I wonder if he wasn't living with his mom (which at 22 would seem reasonable) he would reach out more to others he knows at the rink such as Javi, or maybe would make friends outside of the rink. His English seems to be good enough to communicate with a non-Japanese speaker and being in Toronto he wouldn't be hounded by media if he went to a restaurant or movie with friends. It makes me sad to think that as a young man he trains, studies and that's it. :sad46:
(bold is mine)
Except that, since forever, that's always been exactly what it takes to make elite athletes?
I mean...
I feel that recenty we're having a lot of people who don't realise the amount of work that goes into making all these athletes so we can enjoy ourselves for a few minutes during their programs.
If they don't do other stuff, it's not necessarily because they don't want to, it's because,
if they want to get to that level, they don't have a choice. They have to work the whole day, every single day (Sundays often do not exist for elite athletes), for over 20 years of their lives.
That's what makes these people exceptional.
You don't get a Yuzu with three hours of training per week. You don't get a Phelps by swimming a couple of hours during the week.
You get people like them because their whole life revolves around their sport. They breath it, they eat it, they bath in it. It consumes their lives, quite litteraly.
To think otherwise is fooling yourself and insulting their dedication.
Stop pitying him, start appreciating the sacrifice instead.