Mao Asada | Page 6 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
I became a Mao Asada fan overnight. Honestly, what she did last night was worth more than a OGM. She had the OGM in mind for the last four years, and came into these games fighting for the elusive Gold, but went away as a legend.
 

SGrand

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Wow, just......WOW! I have always liked and admired her, but tonight was special and I'm so happy for her!
What a glorious skate by a legend!!!
Congratulations Mao, you don't have to stand on the podium to be a champion.
 

Lovelovely

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 19, 2014
Mao mao mao I was never a fan of mao but what she did today was absolutely amazing. Congratulations with landing 8 triples!! When I was watching you today I couldnt believe my eyes.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Mao is the true Olympic Champion of my heart. And she ended up 6th, like Daisuke. :)

:thumbsup:, MaiKatze! Mao truly shined and rocked the WHOLE world with her glorious free skate!

To those who feel 'fed up' with those on-going nasty discussions at various GS Forum threads ;):
Here is 'granité' for you, from Mao+Dai, hoping their angelic smiles make you feel better and remind you why you fell in love with the sport called figure skating! :) http://www.sanspo.com/sochi2014/photos/20140221/soc14022119280063-p5.html http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/zoomImage/20140223-OHT9I00004.htm
 

luckykid

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 21, 2009
Some tweets supportive of Mao can be found here, most in Japanese, some in English.
http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2139291614786943401?&page=1

In other news, I admit I'm sort of sick of Mao's Exhibition program 'Smile'. I wish she would change her program, like Hanyu does. But this time, I think this program really really really suits how she must be currently feeling, and I hope she skates it 100 times better than she usually does.
 

BounceAround

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
In other news, I admit I'm sort of sick of Mao's Exhibition program 'Smile'. I wish she would change her program, like Hanyu does. But this time, I think this program really really really suits how she must be currently feeling, and I hope she skates it 100 times better than she usually does.

I'd love it if she did Jupiter or Por Una Cabeza again!
 

luckykid

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 21, 2009
I was thinking Mary Poppins lol I loved that program. Jupiter was just sublime. I'm not sure I want to see it in Sochi though. The setting just somehow doesn't seem right. Maybe in Worlds in Japan.
 

rollerblade

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 12, 2014
That pencil tracing thing at the beginning is so cool. I was hoping they did the entire SP in pencil gif, but guess that would take an insane amount of work.
 

luckykid

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 21, 2009
Mao has never stopped smiling since her glorious fs performance. So happy to see her smiling so much again.:)

Just now in the news they played a footage of Mao's press conference after she returned to Japan. When asked if she would still retire after this season, she took quite a long pause and then said the odds of retiring and not retiring is 50-50 right now. I suppose that doesn't sound too bad! In interviews conducted in Sochi, she said the Olympics just ended and she hasn't thought about it. So for her answer to change, I think there may be a chance she might not retire just yet. After all, she's never been in such great condition, and I think the disappointment of sp and her ability to transcend the disastrous sp to skate an amazing fs must have been a valuable lesson that hopefully she can make use of if she decides not to retire.

And Mao's popularity and how much they value her in Japan hasn't decreased at all! In the news segment, other than Hanyu (of course, the only Japanese gold medalist) and snowboard silver medalist Takeuchi, they focused on Mao quite a lot, and chose to broadcast Hanyu and Mao's press conference out of all people. They didn't even show Takahashi.
 

MaiKatze

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 4, 2012
With Mao reaching new heights with her jumps and artistry lately, I also wonder if she shouldn't continue. She is still pretty young. But she competed so much in the last quad, she was in nearly EVERY competition. If I were her I would not focus on 2018. Maybe stay another season or even rest for one season and then decide. I just want her to become World Champion in Japan. I think she deserves it and I believe she can do it.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
With Mao reaching new heights with her jumps and artistry lately, I also wonder if she shouldn't continue. She is still pretty young. But she competed so much in the last quad, she was in nearly EVERY competition. If I were her I would not focus on 2018. Maybe stay another season or even rest for one season and then decide. I just want her to become World Champion in Japan. I think she deserves it and I believe she can do it.

in 2018 she would be 27, she still has a chance but I think she will be likely to retire soon in this year.
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
On returning to Japan, Mao told the press that - regarding retirement - she will compete at World's, and decide what she wants to do after that. She said it was 50-50 at the moment...
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Really? That's great! I was sure she would retire - so if there's even a chance that she might not.... Why, that's wonderful!
 

YesWay

四年もかけて&#
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 28, 2013
Really? That's great! I was sure she would retire - so if there's even a chance that she might not.... Why, that's wonderful!
Yes, I really hope she continues for another season or two at least. I was depressed for weeks when I first heard she was thinking of retiring this season :-/ Especially after she gave us the pure magic of last year's "I got Rhythm", "Swan Lake" and OMG... "MARY POPPINS"!

She worked so hard in the 4 years after Vancouver to rebuild herself... through hardships and tragedy... and it seems a waste for "New, Improved Mao" to only compete for one season and then retire! ;-D

Plus, I think there are a few more records and "firsts" she could achieve.
"Firsts" are great because no-one can ever take them away:

*First woman to land the triple axel in junior international competition.
*First woman to land the triple axel at the World Junior Championships.
*First woman to land the triple axel in a short program at an ISU competition.
*First woman to land the triple axel in a short program at the Winter Olympics.
*First woman to land two triple axel jumps in the same program.
*First woman to land three triple axel jumps in one competition.
*First woman to break 200 points 3 consecutive times in international competition.
*First figure skater in a singles discipline from Asia to win multiple world championships.
*First figure skater in a singles discipline, male or female, to win all 7 Grand Prix events.
*First woman in history to land 8 triple jumps in one program

To that list, I'd love to see her add:
*First woman to win three world championships under the current judging system
*First skater (male or female) to win four World's under the current system :-D
A new record for Grand Prix Final gold medals (currently joint record with Slutskaya)
A new record for Grand Prix titles - she's currently 2nd (14) behind Slutskaya (17)
 

Scott512

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
It will be interesting to see how Mao does in the world championships in her home country of Japan and if she gets the home ice advantage other skaters receive at home in major competitions such as Olympics and worlds. The pressure will be on Mao and after her former prime minister lowered himself to rip her for her Olympic short program to win worlds in Japan. If she's in third or better after the short program she will be in great shape for the gold if her free skate is say 85% of her Sochi free skate. She was scored lower than usual there in her wonderful free skate because she was in the third to last group. But with Kim and Kostner retired Mao is the favorite for the gold in Japan. No one knows how the 2 Russian stars will fare in Japan. Will they have a Sochi hangover? I suppose so. Maybe not Yulia because she's upset with herself for her individual competition in Sochi after her brilliant performance in the team event. I don't think the controversy of her Olympic gold medal will faze Adelina much at all. But I expect her to have some sort of letdown for worlds partly because she's only 17 and all this fame is new to her.

I don't see why Mao should retire anytime soon. With Kim and Kostner gone Mao can pick and choose her events the next 3 years with plenty of time off. Let's face it her 8 triples are hard to match in a free skate like what she did in Sochi. She should continue to raise the bar and see where's she at in 2 years and if she wants to continue. We knew this was it for Carolina and Kim. I don't think worlds 2014 is it for Mao. We shall see.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I'm so excited for Mao's future, whatever she decides to do. I hope she stays with us for awhile, because she's beyond compare. But even if she retires after Worlds (and fingers are crossed for a stellar performance there!), she will leave us with an amazing final few performances. Go, Mao!
 
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