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2023 Team Japan (WC/JWC/4CC)

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
Heh, perhaps Uno was displeased at not being named to the 4CC team.
This is what i thought about first. But then i read the first sentence again and the other translations i found (as this https://mobile.twitter.com/shomagravity/status/1607055157774413824). Imo he wasn't talking about not being named for 4CC.
I wouldn't have an issue with this if he had said that in another interview, alone with the journalists. He said that with his teammate sitting next to him.
 
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readernick

Medalist
Joined
Dec 5, 2015
Heh, perhaps Uno was displeased at not being named to the 4CC team.
The fact that it literally could be any of these things is why his comment is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Even if he straight out said, Koshiro should have been selected I wouldn’t have been concerned. We express our stupid opinions on public websites all the time, the Russian coaches make offensive comments about literally every event that occurs, skaters can state their more informed opinions anytime they want imho.

But, a few months ago people were upset when Alexia Knierim smiled after she won an event. ( 😱 the horror) So, the bar for being offended by skaters that aren’t are favorites is pretty low. 😂
 
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KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
I wrote about this on Twitter, but expanding on it here re: the Men selection for Worlds. First of all, people need to understand JSF's criteria selection: the only guaranteed spot is the winner of Japanese Nationals. The other skaters go into a 'pool' and are evaluated according to different criteria, notably the 2nd/3rd place at Nationals, but they also take SB, WS and GPF results into consideration. That's exactly why, for example, Yuzuru was able to make it to the team even when he had missed Nats due to injury (and quite right so).

While usually the Japanese Nationals medallists are the ones who make the team, it's not the first time JSF bypass someone with less experience with better national results over someone who didn't do as well, but is more experienced. Everyone is talking about Nats 2013 but let's remember in 2019 Tomoe Kawabata medalled and wasn't chosen for the Worlds team and not even for 4CC (poor Tomoe). Yes, she had been competing as a junior but she was old enough for seniors and had senior TES. A similar thing happened in Men, with Yuma medalling but they chose to send him to 4CC and Keiji was assigned to the Worlds team as he was deemed a safer choice at that point. I guess a lot of people forgot this because Worlds 2020 ended up cancelled due to covid.

Now for this year's team: Shoma obviously selected, and realistically they had Sota, Koshiro and Kazuki on the pool, also fulfilling the criteria as medallists. Sota fully deserved his spot as GPF silver medallist, HOWEVER what a lot of people are forgetting is that Sota can be a bit of a wild card as well. While a lot of people only know him as this super consistent skater who turned up on the GP circuit this year, JSF and some long-term fans like me and @surimi know that he has a history of inconsistency as well, in addition to never having been to senior Worlds + a history of injuries which is always a worry that they can flare up. Besides, the pressure to deliver at home worlds will be huge as well.

Therefore, it makes sense that JSF would look for a safe pair of hands for the 3rd spot, otherwise they could end up in a situation like Ladies last season, in which Kaori HAD to win in order to keep the three spots because Wakaba underperformed due to injury and Mana was simply too inexperienced and bulked under pressure. So it's not too unreasonable that they chose Kazuki over Koshiro, as he is the guy who:
a) has a track record of delivering at Worlds under pressure
b) has fulfilled one of the key criteria by medalling at Nats
c) has a better overall track record both domestically and internationally over the years
d) has higher WS and SB
e) medalled in the GP series and was an alternate for GPF this season

Even if you think in terms of their performance at Nats, a semi-clean Koshiro only scored less than 2pt higher than less than perfect Kazuki. Which means that Kazuki's scoring potential is higher + he can have a reasonable good score even with mistakes at this point, while Koshiro would be under pressure to be clean or semi-clean at Worlds in order to have a similar or higher score.

I feel for Koshiro, I really do. But the good thing is that he's still young and he will have a chance to prove himself at 4CC, along with Shun and Kao. I also agree that the selection is 'weird' compared to previous years but I don't think that's a bad thing. Quite the opposite, I think that it's great that JSF finally learned not to put their eggs in just 1-2 baskets and is spreading the opportunities among the several talents that they have.
 
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readernick

Medalist
Joined
Dec 5, 2015
I wrote about this on Twitter, but expanding on it here re: the Men selection for Worlds. First of all, people need to understand JSF's criteria selection: the only guaranteed spot is the winner of Japanese Nationals. The other skaters go into a 'pool' and are evaluated according to different criteria, notably the 2nd/3rd place at Nationals, but they also take SB, WS and GPF results into consideration. That's exactly why, for example, Yuzuru was able to make it to the team even when he had missed Nats due to injury (and quite right so).

While usually the Japanese Nationals medallists are the ones who make the team, it's not the first time JSF bypass someone with less experience with better national results over someone who didn't do as well, but is more experienced. Everyone is talking about Nats 2013 but let's remember in 2019 Tomoe Kawabata medalled and wasn't chosen for the Worlds team and not even for 4CC (poor Tomoe). Yes, she had been competing as a junior but she was old enough for seniors and had senior TES. A similar thing happened in Men, with Yuma medalling but they chose to send him to 4CC and Keiji was assigned to the Worlds team even though he hadn't met any of the criteria lol but he was deemed a safer choice at that point. I guess a lot of people forgot this because Worlds 2020 ended up cancelled due to covid.

Now for this year's team: Shoma obviously selected, and realistically they had Sota, Koshiro and Kazuki on the pool, also fulfilling the criteria as medallists. Sota fully deserved his spot as GPF silver medallist, HOWEVER what a lot of people are forgetting is that Sota can be a bit of a wild card as well. While a lot of people only know him as this super consistent skater who turned up on the GP circuit this year, JSF and some long-term fans like me and @surimi know that he has a history of inconsistency as well, in addition to never having been to senior Worlds + a history of injuries which is always a worry that they can flare up. Besides, the pressure to deliver at home worlds will be huge as well.

Therefore, it makes sense that JSF would look for a safe pair of hands for the 3rd spot, otherwise they could end up in a situation like Ladies last season, in which Kaori HAD to win in order to keep the three spots because Wakaba underperformed due to injury and Mana was simply too inexperienced and bulked under pressure. So it's not too unreasonable that they chose Kazuki over Koshiro, as he is the guy who:
a) has a track record of delivering at Worlds under pressure
b) has fulfilled one of the key criteria by medalling at Nats
c) has a better overall track record both domestically and internationally over the years
d) has higher WS and SB
e) medalled in the GP this season and was an alternate for GPF this season

Even if you think in terms of their performance at Nats, a semi-clean Koshiro only scored less than 2pt higher than less than perfect Kazuki. Which means that Kazuki's scoring potential is higher + he can have a reasonable good score even with mistakes at this point, while Koshiro would be under pressure to be clean or semi-clean at Worlds in order to have a similar or higher score.

I feel for Koshiro, I really do. But the good thing is that he's still young and he will have a chance to prove himself at 4CC, along with Shun and Kao. I also agree that the selection is 'weird' compared to previous years but I don't think that's a bad thing. Quite the opposite, I think that it's great that JSF finally learned not to put their eggs in just 1-2 baskets and is spreading the opportunities among the several talents that they have.
The selection is fine but so is objecting to it. (I don’t particularly object because honestly I’m not a particular fan of either Sota or Koshiro). It isn’t a particularly normal choice for JSF even if it’s not unprecedented. I think in the past , like 2019, the skaters who are passed over were completely inexperienced on the Senior level or were passed over for skaters with World or a Olympic medals. This is a departure for JSF because neither of those things is true in this case. I wonder if it signals they will start making more regular “strategic” decisions in the future. I’m fine with any selection process as long as skaters understand what the procedures are and those rules are followed consistently.

JSF has gotten better at politicking for their favorites internationally this season, too. Some of the women were definitely overscored at events which isn’t something that usually happens with the Japanese women.Has the leadership changed?
 
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yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
I wrote about this on Twitter, but expanding on it here re: the Men selection for Worlds. First of all, people need to understand JSF's criteria selection: the only guaranteed spot is the winner of Japanese Nationals. The other skaters go into a 'pool' and are evaluated according to different criteria, notably the 2nd/3rd place at Nationals, but they also take SB, WS and GPF results into consideration. That's exactly why, for example, Yuzuru was able to make it to the team even when he had missed Nats due to injury (and quite right so).

While usually the Japanese Nationals medallists are the ones who make the team, it's not the first time JSF bypass someone with less experience with better national results over someone who didn't do as well, but is more experienced. Everyone is talking about Nats 2013 but let's remember in 2019 Tomoe Kawabata medalled and wasn't chosen for the Worlds team and not even for 4CC (poor Tomoe). Yes, she had been competing as a junior but she was old enough for seniors and had senior TES. A similar thing happened in Men, with Yuma medalling but they chose to send him to 4CC and Keiji was assigned to the Worlds team even though he hadn't met any of the criteria lol but he was deemed a safer choice at that point. I guess a lot of people forgot this because Worlds 2020 ended up cancelled due to covid.
Good to refresh some memories. Especially for the surprised ones.
I totally forgot the Keiji case. Proves that JSF can choose someone outside criteria when they want to.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Has the leadership changed?
That's totally possible, and frankly I think the change in decision-making and politicking is for the best. I wonder if they were basically traumatised with what happened in Ladies last season, because they got a lot of backlash for not choosing Mai and sticking with Mana just to end up with disappointing performances and a real risk of losing a spot for their home worlds. No shade intended towards Mana, of course, she's young and it *was* a lot of pressure.

Also, I believe had Yuma been healthy they would be willing to take more risks with the third spot since the Shoma + Yuma combo would guarantee spots and good results anyway. In the end, it's just a unfortunate set of circumstances for Koshiro and I don't criticise anyone finding it weird and/or feeling sorry for him, but I understand JSF's POV as a rational decision based on hard, cold facts. I think that's a welcome change that they're not willing to be too rigid anymore and, who knows? This change might even benefit Koshiro down the line.
 

YuBluByMe

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 21, 2018
First of all, people need to understand JSF's criteria selection: the only guaranteed spot is the winner of Japanese Nationals. The other skaters go into a 'pool' and are evaluated according to different criteria, notably the 2nd/3rd place at Nationals.
I myself misunderstood the 2nd/3rd place part of the criteria. I interpreted that as 2nd/3rd of eligible athletes, not necessarily podium placement. This is a perfectly reasonable misunderstanding, especially considering how JFed did things in the past. It also plays a significant part for the ladies’ field, but not the men. That exact same criteria is also for the Junior Worlds selection. Why? The other stuff is pretty cut and dried. It’s the weight of the certain criteria (i.e, world standings weighted more than season’s), and the narrow specification that’s a serious problem.



While usually the Japanese Nationals medallists are the ones who make the team, it's not the first time JSF bypass someone with less experience with better national results over someone who didn't do as well, but is more experienced. Everyone is talking about Nats 2013 but let's remember in 2019 Tomoe Kawabata medalled and wasn't chosen for the Worlds team and not even for 4CC (poor Tomoe). Yes, she had been competing as a junior but she was old enough for seniors and had senior TES. A similar thing happened in Men, with Yuma medalling but they chose to send him to 4CC and Keiji was assigned to the Worlds team even though he hadn't met any of the criteria lol but he was deemed a safer choice at that point. I guess a lot of people forgot this because Worlds 2020 ended up cancelled due to covid.
Oh, I didn’t forget. I mentioned Tanaka vs Kagiyama several times this year. I agreed with not sending Kawabata to Worlds. There’s no reason when she’s inconsistent, had little to no senior experience and only narrowly beat Miyahara, who is consistent and a reliable top 5 bet at Worlds at the time. But I sounded off big time when Tanaka was chosen over Kagiyama. Kagiyama may have had little senior experience, but he already surpassed many of the senior men at that point. And Tanaka’s international results - particularly those at Worlds - were mediocre. He also beat Tanaka by a large margin. Tanaka was not the safer choice and clearly not the best. They choose Tanaka because Kagiyama was a top junior at the time and favorite for the JW title. And thus, he would have to go to both Junior and Senior Worlds.


Now for this year's team: Shoma obviously selected, and realistically they had Sota, Koshiro and Kazuki on the pool, also fulfilling the criteria as medallists. Sota fully deserved his spot as GPF silver medallist,

I feel for Koshiro, I really do. But the good thing is that he's still young and he will have a chance to prove himself at 4CC, along with Shun and Kao. I also agree that the selection is 'weird' compared to previous years but I don't think that's a bad thing. Quite the opposite, I think that it's great that JSF finally learned not to put their eggs in just 1-2 baskets and is spreading the opportunities among the several talents that they have.
I have no issue with the men’s team. I’m surprised by the choice, but I don’t disagree. Yamamoto over Shimada is fine. Any other federation would have done the same thing, except for Japan until now and Korea. It’s when you start thinking too hard about the criteria and the idea that any combination of the top 6 could accompany Uno to Worlds is when the issues pop up.

But I have a big problem with the Junior men’s and women’s selection. Choosing Miura for Junior Worlds is not okay. Choosing Watanabe is definitely 100% not okay. There’s a very serious problem with the system if you have to reach below the top 10 (unprecedented, probably for any federation) to find a candidate. And that candidate didn’t even have to make the free skate at Nationals. That’s positively UNSAT. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed ASAP.
 
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KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
I myself misunderstood the 2nd/3rd place part of the criteria. I interpreted that as 2nd/3rd of eligible athletes, not necessarily podium placement. This is a perfectly reasonable misunderstanding, especially considering how JFed did things in the past. It also plays a significant part for the ladies’ field, but not the men. That exact same criteria is also for the Junior Worlds selection. Why? The other stuff is pretty cut and dried. It’s the weight of the certain criteria (i.e, world standings weighted more than season’s), and the narrow specification that’s a serious problem.
I don't think it's a problem, per se. The National champion always qualifies. As for the 2nd and 3rd spot, they are included in a pool of eligible athletes, and the fed is free to choose the team they think is best.

For the Japanese Men, the fact that they had both Yuzuru and Shoma occupying the first two spots meant that they could afford to simply reward whoever did best at Nationals (which invariably meant Keiji lol) without worrying too much about extra factors. Later, Yuma joined the top guys and then the team became obvious so there was no need to consider anyone else.

The thing is now, Yuma is injured and there is only Shoma up there at the top. Sota is an excellent skater who has been doing great this season but, as I explained before, he's not (yet?) on Yuzuru/Yuma level in terms of scores, reliability and experience. Therefore, they needed to consider extra factors and be more cautious when choosing the 3rd spot.

As for the Ladies, I suspect Rinka edged out the others for having that bit more international senior experience and having made GPF. But she needs to be careful because if she doesn't live up to expectations, she'll end up ostracised like Mana. JSF is clearly on a search for new faces in Ladies but not sending Mana to 4CC gives out a clear message in terms of what happens if you don't make the most out of your chances.

The junior Men selection is the one that baffles me, I guess they're sending Kao in order to get the elusive three spots. It really sucks for Takeru and it sucks for Kao too, having to go back to juniors after making the senior GPF.
 

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
There’s a very serious problem with the system if you have to reach below the top 10 (unprecedented, probably for any federation) to find a candidate. And that candidate didn’t even have to make the free skate at Nationals. That’s positively UNSAT. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed ASAP.
I actually thought she wouldn't make the free when i saw how bad she bombed the SP.
I don't want to believe that someone who wouldn't make the free at Japanese nats, not other nats but Japanese nats, would be selected for worlds.
 

YuBluByMe

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 21, 2018
As for the Ladies, I suspect Rinka edged out the others for having that bit more international senior experience and having made GPF. But she needs to be careful because if she doesn't live up to expectations, she'll end up ostracised like Mana. JSF is clearly on a search for new faces in Ladies but not sending Mana to 4CC gives out a clear message in terms of what happens if you don't make the most out of your chances.
I really don’t think JFed intended to shaft Kawabe by not naming her to 4CC. It looks bad because the men’s team is different, but I think it was more about Watanabe, not Kawabe. A few months ago on here, I said Watanabe won’t be selected for Worlds because she’s not among the top five ladies in Japan (and I didn’t include the juniors when I wrote that). I was wrong about her Worlds selection, but I was right about her standing in Japan.

On paper, she’s having a great breakout season. She beat Sakamoto, twice . She has one of the highest scores of the season, won a GP, and qualified for the GPF. But context is important and so despite all of that she’s not exactly inspiring confidence that she will do well under pressure. Her Nationals performance wasn’t an outlier. Lombardia Trophy was.

I think that’s why she was named to 4CC over Kawabe. It’s good for her to have another major international competition before Worlds. Otherwise, there’s no reason to send her because it’s risky for JFed to do so. Their decision is going to look 10 times worse than it already does if Watanabe skates poorly and finishes below Chiba and Yoshida… again. JFed isn’t stupid. They must realize this.
 

farornaskonung

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Re: Shoma's comment regarding the selection, I don't want to stir up some discussion about this but just... some seem to forget that people are capable of multiple simultaneous feelings. Like anyone else except the ones in the situation, I don't know the true story. But I think it could be very well possible that Shoma felt it was unfair towards Koshiro, while still being happy for Sota and Kazuki (if this is at all what his comment was about).

One can also imagine that he went from celebrating with his team and then moments later having to be at the press conference with these news - perhaps still processing the news and feelings.

Anyway, I interpret the comment to be more of critique towards the system/selection process than implying that his friends did not deserve to be on the team.
 
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zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
A similar thing happened in Men, with Yuma medalling but they chose to send him to 4CC and Keiji was assigned to the Worlds team even though he hadn't met any of the criteria lol but he was deemed a safer choice at that point. I guess a lot of people forgot this because Worlds 2020 ended up cancelled due to covid.
This is incorrect. Keiji qualified for selection by being ranked in the Top 3 in ISU standings at the time.


Good to refresh some memories. Especially for the surprised ones.
I totally forgot the Keiji case. Proves that JSF can choose someone outside criteria when they want to.

You forgot for good reason: it wasn't true. Lol.
 

RafaelAstro

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 22, 2018
I really don’t think JFed intended to shaft Kawabe by not naming her to 4CC. It looks bad because the men’s team is different, but I think it was more about Watanabe, not Kawabe. A few months ago on here, I said Watanabe won’t be selected for Worlds because she’s not among the top five ladies in Japan (and I didn’t include the juniors when I wrote that). I was wrong about her Worlds selection, but I was right about her standing in Japan.

On paper, she’s having a great breakout season. She beat Sakamoto, twice . She has one of the highest scores of the season, won a GP, and qualified for the GPF. But context is important and so despite all of that she’s not exactly inspiring confidence that she will do well under pressure. Her Nationals performance wasn’t an outlier. Lombardia Trophy was.

I think that’s why she was named to 4CC over Kawabe. It’s good for her to have another major international competition before Worlds. Otherwise, there’s no reason to send her because it’s risky for JFed to do so. Their decision is going to look 10 times worse than it already does if Watanabe skates poorly and finishes below Chiba and Yoshida… again. JFed isn’t stupid. They must realize this.
If they changed Ikura Kushida spot for Mone Chiba at junior grand prix selections because Mone scored better than Ikura then why they don't apply the same with nationals results, or apply the same with 4cc results, it's so stupid how they have rules but at the same time don't, what it's more important? Follow the rules you have that are not the best ones, or save spots and get medals at world events? Where is the common sense?
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
Watanabe probably would not have been selected with a 12th place finish at Nationals if literally any other option existed. But the rules bound the JSF to exactly three people to fill exactly three spots.

So I see 4CC assignment as a final test that she must pass to actually go to Worlds. If she also does poorly at 4CC, then I believe that there will be tremendous pressure put on her behind the scenes to bow out and yield to the alternate for Worlds.
 

Magill

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
The fact that it literally could be any of these things is why his comment is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. Even if he straight out said, Koshiro should I have been selected I wouldn’t have been concerned. We express our stupid opinions on public websites all the time, the Russian coaches make offensive comments about literally every event that occurs, skaters can state their more informed opinions anytime they want imho.

But, a few months ago people were upset when Alexia Knierim smiled after she won an event. ( 😱 the horror) So, the bar for being offended by skaters that aren’t are favorites is pretty low. 😂
I do like Shoma a lot and yet I do not like his comment.
Do I think it was ill-willed? No. Will I stop liking him because of this remark? No, surely not, as you said, we all make silly remarks sometimes. Will I pretend I do not find it ill-placed and unnecessary because I like him? No, I will not, either.
I do not think it was offensive to fans and even so, it is not their feelings that really matter in the end of the day anyway, but those of other skaters standing next to him. We do not know how they felt but I understand it is their potential feelings that are at the heart of this discussion and nobody else's. And they are just as important as Shoma's. In his position of the undisputed top Japanese and top world skater competing this season, his remarks get more important to his less accomplished fellow team members so he could be that bit extra careful of what he says and how he's wording it. And, actually, I have a feeling he has realized it himself halfway through it and said he did not want to comment any more being still "in emotions".
And I do really hope Russian coaches do not become a new golden meter against which we measure our deeds. I hold both myself and people I respect to much higher standards than this.
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
In the end, I see it as a judgment and value call. There are those that would have seen Shoma as classless if he didn't stand up for his training mate when he had the chance to do so.

Regardless of how you feel about the comment, as a direct result of it, the director was forced to schedule an emergency press conference to clarify the decision and lift the cloud surrounding it, so it was overall good for everyone that Shoma made it.
 

Dawn825

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 19, 2021
Choosing Watanabe is definitely 100% not okay. There’s a very serious problem with the system if you have to reach below the top 10 (unprecedented, probably for any federation) to find a candidate. And that candidate didn’t even have to make the free skate at Nationals. That’s positively UNSAT. That’s an issue that needs to be addressed ASAP.
In my opinion, inviting skater under 15 to senior Nationals is a big mistake, in every country. Senior Nationals is held primarily to determine senior international team spots, and people who are not eligible for those spots should not be there. It makes a mess and there's no point. It doesn't benefit the juniors in any real way and it sabotages the older girls. Mone could have made the podium here, and met the criteria for Worlds. Rinka should go to Worlds because she's the only one who qualified. But why was that the case? The federation could have given themselves the freedom to chose between her and whoever came third. But by inviting the juniors, they were risking third going to someone too young and not having another option, and that's what happened. It's an issue, as you say, but one with a very simple solution. Skaters go to junior nationals to be considered for junior teams, and to senior nationals for senior teams.
Rinka has lot of talent, has performed several clean triple axels, and had a brilliant FS in Canada. I believe in her <3
 
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zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
In my opinion, inviting juniors to senior Nationals is a big mistake, in every country. Senior Nationals is held primarily to determine senior international team spots, and people who are not eligible for those spots should not be there. It makes a mess and there's no point. It doesn't benefit the juniors in any real way and it sabotages the older girls. Mone could have made the podium here, and met the criteria for Worlds. Rinka should go to Worlds because she's the only one who qualified. But why was that the case? The federation could have given themselves the freedom to chose between her and whoever came third. But by inviting the juniors, they were risking third going to someone too young and not having another option, and that's what happened. It's an issue, as you say, but one with a very simple solution. Skaters go to junior nationals to be considered for junior teams, and to senior nationals for senior teams.
You're all over the place here. You argue that having open participation disadvantages both junior and seniors, then mention a junior (Mone) that was only invited to this competition by virtue of her status and performance as a junior being unfairly being passed over for senior worlds due to the placement of another junior.
 

zanadude

Medalist
Joined
Feb 20, 2016
Country
Japan
Note that it's not called "Senior" Nationals, because there is no such thing. There is no qualifier, because "Nationals" is all-inclusive.
 
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KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
This is incorrect. Keiji qualified for selection by being ranked in the Top 3 in ISU standings at the time.

Apologies. It is true that Keiji had a relatively successful GP season in 2019, being 3rd and 5th in his assignments IIRC? In any case, it doesn't take away from my original point: JSF has made these types of judgement calls before, in which not always the person with highest placement at Nats got the spot, and other factors were considered. This happened at Nats 2019 in both Men and Women, so I thought it was a good example to bring it up.

I do like Shoma a lot and yet I do not like his comment.
Do I think it was ill-willed? No. Will I stop liking him because of this remark? No, surely not, as you said, we all make silly remarks sometimes. Will I pretend I do not find it ill-placed and unnecessary because I like him? No, I will not, either.
I do not think it was offensive to fans and even so, it is not their feelings that really matter in the end of the day anyway, but those of other skaters standing next to him. We do not know how they felt but I understand it is their potential feelings that are at the heart of this discussion and nobody else's. And they are just as important as Shoma's. In his position of the undisputed top Japanese and top world skater competing this season, his remarks get more important to his less accomplished fellow team members so he could be that bit extra careful of what he says and how he's wording it. And, actually, I have a feeling he has realized it himself halfway through it and said he did not want to comment any more being still "in emotions".
And I do really hope Russian coaches do not become a new golden meter against which we measure our deeds. I hold both myself and people I respect to much higher standards than this.
Thank you for writing this, it's exactly how I feel too. I saw today that JSF announced it has held meetings separately with each of the skaters involved and their teams, in which they explained their criteria for selection. There is no change in the assignments so we can assume the meetings were successful and everyone understood.
 
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