http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/101227/spm1012270503003-n1.htm
Akiko says her jumps were not in good condition before the competition. She doesn't think she will compete at Sochi but she cannot retire with this result. She wants to conclude her armature career in more satisfying way.
In today's Nikkei, she said she wasn't in good condition but she did her best. However, she wasn't able to do jumps without thinking anything. She was thinking to decide whether she'd retire or not after each season, but she cannot retire with this result.
Akiko also wrote on her twitter. "Thank you everyone for supporting me. I will make a new start after refreshing mentally and physically. I will pursue my dreams a little further."
I took the liberty of translating her message on twitter because I wanted to share it with her fans who do not understand Japanese.
Thank you so much for translating that. Sad that she's disappointed but glad that she will grace us with more skating.
Olympia, I always admire your eloquence and optimism. As a fan of Michelle, I have also realized how she wasn't the same after she left Lori. Sadly, the same can be said about Lori. The pair together (with Caroll) was just a magic combination. I much prefer Lori's choreography for Mao to TAT's but I also feel she has become predictable over the years. So I'd like for Mao to seek out other choreographers in the future.
i would love to see what renee roca can put together for mao, although the truth is i'm so much happier with lori than i am with TAT that mao can stay with lori a while as far as i'm concerned--she hasn't been with lori long enough for anything to get stale.
olympia, i am a michelle fan as well but i don't have to insist that michelle is the ultimate best at everything and in terms of hand and arm movements mao certainly is ahead of michelle.