Mao Asada announces retirement

yude · Apr 11, 2017

Mao, thank you so much for giving us beautiful moments and fighting under tremendous pressure the country gave. Watching you grow as a skater and a lady, we smiled and cried with you all these years, what a wonderful time we had. You are still our beloved daughter and grandchild, and you always will be.

Otukaresamadeshita, Mao-chan!! I hope we're going to see your smile in the press conference tomorrow

zanadude · Apr 11, 2017

TV Asahi is cancelling regular programming and airing a special retrospective from 7pm (30 minutes from now)

Although the currently airing news program has been talking about for the last 30 minutes…

Edit: Fuji TV will have their own retrospective tomorrow at 7pm.

largeman · Apr 11, 2017

zanadude said:
TV Asahi is cancelling regular programming and airing a special retrospective from 7pm (30 minutes from now)

Will you be watching? :laugh:

MaiKatze · Apr 11, 2017

Wow, Miki is such a class act:

Dear Mao
Thank you for showing us your emotional skating!!! I was so happy to share the time with you on the ice and I am so proud of you and also proud of myself to competed with you in Japanese team as Japanese!!! You are beautiful skater and sweet girl with pure heart this is not the end!!! This is new start for her⛸ I'm sure your next skating life will shine as always I'm sure you'll give your heart to all of the world again thank you so much for being a great performer⛸ with a lot of love

zanadude · Apr 11, 2017

largeman said:
Will you be watching?

Watching now!

Starting with praise from Shizuka Arakawa, Marin Honda, and Sato coach (who only learned of her decision this morning right before she announced it)

largeman · Apr 11, 2017

zanadude said:
Watching now!

Starting with praise from Shizuka Arakawa, Marin Honda, and Sato coach (who only learned of her decision this morning right before she announced it)

Found a live stream and now I'm watching too! :hap36:

http://livetvkorea.weebly.com/tv-asahi.html

ETA: I don't understand Japanese... but I don't care :confused2:

zanadude · Apr 11, 2017

largeman said:
Found a live stream and now I'm watching too! :hap36:

http://livetvkorea.weebly.com/tv-asahi.html

ETA: I don't understand Japanese... but I don't care :confused2:

Don't need to understand her building Legos and playing with her dog.

Better get comfortable…this is a three hour special!

largeman · Apr 11, 2017

zanadude said:
Don't need to understand her building Legos and playing with her dog.

Better get comfortable…this is a three hour special!

Wonderful program! Just to recap, we just saw footage of:
13-yr old Mao in the same room with Shizuka and Miki
13-yr old Mao landing a marvelous 3A
14-yr old Mao write on a piece of paper: Goal of 2005 - Land a quadruple jump
15-yr old Mao roaming the streets of Paris with a digital camera being adorable

mary01 · Apr 11, 2017

zanadude said:
Watching now!

Starting with praise from Shizuka Arakawa, Marin Honda, and Sato coach (who only learned of her decision this morning right before she announced it)

This just shows, that she was not close to her coach at all, just like i suspected, the fact that she took such a big decision without discussing it with her coach, shows she was not close to him at all, I will miss Mao's beautiful skating and programs like crazy, she is my favourite athete and skater ever, but can't help but feel very mad thinking how alone she must have felt and betrayed to by the JSF, she secured 3 spots for japan year after year for a decade, and raked gold medals and titles for a decade for japan, now when she finally needed one spot and was forced to rely on the others to secure it, and they failed, she paid the price, the way the judges at nationals scored her beautiful programs makes my blood boil, but now that she retired she does not have to share any of her income with the JSF or ISU and that makes me soooo sooooooo happy, they do not deserve a penny!

Ares · Apr 11, 2017

mary01 said:
[/B]

This just shows, that she was not close to her coach at all, just like i suspected, the fact that she took such a big decision without discussing it with her coach, shows she was not close to him at all, I will miss Mao's beautiful skating and programs like crazy, she is my favourite athete and skater ever, but can't help but feel very mad thinking how alone she must have felt and betrayed to by the JSF, she secured 3 spots for japan year after year for a decade, and raked gold medals and titles for a decade for japan, now when she finally needed one spot and was forced to rely on the others to secure it, and they failed, she paid the price, the way the judges at nationals scored her beautiful programs at nationals makes my blood boil, but now that she retired she does not have to share any of her income with the JSF or ISU and that makes me soooo sooooooo happy, they do not deserve a penny!

That's one thing that I regret about Mao ... that she did not go to other coaches outside Japan back in 2015 / 2016 season and for the most part stayed there. I felt that her coaching situation was sorta awkward but on the other hand I can understand that after training so much in foreign countries you want to spend time in your own country, in your culture and close to your family.

nolangoh · Apr 11, 2017

https://youtu.be/it0xzny6nsw

so this is her last competitive program. Perfect and not perfect at the same time: surely this is not how she wanted to perform, but I am glad that the last element she does, which is also the element she is the best at and famous for and unmatched in, receives a perfect +3 GOEs across the board.

StSq4 3.90+2.10 = 6.00

DiamondDust · Apr 11, 2017

aww... I am so gonna miss Mao. There is a certain etherealness to her skating that none, and that is no one can match. Good luck to her future endeavors. I wish her all the best. :clap:

champs · Apr 11, 2017

In the TV Asahi program mentioned above, they aired recorded footage of Medvedeva and Plushenko each commenting on Mao's retirement. Pretty surprised they managed to get hold of the two in time for the tv program.

thoakun · Apr 11, 2017

Her retirement is not surprising, but I'm still stunned. She's the first human being to teach me the value of work ethics, commitment and integrity indirectly through the beauty of her effort every day and her beautiful skating. I wish her all the best :thank:

largeman · Apr 11, 2017

champs said:
In the TV Asahi program mentioned above, they aired recorded footage of Medvedeva and Plushenko each commenting on Mao's retirement. Pretty surprised they managed to get hold of the two in time for the tv program.

Yes I was impressed too :laugh:

The latter Zhenya was interviewed on the ice at what seemed to be the Plushenko Academy, looking dapper.

Tyranid · Apr 11, 2017

A legendary athlete.

I have to be honest, I've never been Mao's biggest fan, but, as time went on, she grew on me.

If you are an Asada fan, don't forget this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrEZgoPpCAI

and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rszIb_kWSk :sad21:

Thank you, Mao. With the greatest of respects, from a Russian Man who loves and respects Figure Skating. :bow:

Icey · Apr 11, 2017

I predicted this in a recent forum thread. She will be missed and she certainly raised the bar of the sport. She had a good run, but I think this is a decision in her own best interest.

synesthesia · Apr 11, 2017

Bilingual retirement-news featuring a few comments and messages from some of her contemporaries (Shizuka, Nobu, Dai & Yuzu):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2nY4pHUScE

She was a truly exceptional competitor. A hardworkig, focused and gritty athlete with a humble, kind-hearted and endearingly cheerful spirit.

For me she was unmatched in combining such high-level athleticism with unbelievable ethereal grace. Her aura leaps off the TV-screen, but when I had the chance to see her live it truly hit me how special she is and I could easily sense why she is regarded such an icon. Yes, there were ups and downs, but overall she's had a wonderful career to look back on and be proud of. In the end it's the deep impression she's left in countless people's hearts, which matters the most. In that regard she's one of the greatest ever.

I think her many wonderful qualities will get her far in life no matter what she tackles next. With her perseverance and determination she can succeed at anything. I wish her happiness, as well as joy and fulfillment in all her future endeavors.

Thank you, Mao!

SuzyQ · Apr 11, 2017

We knew this would happen someday, not before long. But still, such a shock of loss.

Mao Asada, such a great athlete. She never stopped pursuing improvement in her performance. If she chose easier layout or elements, she could have won more with her splendid artistry. But she took tougher way with her head held high.

We have never heard her speaking ill of or complaining about others, including the media that was not always good or fair on her, or judging that honestly we fans thought unfair (I'm still angry especially about the scores of her FS at Sochi

Of course there are so many more complaints I want to make.) She just kept making every effort to improve herself without complaining.

Mao, we are really proud of you, as a skater as well as a person. You are a real idol for all of us. (My eyes start aching in writing this as trying not to cry :sad21

Thank you and wish all the happiness for you in future :thank:

Harsher bloodbath for tickets of "The Ice" for sure :palmf:

cinnamon · Apr 11, 2017

One more time from Asahi newspaper
http://www.asahi.com/olympics/sochi2014/lastdance/index_en.html

Mao Asada announces retirement

yude

zanadude

largeman

choice beef

MaiKatze

zanadude

largeman

choice beef

zanadude

largeman

choice beef

mary01

Ares

nolangoh

Steps and Spirals enthusiast

DiamondDust

champs

thoakun

largeman

choice beef

Tyranid

Icey

synesthesia

SuzyQ

cinnamon

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