On the 15th, Miho Takagi secured a bronze medal in the women's 500-meter speed skating at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, expressing deep gratitude towards her skating blades which have supported her throughout her career. Having previously used these blades in the 2018 PyeongChang and 2022 Beijing Olympics, she experimented with different blade types leading up to the Milano Olympics, aiming to enhance her performance by refreshing her skating technique. This transition included adopting a blade favored by many foreign middle-distance skaters, which initially showed promise as she recorded nine victories in the World Cup during the 2023-24 season and seven more in the following season. However, challenges arose as she began to notice a decline in her performance, particularly during the latter parts of races, culminating in a disappointing fourth-place finish at the World Distance Championships in March 2025. Believing that the new blades would enhance her physical strength and speed, she undertook intense training to build power, but this inadvertently compromised her naturally delicate skating style. Just before the season's start, she decided to revert to her previous blades and work diligently to adapt her skating form. Her performance on the 15th reminiscent of her silver medal skate at the Beijing Olympics showcased her determination, achieving a personal fastest 100 meters in that race. Takagi emphasized that she is beginning to grasp certain technical aspects, attributing her success in the 500-meter race to her adjustments in movement that yielded positive results. As she continues her pursuit of the elusive gold medal in the 1500 meters, she feels closer than ever to attaining the perfected version of her skating form that she has been striving for throughout her career.