The Junior Grand Prix (Japanese: ジュニアGP Junia GP) is the thirty-seventh chapter of the Medalist manga.
Characters[]
Story[]
Jun Yodaka and his former coach, Shou Takamine, discuss Hikaru. Jun has made Hikaru write a letter to Shou requesting training from an ice dance coach with Olympic experience and to master a Level 4 Step Sequence, something Jun himself had done in the past. Shou deduces that Hikaru will be competing in the Olympics at age 20, seven years from now, just as Jun did. Shou says that seven years is a long time and advises Jun to ease up on his expectation for Hikaru to constantly win. However, Jun insists that he managed it himself, and that Hikaru will too.
The narrative shifts back five months earlier. At the Ohsu rink, Kohei Kamogawa is introduced as a new coach at Lux Higashiyama FSC. Hitomi and Kohei immediately band together in teasing Tsukasa, expressing their pride in his growth as a coach and reminiscing over embarrassing stories from his past.
At Inori's handover meeting, Tsukasa has prepared cards listing different jumps that Inori has successfully executed in competition, along with stickers to mark the GOEGOE for each. Her goals while Tsukasa is away include learning the 3Lz3Lz and improving the GOEGOE on her jumps. Tsukasa tells Inori to call him anytime, but Inori decides to hold off, realizing from his previous injury that she needs to learn to practice even without him. She promises to amaze him with her progress upon his return.
Tsukasa immediately grows emotional and bursts into a flood of tears. At Inori's request, he leaves behind his hoodie string "worms" for her before departing. Kohei on the other hand, inadvertently slips up and calls Inori "Miku." Nozomi, too, announces her return to full-time work, which may prevent her from attending distant competitions, and thanks the coaches in advance for watching over her.
Soon after, they receive exciting news: Inori has been selected to participate in the Junior Grand Prix selection conference, an event where chosen skaters represent their country in international competitions and are expected to podium. However, given her ongoing growing pains, Tsukasa advises her to go back to fundamentals, which are key to revisit when a skater's body develops. Kohei underscores the significance of international competitions, noting that they serve as a pathway to the Olympics. He apologizes for his earlier slip of the tongue and pledges his full support to Inori. Inori responds enthusiastically but accidentally calls him "Coach Tsukasa," which she frantically apologizes for upon realizing.
On the day of the selection meet, Inori successfully earns a spot alongside Dahlia Karasuba and Ako Koara. This brings the story back to the present, where Inori travels to Osaka for a special training camp. Tsukasa is enthusiastic as usual, but Inori is slightly hung up on the fact that she fell again on a Triple Lutz back at the selection meet. They are joined by Ako Koara and Reilly Foxx. Ako declares her goal is to surpass Inori, recognizing that Hikaru sees something special in her. Also attending the camp are Ryoka, Ema, Suzu, Rioh, and Hikaru.
As soon as Hikaru greets Inori however, she is overcome with an intense sense of agitation and frustration rooted in her previous failure to reach her at the All-Japans, her eyes brimming with uncontrollable tears of rage. As she wanders, questioning what she can do, she encounters Iruka Okazaki, a Designated Skater whose title has been upgraded from "Junior Skater A" to "Top Skater." Seizing the opportunity, Inori approaches her and requests that she show her how to become an international-class Junior skater.