2023 World Junior Women's Free Skate | Page 23 | Golden Skate

2023 World Junior Women's Free Skate

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
Also, unless the Japanese are using the cruel training methods that rely on hard-driving the pre-puberty girls into performing for only a year or two, surely Shimada will only gain in mastery as she develops as a skater through to the true maturity šŸ˜‰ so itā€™s not just quads, but, like, also spirals.
 

JimR

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 22, 2022
Also, unless the Japanese are using the cruel training methods that rely on hard-driving the pre-puberty girls into performing for only a year or two, surely Shimada will only gain in mastery as she develops as a skater through to the true maturity šŸ˜‰ so itā€™s not just quads, but, like, also spirals.

She seems to consistently struggle to rotate her 4T. This might be more difficult when she goes through puberty. If she fixes her 4T technique this might change though.
 

JimR

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 22, 2022
I think her 4T would have been called fully rotated by anyone other than Shin. i could not see the ā€œqā€ on it.

This was her 4T. Not clean.


Mao-4T.jpg
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
It's for her own protection.
haha I wonder what Mao thinks of that :)

At this junior worlds she was the very best! Exciting to see how she fares coming seasons. Let's pretend she medals at one or two more junior worlds/jgpf. Then what's motivating her to continue competing? Perhaps taking a year or two off concentrating on studies? And come back for season 26/27? We'll see. All the best to Mao!

An :clap: Looks like China has a new star with the 'right' age. But I don't see her listed at worlds :(
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
I said this after the SP and I still think it's true. The US has GOT to get their ladies to compete as well as they practice. To go from Gold and Bronze to our top lady finishing in 8th, is really sad. NO excuses, I don't know if the coaches need to push them harder so the only gear they know is the "Top Gear" We lost our 3rd spot but, after this event, it doesn't look like we need it. I truly hope this lights a fire under the up and coming ladies...
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
I said this after the SP and I still think it's true. The US has GOT to get their ladies to compete as well as they practice. To go from Gold and Bronze to our top lady finishing in 8th, is really sad. NO excuses, I don't know if the coaches need to push them harder so the only gear they know is the "Top Gear" We lost our 3rd spot but, after this event, it doesn't look like we need it. I truly hope this lights a fire under the up and coming ladies...
you know, this is exactly the problem...Last year, the US had great ladies competing in both junior and senior worlds... this year, it is a bit empty in juniors... normal, the great juniors moved up. Why expect to get the US skaters medals every year? Maybe' that is the problem ! Too much pressure. Even if the 3 American women had skated their best, I hardly imagine them getting inside the top 4 or 5. The Korean and Japanese skaters are superior.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
you know, this is exactly the problem...Last year, the US had great ladies competing in both junior and senior worlds... this year, it is a bit empty in juniors... normal, the great juniors moved up. Why expect to get the US skaters medals every year? Maybe' that is the problem ! Too much pressure. Even if the 3 American women had skated their best, I hardly imagine them getting inside the top 4 or 5. The Korean and Japanese skaters are superior.
100%
 

yume

šŸ‰
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
haha I wonder what Mao thinks of that :)

At this junior worlds she was the very best! Exciting to see how she fares coming seasons. Let's pretend she medals at one or two more junior worlds/jgpf. Then what's motivating her to continue competing? Perhaps taking a year or two off concentrating on studies? And come back for season 26/27? We'll see. All the best to Mao!

An :clap: Looks like China has a new star with the 'right' age. But I don't see her listed at worlds :(
She will be 21. In some countries, many finish college at 20/21. That's a weird age to have your first opportunity to compete at olys.

We will see how she will stay healthy for the next 7 years while she is jumping ultra-c since 12yo and increases the difficulty year by year.

Skaters and their coaches will always do whatever it takes to win, age limit or no. But i really hope to see her at 2030 olys.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
I thought that was a lovely performance with strong tech, but ugh, Ted, please donā€™t say things like ā€œyouā€™re looking at a future World, maybe Olympic champion.ā€ Thereā€™s already enough pressure on these kids in their own minds (and with their coaches, parents etc) and you never know what the future may bring. It should be enough to celebrate what Mao has achieved today.

But acting like her future is assured at age 14? No, just no. History proves otherwise, and Ted of all people should know that. People used to say Marin Honda would be a World and Olympic champion too, and as it is it seems unlikely sheā€™ll ever get to attend a senior level championship at all, let alone medal.

A couple of years ago, there are a couple of videos (or there were) on youtube listing all the JWC champions and their senior successes, and it is a sobering thing to watch, so many of them did okay, even quite well but not senior champions... I downloaded them, will see if I can find them again.

Mao is a very impressive little skater (not my style, I enjoyed Monsol, Ami and Jia rather more) and while I really have no time for Hamada, I don't think she's stupid, Mao will not turn senior till what, 2027? - and they must both have eyes set on the 2030 Olympics. That means taking it steady, especially when the Russian girls return whenever that may be.
 
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LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
I thought that was a lovely performance with strong tech, but ugh, Ted, please donā€™t say things like ā€œyouā€™re looking at a future World, maybe Olympic champion.ā€ Thereā€™s already enough pressure on these kids in their own minds (and with their coaches, parents etc) and you never know what the future may bring. It should be enough to celebrate what Mao has achieved today.

But acting like her future is assured at age 14? No, just no. History proves otherwise, and Ted of all people should know that. People used to say Marin Honda would be a World and Olympic champion too, and as it is it seems unlikely sheā€™ll ever get to attend a senior level championship at all, let alone medal.
I was preparing for ted to call her "May-oh ShEE-mah-duh"!!! I just can't with him.

Anyone remember during Tiffany Chin's LP in Sarajevo in 1984 Peggy Fleming said something like "We just might be seeing the future Olympic champion in four years in Calgary!!" A Carol Heiss, poor Peggy was not, in terms of predictions.
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
She will be 21. In some countries, many finish college at 20/21. That's a weird age to have your first opportunity to compete at olys.

We will see how she will stay healthy for the next 7 years while she is jumping ultra-c since 12yo and increases the difficulty year by year.

Skaters and their coaches will always do whatever it takes to win, age limit or no. But i really hope to see her at 2030 olys.
Well, Rika still hasn't been to an Olympics. Apparently her career-threatening injuries are unremarkable, but the second an Eteri skater gets an injury, well.... we know this board.... *eyeroll*.
 

lileychristie

Lee-lay
Medalist
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Apr 17, 2022
Country
Australia
Well, Rika still hasn't been to an Olympics. Apparently her career-threatening injuries are unremarkable, but the second an Eteri skater gets an injury, well.... we know this board.... *eyeroll*.

Rika got her major injury training under Mie Hamada, same coach as Mao, and many of us here in this thread have expressed the same concerns for Mao.

And I remember many people expressed their relief when Mana Kawabe left Hamada and went to Mihoko Higuchi. So no, Eteri isn't the only coach people have concerns with, unfortunately.
 

yume

šŸ‰
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Well, Rika still hasn't been to an Olympics. Apparently her career-threatening injuries are unremarkable, but the second an Eteri skater gets an injury, well.... we know this board.... *eyeroll*.
Not just Kihira but also Miyahara who battled an hip then a foot injury. But since she recovered just in time for olys i guess that's why it got unnoticed.
It's well known that no other coach had skaters with career-threatening injuries.....
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
Rika got her major injury training under Mie Hamada, same coach as Mao, and many of us here in this thread have expressed the same concerns for Mao.

And I remember many people expressed their relief when Mana Kawabe left Hamada and went to Mihoko Higuchi. So no, Eteri isn't the only coach people have concerns with, unfortunately.
Somehow the concern for the age, physical form, elements performed, length of career and injuries of Japanese, Americans or Koreans are not at all as loud even though I see zero difference in approach by the coaches in those countries. It was particularly clear during this junior worlds, since all the winners were from the same age pool, body type and with the same focus on ultra-c. If anything, some of them look less athletic than the skaters who were criticized/scrutinized and no longer competing, and one very small federation skater who was in this competition in particular makes me wonder if Safe Sport should take notice of her physical shape to ensure her wellbeing. I was also concerned with amount of excitement this skater was creating among the young girls in the audience tbh, because for most women trying to attain such body shape will result in serious life-long and grave health consequences.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Somehow the concern for the age, physical form, elements performed, length of career and injuries of Japanese, Americans or Koreans are not at all as loud even though I see zero difference in approach by the coaches in those countries. It was particularly clear during this junior worlds, since all the winners were from the same age pool, body type and with the same focus on ultra-c. If anything, some of them look less athletic than the skaters who were criticized/scrutinized and no longer competing, and one very small federation skater who was in this competition in particular makes me wonder if Safe Sport should take notice of her physical shape to ensure her wellbeing. I was also concerned with amount of excitement this skater was creating among the young girls in the audience tbh, because for most women trying to attain such body shape will result in serious life-long and grave health consequences.
It's interesting when you talk about body type. I saw Tonya Harding close up in 1991, and she looked nothing like these ladies. She was compact and filled with Muscle. Midori was built the same way.
 

lariko

Medalist
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Country
Canada
It's interesting when you talk about body type. I saw Tonya Harding close up in 1991, and she looked nothing like these ladies. She was compact and filled with Muscle. Midori was built the same way.
In agility sports I am less concerned for athletes who look athletic.
 

JimR

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 22, 2022
Somehow the concern for the age, physical form, elements performed, length of career and injuries of Japanese, Americans or Koreans are not at all as loud even though I see zero difference in approach by the coaches in those countries. It was particularly clear during this junior worlds, since all the winners were from the same age pool, body type and with the same focus on ultra-c. If anything, some of them look less athletic than the skaters who were criticized/scrutinized and no longer competing, and one very small federation skater who was in this competition in particular makes me wonder if Safe Sport should take notice of her physical shape to ensure her wellbeing. I was also concerned with amount of excitement this skater was creating among the young girls in the audience tbh, because for most women trying to attain such body shape will result in serious life-long and grave health consequences.
If it's who I think you are talking about I think she's an extreme ectomorph with proportions that you normally never in skating because it puts someone at such a disadvantage, high centre of gravity, naturally doesn't build muscle. I don't think she's unhealthy, but of course someone without that natural body type shouldn't be trying to accomplish that kind of build. It's the kind of body you would see in long distance running and not really anything unusual.
 
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