Mao Asada: Olympic Thread

CanadianSkaterGuy · Feb 19, 2014

CarneAsada said:
Two things (well, 3 really) would need to happen:
1. Mao would need to land her 8 triple program perfectly. That could get her around 150.
2. 2 of Yuna, Adelina, Carolina, and Gracie would need to skate poorly (low 130s or worse).

Now I never actively wish ill upon skaters so my message to Mao is: 8 triples on the protocol. DO IT.

Without a doubt, that would be the greatest figure skating comeback ever if she pulled it off.

As for the others hitting 130: Gracie even with a clean FS hasn't breached 130, and Caro has inconsistent FS (her Euros was in the low 120's). Adelina has lately been consistent with her FS, but has crumbled in the past after strong SP; maybe the pressure of being so close to Kim and Russia's hope for a gold might get to her. Her PB with an almost clean skate at Euros is 131.63.

It is pretty much impossible at this point, and with Mao's form in the SP (all 3 jumping passes having errors), I just can't picture her capable of an 8-triple LP.

aschiutza · Feb 19, 2014

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
Oh the Japanese will be gracious towards her because they're more gracious than the Russians in general. Not to mention, Mao actually skated instead of Plushenko who quit, leaving them no Russian competitor to cheer for.

I don't think that the russian would have behaved better if Plushenko would have competed and ended as 16th.

The japanese are generally very polite but they can be much more subtle in their disapointment, would not be very stright as we in Europe. They were dissapointed even after the team event while there was never a hope for Japan to take a medal (ok, they threw the blame to the russian that they didn't changed their male and female single skater, as if that would have been the problem :laugh:

). I hope it won't be the case.

MaiKatze · Feb 19, 2014

As much as I love Mao, the answer can only be No. It's a very different position from Denis who was quite close to the bronze. She should just skate for herself now, it is not like it matters anymore how she does, which might help her to return to the top 10 at least.

mwk81 · Feb 19, 2014

I really doubt it. Like Jeremy Abbott, she just needs to go into tomorrow looking for a clean skate

Nocturne · Feb 19, 2014

I could only heartbrokenly stare at her during that program. It was just painful to watch! She's my alltime fave!
I hope she will skate her best free skate ever tomorrow, although izs a lot to ask.
Maybe skating so early will help her? This is a placement shes never been in and the ultimate goal is unachievable anyway, so maybe she can control her nerves better?
I really hope so!

moviechick · Feb 19, 2014

aschiutza said:
I don't think that the russian would have behaved better if Plushenko would have competed and ended as 16th.

The japanese are generally very polite but they can be much more subtle in their disapointment, would not be very stright as we in Europe. They were dissapointed even after the team event while there was never a hope for Japan to take a medal (ok, they threw the blame to the russian that they didn't changed their male and female single skater, as if that would have been the problem ). I hope it won't be the case.

Yeah.. my family's Asian and if you don't perform well, you just get a lot of passive aggressive disappointment.

CarneAsada · Feb 19, 2014

CanadianSkaterGuy said:
It is pretty much impossible at this point, and with Mao's form in the SP (all 3 jumping passes having errors), I just can't picture her capable of an 8-triple LP.

Shhhhhh I kept saying before the competition that Mao skating clean wasn't happening and she most unfortunately proved me right. I want to sustain just one day (or more like 18 hours) of delusions of grandeur and hopes of miracles.

Barb · Feb 19, 2014

Krislite said:
She looked fine in the practices. I think the nerves just got to her, skating last and with her last shot at gold. She wanted it too much. A perfect LP could still put her within striking distance of the podium though. She's got nothing to lose at this point.

This, she wanted too much the gold medal or land the triple axel, Practices were great. I hope this will be lesson of life for her and she dont be so hard with herself.

Srin Odessa · Feb 19, 2014

I'm reminded of Lambiel's comeback at Skate Canada 2006. During the short program, he came in 7th with a score of 64.45. Daisuke was in first with 78.80, a margin of 14.35 points. During the Free Skate, Lambiel won by scoring 146.25 for a total of 210.70. Everyone else bombed. Daisuke was second in the Free Skate with 129.41 which gave Lambiel the gold by just 2.49 points.

Mao would need to skate as strong as possible and have the top three contenders skate very poorly to just secure a bronze. She'll need more help from the competition in order to win gold.

moviechick · Feb 19, 2014

If everyone else gets food poisoning tonight.. maybe.

emma · Feb 19, 2014

Srin Odessa said:
I'm reminded of Lambiel's comeback at Skate Canada 2006. During the short program, he came in 7th with a score of 64.45. Daisuke was in first with 78.80, a margin of 14.35 points. During the Free Skate, Lambiel won by scoring 146.25 for a total of 210.70. Everyone else bombed. Daisuke was second in the Free Skate with 129.41 which gave Lambiel the gold by just 2.49 points.

Mao would need to skate as strong as possible and have the top three contenders skate very poorly to just secure a bronze. She'll need more help from the competition in order to win gold.

Was that the competition where Lambiel went into the stand in regular clothes to watch...and had to hustle back for the medals?

Anyway, like I said somewhere else, I hope she can skate with pure abandon tomorrow, forget about placements and just be Mao.

Krislite · Feb 19, 2014

Srin Odessa said:
I'm reminded of Lambiel's comeback at Skate Canada 2006. During the short program, he came in 7th with a score of 64.45. Daisuke was in first with 78.80, a margin of 14.35 points. During the Free Skate, Lambiel won by scoring 146.25 for a total of 210.70. Everyone else bombed. Daisuke was second in the Free Skate with 129.41 which gave Lambiel the gold by just 2.49 points.

Mao would need to skate as strong as possible and have the top three contenders skate very poorly to just secure a bronze. She'll need more help from the competition in order to win gold.

She needs that miracle: the 8-triple free skate to get on the podium, but it is possible. Kostner and Sotnikova are most vulnerable in the free skate, especially with the pressure now on them to maintain their lead.

Seruleane · Feb 19, 2014

I just read somewhere that Mao hasn't landed a triple axel in competition all season...ahh!! Is that really true? If so, I don't know why she kept it...IMO you can't be sure about a jump unless you land it consistently in competition...same with Hanyu and his 4S.

Ophelia · Feb 19, 2014

Doesn't Hanyu keep his 4S in out of a combination of sheer stubbornness and being able to rack up points for the completed rotations he's able to achieve?

Layfan · Feb 19, 2014

Seruleane said:
I just read somewhere that Mao hasn't landed a triple axel in competition all season...ahh!! Is that really true? If so, I don't know why she kept it...IMO you can't be sure about a jump unless you land it consistently in competition...same with Hanyu and his 4S.

She did I thought. Either in the NHK short in the GPF short. or was it underrotated?

BlackPack · Feb 19, 2014

Plus hearing the celebration for Sotnikova and her 74+ scores must have been intimidating as well.

BlackPack · Feb 19, 2014

Krislite said:
She needs that miracle: the 8-triple free skate to get on the podium, but it is possible. Kostner and Sotnikova are most vulnerable in the free skate, especially with the pressure now on them to maintain their lead.

All the ladies from 2nd-15th places, ahead of Mao, aren't consistent. Even if most of them meltdown, there might be 2-3 who will give good performances. Mao may move way up but to get on the podium is a near impossibility.

bonniesin · Feb 19, 2014

Here's what she has to say about her showing:

浅田真央（中京大）の声が震えていた。「最初のトリプルアクセル（３回転半）のところから、いつもと違うと思っていました。自分の体と、気持ちにずれがあり、体がついていかなかった」

「自分が弱かった。『いける』という気持ちを出さなければいけないと思ったが、そう思うことが、いつも通りではないのかな」と言った。

　原因は探しきれないままだが、前を向くしかない。「あまり深く考えない。明日は明日。自分のやるべきことをやろうと思います

source: http://digital.asahi.com/articles/A...ef=comkiji_txt_end_s_kjid_ASG2N0HBZG2MUTQP031

which translates to:

"The lead-in to the 3A felt different from usual. My body and mind weren't in sync and I couldn't keep up." "I was weak. I felt like I had to be confident for this performance but couldn't get into that state of mind like I usually do."

"I won't think too much of it. Tomorrow is tomorrow. I'll do what I'm here to do."

CarneAsada · Feb 19, 2014

Seruleane said:
I just read somewhere that Mao hasn't landed a triple axel in competition all season...ahh!! Is that really true? If so, I don't know why she kept it...IMO you can't be sure about a jump unless you land it consistently in competition...same with Hanyu and his 4S.

She hasn't landed a clean, credited 3A. She's stood up plenty of 3As this season, either underrotated or with other landing errors. It's just that at this Olympics she turned into her own version of 2009/2010 Carolina Kostner.

skatingfan20 · Feb 19, 2014

That program must have been so devastating for her---so sad to see.

Mao Asada: Olympic Thread

CanadianSkaterGuy

aschiutza

MaiKatze

mwk81

Nocturne

moviechick

CarneAsada

Barb

Srin Odessa

moviechick

emma

Krislite

Seruleane

Ophelia

Layfan

BlackPack

BlackPack

bonniesin

CarneAsada

skatingfan20

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