–19 Japan Championships, Shiraiwa finished ninth, before going on to win the 2019 Bavarian Open on the junior level.

Selected to compete at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, Shiraiwa finished fifth.

2019–20 season

Competing on the 2019–20 Grand Prix series, Shiraiwa placed ninth at the 2019 Internationaux de France and tenth at the 2019 Rostelecom Cup.

She withdrew from the 2019–20 Japan Championships due to an injury in her right tibia.

2020–21 season

Shiraiwa finished ninth at the 2020–21 Japan Championships.

Following the season, Shiraiwa left longtime coach Mie Hamada to train under Takeshi Honda.

2021–22 season

Competing at the 2021–22 Japan Championships, Shiraiwa finished twenty-third.

2022–23 season

Shiraiwa elected to sit out this season as a way to "physically and mentally recharge."

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2023–2024
2022–23
Did not compete this season
2021–2022
    2020–2021
      2019–2020
      2018–2019
      2017–2018
      2016–2017
      2015–2016
      2014–2015

      Competitive highlights

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

      International
      Event 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24
      GP Finland 4th
      GP France 6th 9th
      GP NHK Trophy 8th
      GP Rostelecom 5th 10th
      CS Finlandia 7th
      CS Asian Open 2nd
      CS U.S. Classic 5th WD
      Asian Open 2nd
      Printemps 3rd
      International: Junior
      Junior Worlds 4th 5th 5th
      Youth Olympics 4th
      JGP Final 5th
      JGP Germany 2nd
      JGP Russia 4th
      JGP Spain 1st
      JGP U.S. 1st
      Bavarian Open 1st
      International: Advanced novice
      Bavarian Open 2nd
      National
      Japan 5th 6th 9th 9th WD 9th 23rd 22th
      Japan Junior 27th 2nd 2nd
      Japan Novice 3rd B 5th A 4th A
      Japan Western Sect. 2nd J 4th J 5th 2nd 7th
      Kinki Reg. 9th B 2nd B 3rd A 2nd A 1st 7th 6th 4th 5th
      Team events
      Youth Olympics 5th T
      1st P
      N = Advanced novice level; TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew
      T = Team result; P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

      Detailed results

      ISU Personal best highlighted in bold.

      Senior level

      Shiraiwa at the 2019 Internationaux de France
      2023–24 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      December 20–24, 2023 2023–24 Japan Championships 22
      53.42       		22
      95.21       		22
      148.63
      2021–22 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      December 22–26, 2021 2021–22 Japan Championships 21
      56.93       		23
      88.96       		23
      145.89
      2020–21 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      December 24–27, 2020 2020–21 Japan Championships 10
      63.96       		9
      126.43       		9
      190.39
      2019–20 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      November 15–17, 2019 2019 Rostelecom Cup 7
      60.57       		10
      109.46       		10
      170.03
      November 1–3, 2019 2019 Internationaux de France 7
      63.12       		10
      98.59       		9
      161.71
      2018–19 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      December 20–24, 2018 2018–19 Japan Championships 12
      59.99       		9
      123.17       		9
      183.16
      November 16–18, 2018 2018 Rostelecom Cup 5
      60.35       		4
      120.58       		5
      180.93
      November 2–4, 2018 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki 2
      63.77       		5
      127.69       		4
      191.46
      September 12–16, 2018 2018 CS U.S. International Classic 6
      55.35       		4
      115.39       		5
      170.74
      August 1–5, 2018 2018 CS Asian Open Trophy 4
      54.47       		1
      118.54       		2
      173.01
      2017–18 season
      Date Event SP FS Total
      March 16–18, 2018 2018 Coupe du Printemps 3
      65.67       		3
      116.12       		3
      181.79
      December 21–24, 2017 2017–18 Japan Championships 8
      63.33       		7
      128.36       		9
      191.69
      November 17–19, 2017 2017 Internationaux de France 3
      66.05       		6
      127.13       		6
      193.18
      November 10–12, 2017 2017 NHK Trophy 8
      57.34       		8
      114.60       		8
      171.94
      October 6–8, 2017 2017 CS Finlandia Trophy 8
      52.98       		6
      119.27       		7
      172.25
      August 2–5, 2017 2017 Asian Open Trophy 2
      62.03       		2
      102.33       		2
      164.36

      Junior level

      Shiraiwa at the 2017 World Junior Championships
      Shiraiwa at the 2016 World Junior Championships
      Shiraiwa at the 2015–16 JGP Final
      2018–19 season
      Date Event Level SP FS Total
      March 4–10, 2019 2019 World Junior Championships Junior 6
      62.08       		4
      123.38       		5
      185.46
      February 5–10, 2019 2019 Bavarian Open Junior 1
      67.26       		1
      121.19       		1
      188.45
      2016–17 season
      Date Event Level SP FS Total
      March 15–19, 2017 2017 World Junior Championships Junior 5
      62.96       		5
      111.42       		5
      174.38
      December 22–25, 2016 2016–17 Japan Championships Senior 17
      54.30       		3
      131.07       		6
      185.37
      November 18–20, 2016 2016–17 Japan Junior Championships Junior 3
      59.16       		1
      125.97       		2
      185.13
      October 5–9, 2016 2016 JGP Germany Junior 6
      54.60       		2
      122.06       		2
      176.66
      September 14–18, 2016 2016 JGP Russia Junior 3
      59.02       		4
      110.65       		4
      169.67
      2015–16 season
      Date Event Level SP FS Total
      March 14–20, 2016 2016 World Junior Championships Junior 8
      56.23       		5
      115.36       		4
      171.59
      February 12–21, 2016 2016 Youth Olympic Games Junior 1
      60.87       		5
      105.79       		4
      166.66
      December 24–27, 2015 2015–16 Japan Championships Senior 6
      61.92       		5
      124.41       		5
      186.33
      December 10–13, 2015 2015−16 JGP Final Junior 5
      60.68       		5
      113.14       		5
      173.82
      November 21–23, 2015 2015–16 Japan Junior Championships Junior 2
      62.77       		2
      121.39       		2
      184.16
      Sept. 30 – Oct. 4, 2015 2015 JGP Spain Junior 3
      62.51       		1
      124.29       		1
      186.80
      September 2–5, 2015 2015 JGP United States Junior 5
      56.26       		1
      108.24       		1
      164.50
      2014–15 season
      Date Event Level SP FS Total
      February 11–15, 2015 2014 Bavarian Open Novice 2
      39.03       		2
      70.43       		2
      109.46
      November 22–24, 2014 2014–15 Japan Junior Championships Junior 27
      40.07       		– –