What Mirai had over Rachael was speed across the ice. I actually preferred Rachael's LP but, I can see why some preferred Mirai due to her superior speed. Especially in Vancouver where the BOTH skated very well. My biggest problem was her lack of Flexibility. However, she was a very good performer. Theatrical and expressive. Here's her LP from Vancouver.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K_xsVCvEmQ
It's interesting that Flatt still receives comments on her lack of flexibility 8 years after her win at Nationals. Flatt did mention in an interview a number of years ago, though I can't find the link at this point, edited to add....found one acknowledgment by Flatt
https://www.denverpost.com/2010/04/22/rachael-flatt-jumping-from-homework-to-elite-world-skating/
that she incurred ruptured discs in her back the first year she was to compete in the JPG , but IIRC, she w/d from her first assigned event that year, had to sit out the remainder of the international season, and competed thru the US qualifying system to make it to US nationals. She lost the innate flexibility she had as a novice ...found a photo from her novice season on her FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/RachaelFla...46074183433/10151575673673434/?type=3&theater
I don't recall Flatt ever making excuses for her lack of flexibility after the injuries happened. She had to accommodate the injuries by using different spins in her programs.
I can't imagine skating with 3 herniated/ruptured discs in my back ( much less doing everyday activities) that she continued for several more years at the elite level , winning the US title in 2010 and qualifying for the 2010 Olympics, 2008 World Jr Champion, 3 time US silver medalist, SGP medalist, world team member.....all after the back injuries.... until she said that the chronic injuries contributed to inability to train she wanted and her decision to retire.
Flatt talks about the cumulative affects of years of skating injured:
http://gazette.com/ramsey-rachael-f...dbye-from-competitive-skating/article/1512416
I really don't think she deserved all the negative comments she received over the years. I wouldn't have endured her injuries and continued in the sport. That is for sure. Not sure many current US ladies would have either. Think about the changes Flatt made to her skating post 2007. Corrected her lutz take off, embraced the comments from the US judges about finding more approachable music (her very heartfelt East of Eden program at 2011 US championships, which was a brand new program for her as she had dumped the SP she had all season and had just competed at the SGPF in December ....speaks to her ability to work hard with Lori Nichol to create a new program and perform it at the elite level in less than a month...and quite frankly, can't say the same for some current elite ladies). She consistently was trying more difficult combinations 3F-3T, 3Lz-3T, 2A-3Lp, and if I remember correctly her coach did an interview at some point that he had Flatt putting 3Lp on the back half of all her combinations.
She worked hard despite debilitating injuries.
I compare Flatt's perservance in the sport to Nagasu buckling down the past 18 months (again, both working with Zakrajsek). The mindset of these two skaters is to be admired, pushing thru injuries, set backs, personal disappointments, etc.
