is a Japanese former competitive

figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...

. He is a two-time

Ondrej Nepela Memorial The Nepela Memorial ( sk, Memoriál Ondreja Nepelu), formerly known as the Ondrej Nepela Trophy in 2013–15 & 2017 and the Ondrej Nepela Memorial, is an annual senior-level international figure skating competition. Named after Figure skating at t ...

champion, the 2003 Winter Universiade bronze medalist, and a three-time Japan national medalist. He finished in the top ten at three

Four Continents Championships The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships (4CC) is an annual figure skating competition. The International Skating Union established it in 1999 to provide skaters representing non-African and non-European countries with a similar competit ...

Personal life

Kensuke Nakaniwa was born on October 15, 1981 in

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...

, Japan.

Career

In the 1999–2000 season, Nakaniwa won a bronze medal on the

ISU Junior Grand Prix The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...

series and placed 13th at the 2000 World Junior Championships. In the 2002–03 season, Nakaniwa made his

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

debut and competed at his first senior ISU Championship, the 2003 Four Continents, where he finished 11th. Nakaniwa ended his competitive career in 2011. He has coached

Sei Kawahara Sei Kawahara ( ja, 川原星, born December 17, 1995) is a Japanese figure skater. He won one medal on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and made his Grand Prix debut at the 2015 Skate Canada International. Post–competitive career Kawahara wor ...

Programs

Competitive highlights

''GP:

; JGP:

Junior Grand Prix The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nakaniwa, Kensuke 1981 births Living people Japanese male single skaters Sportspeople from Fukuoka (city) Asian Games medalists in figure skating Figure skaters at the 2007 Asian Winter Games Medalists at the 2007 Asian Winter Games Asian Games bronze medalists for Japan Universiade medalists in figure skating Universiade bronze medalists for Japan Medalists at the 2003 Winter Universiade Competitors at the 2001 Winter Universiade Competitors at the 2005 Winter Universiade