What went wrong with Mao Asada?

She changed from a more natural technique of "feeling" to a more technical technique that goes against her natural tendencies.
It looks like she has less speed because she has added transitions between almost all of her jumps compared to the basic crossovers she used to do between elements. I wish she would have less of these transitions and more crossovers to generate speed like Kostner does. Replace the meaningless transitions with fewer, more meaningful ones - like in her 2008 programs.

anyanka said:

The title of this thread should be: "What did Mao Asada do RIGHT when everything else seemed to go wrong for her?" and list / celebrate her accomplishments.

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It's a testament to Mao's almost boundless natural talent and her habit of working like an ox that despite all the flaws mentioned in this discussion, she still managed to win her 3rd World title 8 years after her senior debut at age 23, long after the growth spurts. It probably would've been a much easier path to at least 5 World titles and 1 OGM if the problems were fixed in her novice days, but she's done well enough for herself already.

Yeah. I love Mao and her style. Yes, she is not the best refined skater, and her jumps are not text book perfect, but she does have her own unique style. I think she needs to let go of the pressure, and finish off her competitive career. It would only make sense.

Olympic Silver Medalist
3 time World Champion
4 time Grand Prix Final Champion
First single skater who won all the GP events.
3 time Four Continents Champion
6 time National Champion
First woman who landed three 3As in a competition
SP's World Record holder

This is the career of the skater some people wonder what went wrong with her.
I don't think there are skaters who don't have any problems to be solved.

To be honest. Although her achievements are so great, but everyone was watching figure skating so closely is because of the rivalry between Yuna and Mao. It was a beautiful story, but I wish it could gone better at the end. I think Mao's goal was to beat Yuna as Yuna beat her at Vancouver. She was hungry for it more than Yuna. At the end, it wasn't all about the medals, but to finish what was started. This rivalry and friendship started since their junior years, and they themselves pushed to become better skaters because they know their rival is practicing harder. I wish there was a better finale.

urara said:

Olympic Silver Medalist
3 time World Champion
4 time Grand Prix Final Champion
First single skater who won all the GP events.
3 time Four Continents Champion
6 time National Champion
First woman who landed three 3As in a competition
SP's World Record holder

This is the career of the skater some people wonder what went wrong with her.
I don't think there are skaters who don't have any problems to be solved.

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And the first woman to do an 8-triple (each one different) program in the Olympics, if I recall correctly. Plus she's already had a long career at or near the top, and no matter what adversity she faces, she keeps getting up and coming back. Yes, whatever is wrong with Mao, it's nothing compared to what's right.

Olympia said:

And the first woman to do an 8-triple (each one different) program in the Olympics, if I recall correctly. Plus she's already had a long career at or near the top, and no matter what adversity she faces, she keeps getting up and coming back. Yes, whatever is wrong with Mao, it's nothing compared to what's right.

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Amen!!

Franklin99 said:

Amen!!

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Guys, I am the original poster and of course Mao has many achievements and it remains as fact that she is a fantastic skater. And I understand the sentiment that we should focus on what is right, but it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years, and I just wanted to know what factors could influence a skater. I don't mean to diminish Mao in any way but I think any factors or problems that influenced her can and do influence other skaters as well, so I'd just like some insight.

VirMo said:

Guys, I am the original poster and of course Mao has many achievements and it remains as fact that she is a fantastic skater. And I understand the sentiment that we should focus on what is right, but it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years, and I just wanted to know what factors could influence a skater. I don't mean to diminish Mao in any way but I think any factors or problems that influenced her can and do influence other skaters as well, so I'd just like some insight.

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It depends on different skaters you know. They have different type of body, different techniques, different mentality so we can't apply theories which went right/wrong for Mao to other skaters. What influenced her badly might influence other skater in the positive way.

VirMo said:

Guys, I am the original poster and of course Mao has many achievements and it remains as fact that she is a fantastic skater. And I understand the sentiment that we should focus on what is right, but it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years, and I just wanted to know what factors could influence a skater. I don't mean to diminish Mao in any way but I think any factors or problems that influenced her can and do influence other skaters as well, so I'd just like some insight.

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I dont know what you mean by diminish her LP at the olympics proves otherwise.

anyanka said:

The title of this thread should be: "What did Mao Asada do RIGHT when everything else seemed to go wrong for her?" and list / celebrate her accomplishments.

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Well, this is not Mao's Fan Forum yet... Maybe we should just express our opinions about the thread's topic? If you disagree, you are free to say that, but I don't think that VirMo's goal was to diminish Mao's achievemnts in any way

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Mao is one of the most successful skaters in the sports and so the title of this thread does sound silly.

Having said that, to address the question that is being asked, I think what made things difficult for her was first and foremost changes to her body, I believe. But she managed to survive them and basically maintain most of her jumps. The only jumps that she really had to give up on due to her body growing up were her quad jumps, I believe. Few female skaters in history have been so lucky as to lose their quad jumps due to puberty.

Mao kept on growing right up to Vancouver Olympic season, and she was 19-years-old then. So this would mean that other girls would potentially need to remain vigilant of growth spurts all the way up to their late teens before they're well and truly beyond the grasp of the puberty monster.

Minze2001 said:

I dont know what you mean by diminish her LP at the olympics proves otherwise.

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Prior to her Olympics LP, she's had a not-so-good season and people were pessimistic in their predictions about her. I think VirMo meant why Mao struggled post Vancouver. She's had a rough couple of years. Wasn't alot of it had to do with shoddy jump technique that she had to rework and learn from scratch again?

VirMo said:

Guys, I am the original poster and of course Mao has many achievements and it remains as fact that she is a fantastic skater. And I understand the sentiment that we should focus on what is right, but it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years, and I just wanted to know what factors could influence a skater. I don't mean to diminish Mao in any way but I think any factors or problems that influenced her can and do influence other skaters as well, so I'd just like some insight.

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OK I think Mao gained about 6 kilos and 10 centimeters in height from 2006 -2010. I have also heard that she is known for having delayed rotation on her jumps which Dick Button even went out of his way to praise in her World's 2008 LP performance because it was considered to be aesthetically pleasing during the 6.0 era. My thoughts are that this delayed rotation likely increased her ur rotation problems after her body changed. But, this setback was only temporary and even in the midst of it she was still able to win Worlds with magnificent performances in 2010, so it was an intermittent problem. That's why reworking her jumps seemed like such a huge sacrifice: lose present slightly inconsistent success for possible greater more consistent success in the future, which has eventually paid off.

The thing I disagree with is your comment, "it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years." as if it is indisputably true when so many facts and feelings contradict it. She has improved dramatically in the last two years, winning her last 6 Grand Prix events in a row, finishing third and first at Worlds, a new World record in the SP, winning 4CC's by 15 points and becoming the first woman to score 200 points or more in 3 consecutive international competitions. It would be 5 now but for her low score rigging in Sochi. There were setbacks for her at Japanese National Championships and the Olympic SP, but the last three performances are the best she has ever had.

Most people agree that Mao was underscored at Sochi, yet even held down her tech score was still as high as her best tech score in the Grand Prix Final 2007, for what is surely her best tech performance BEFORE Sochi. As for artistry, Mao has perfected a wave-like flow in her arm and hand motions that is constant but especially noticeable when exiting her jumps. This surpasses the artistry she achieved in that Grand Prix Final 2007. Furthermore, her step sequences have reached a level of transcendence that is simply divine. Again, her two performances at Worlds and her incredible number of tweets praising her Sochi performance including the unprecedented number that claimed they cried or had goosebumps) only adds more credence to the fact that she has enhanced the quality of her performances, so that 2013-2014 is her prime year. And while she may have lost to Kim overall at the Olympics, there is agreement in the court of public opinion (social media, tiwtter, you tube and forums) and even among many Olympic skaters, like Tara Lipinski and Elvis Stojko, that Mao had a superior free-skate at Sochi to Kim. I think Mao's coach Sato sums up best what distinguishes her performances now from pre-2010.

"4 years ago she came to me as a two-time World Champion and to be honest there were many days when I was unsure what I should do, thinking this way and that way. Finally we reached a point where we are on common ground, which is right now. Mysteriously she has become someone who can produce something profound."

This depth for me is her consummate artistic and even common human expression she brings to her skating that is quite exceptional and rare, and in my opinion, likely built up from her years of suffering to improve her jumps. her Olympic heartaches, and most importantly, the tragic death of her mother.

Finally, we have the toughest critic of all, Mao herself, who admits “I achieved my targets and feel a sense of completion." Even Mao is claiming success. The only thing that could diminish is the world of figure skating with Mao's absence.

lilahozi said:

Prior to her Olympics LP, she's had a not-so-good season and people were pessimistic in their predictions about her. I think VirMo meant why Mao struggled post Vancouver. She's had a rough couple of years. Wasn't alot of it had to do with shoddy jump technique that she had to rework and learn from scratch again?

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Her season wasn't bad - she won all her GP events and the GPF before stumbling at Japanese Nationals. Her season prior to Sochi actually went better than Carolina's, despite Carolina doing far better at the Olympics. Post-Vancouver, there was the whole technique fixing thing which meant she spent nearly half the 2010-2011 season popping or falling on lots of her jumps. But that alone doesn't account for all her troubles after 2011. She showed lots of progress already by 2011 4CC, but there was the earthquake in 2011 which affected her training for 2011 Worlds where she was pale and worn-out. Then there was her mother dying in late 2011, which caused her to pull out of the 2011 GPF and again negatively impacted her showing at 2012 Worlds. Most of her competition outings in late 2012 were unimpressive, and she didn't even show the potential for an 8-triple LP until 2013 4CC. So yes, lots of things went wrong. Though talking about these things doesn't really answer the question of what happened to her jumps after 2008 since those problems were already there before Vancouver, and her jumps this season were near the best they've been since 2007-08.

lilahozi said:

Prior to her Olympics LP, she's had a not-so-good season and people were pessimistic in their predictions about her. I think VirMo meant why Mao struggled post Vancouver. She's had a rough couple of years. Wasn't alot of it had to do with shoddy jump technique that she had to rework and learn from scratch again?

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That's a lie.

Mao was undefeated on the GP the last two seasons in a row. She had some of her best performances from a technical standpoint this past season and was consistently hitting at least 5 triples whereas the season before her wins could be attributed to superior PCS.

She had a rough FS at nationals but everyone has an off night...but on the whole, Mao was "on" this past season which is why her meltdown in the SP in Sochi was such a shock. But she rebounded with a brilliant FS there and went on to throw down two excellent performances at worlds.


Mao struggled post-Vancouver with reworking/relearning jumps as well as outside factors (the earthquake in Japan, losing her mother). She basically bottomed out; yet she climbed her way back to the top. The fact that she continues to compete and win is a testament to what a resilient and amazing competitor she is. She's the only one of the Big Three who has competed year in and year out for the past two quads.

Was the level of competition in the GP for the last two seasons that strong?

That aside, I'll correct my original statement. I do remember a lot of teeth gnashing from posters over her Olympic prospects prior to the Olympics though.

Olympia said:

And the first woman to do an 8-triple (each one different) program in the Olympics, if I recall correctly. Plus she's already had a long career at or near the top, and no matter what adversity she faces, she keeps getting up and coming back. Yes, whatever is wrong with Mao, it's nothing compared to what's right.

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I totally agree with this. I think the thread's topic is off (opinion..). Someone also mentioned Yuna being slimmer than Mao. I really don't think this is true, both girls have pretty similar body types and at times have been slimmer than the other. I actually think that Mao has been too thin at times (2011) and lost some muscle, which affected her ability to jump. I think Mao was in her best form this season, in generally I think her jumping mistakes are not due to technical issues, but more to do with her nerves. Sure, she has flaws, but she has had a magnificent career. Nothing went wrong with Mao, she is one of the best ever. LOL

VirMo said:

Guys, I am the original poster and of course Mao has many achievements and it remains as fact that she is a fantastic skater. And I understand the sentiment that we should focus on what is right, but it is a fact that her performance did diminish since her prime years, and I just wanted to know what factors could influence a skater. I don't mean to diminish Mao in any way but I think any factors or problems that influenced her can and do influence other skaters as well, so I'd just like some insight.

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Hi, understood. Thanks for clarifying that. The title was bound to provoke some sort of reaction (it certainly did from me). I appreciate that and your comments.