Rena Uezono

Rena Uezono (上薗 恋奈) 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.

Career
Uezono began skating in 2017.

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.

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.