It’s nice to see a fellow fan. I’ve always find it a pity that top-tier anime like Medalist get overlooked / underwatched by the general anime community.

I’m glad there are people like you who are willing to give them a chance.

I know these recommendations are uncalled for, but I think you may enjoy these anime too:

Girls Band Cry - Nina (the protagonist) is an idiot unlike Inori, and the anime is about music instead of sports, but I find that their stories are quite similar.

Umamusume: Cinderella Gray - The similarity here is more straightforward, with both being sports anime.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it!

it wasn’t from a studio I was familiar with

Yeah, this came out of nowhere. Previously the studio had mostly done a mediocre job of things so it was a pleasant surprise when the Medalist adaptation ended up being competently put together! That said, now it’s time to also recommend the manga. Season 2 has been announced, which is certainly something to be excited for, but advancing the story isn’t the only reason to read the manga - it’s also worth it because of how great the art is. I mean, look at this portrayal of Hikaru pulling Inori at top-speed, “as if the ice itself were propelling her”:

Seriously, we’re at max expressiveness here:

The skating looks great too!