Mao Asada

[yhmafan]

Thanks gotoschool for sharing the article.

Yes and she also said that “For me, challenging myself is exciting, so I want to spend my days enjoying these challenges.”

Great respect, I suppose She will be the oldest competitive skater amongst all ladies for the up coming season and
She still wants to challenge herself and young teenaged competitors, always try to push the boundaries of the sport.
That is the one of the things why I call her to be naturally fighter.

 

[gotoschool]

Thanks gotoschool for sharing the article.

Yes and she also said that “For me, challenging myself is exciting, so I want to spend my days enjoying these challenges.”

Great respect, I suppose She will be the oldest competitive skater amongst all ladies for the up coming season and
She still wants to challenge herself and young teenaged competitors, always try to push the boundaries of the sport.
That is the one of the things why I call her to be naturally fighter.

I really like the comment you mentioned about Mao too but I had already heard it so I didn't mention it as new information for me. I don't know what Mao really thinks, but I believe that her not winning an Olympic Gold medal has little to do with why she still competes. I genuinely feel that the reward she feels inside herself (intrinsically) for a great performance is as great if not greater than the extrinsic reward (the score or medal). To me Mao seems to me to have a personal ideal of the perfect performance she wants to fulfill that transcends any scoring system. I think it is this supremely noble quality that makes her to want to compete after enduring personal disappointments in her performances and so many overly harsh scoring calls. She is an optimist who cherishes her great performances and strives to learn from her mistakes. But then again, she has gotten so much recognition and admiration beyond just her actual medals and championship wins, which are many to begin with.

I think comments like the following are also what keep her going, which I have posted before. Here is what David Lease of the Skating Lesson and the co-host said about Mao's FS at Sochi.
David states "Mao Asada gave the performance of the night at the Olympics" and "To me that was the moment of the Olympics." He also says, "It was what we want in the Olympic champion and that is everything you could want in a champion." The co-host also says, "That to me was the program of this whole Olympics." and, "When I watched it again, I got emotional just like a big silly baby." The part where they discuss Mao is from
about 18:00-19:00.

http://www.theskatinglesson.com/tsls-2014-olympic-ladies-recap/

 

[FSGMT]

Thanks gotoschool for sharing the article.

Yes and she also said that “For me, challenging myself is exciting, so I want to spend my days enjoying these challenges.”

Great respect, I suppose She will be the oldest competitive skater amongst all ladies for the up coming season and
She still wants to challenge herself and young teenaged competitors, always try to push the boundaries of the sport.
That is the one of the things why I call her to be naturally fighter.

Well, she's not even 25 yo :hopelessness: It really sounds odd to call every female singles skater above 20 "old" and then we have Meagan Duhamel who is far "older" landing sbs lutzes and quad throws or Voronov and Menshov still landing quads as if they were nothing...

 

[yhmafan]

Well, she's not even 25 yo :hopelessness: It really sounds odd to call every female singles skater above 20 "old" and then we have Meagan Duhamel who is far "older" landing sbs lutzes and quad throws or Voronov and Menshov still landing quads as if they were nothing...

Cause I don’t know how should I describe that in other ways due to my lack of the language skill….

For the fact, Mao will be 25 years old this September.
Then when we pay attention to the field of this sport. We can see most of active female competitors who can be her rivals, are actually very young,
As we know, Liza Elena Julia and Satoko etc…even Grace is still 19 years old. (by Wikipedia.)
There are 6 to 9 years of age difference that should be a quite big generation gap for a female athlete especially when it comes to the sport what we are talking about. (in my opinion)

It might all depends on personal sense of values, for that I think it is safe to say that she is surely pretty “old” compared to them.
And I know about Voronov and Menshov but I don't even know if it would be good that the comparison of male single skaters and female single skaters.

I could be wrong as I am a quite newbie of the sport. I might need to hear more various opinions from anybody who is familiar with….

 

[yhmafan]

I really like the comment you mentioned about Mao too but I had already heard it so I didn't mention it as new information for me. I don't know what Mao really thinks, but I believe that her not winning an Olympic Gold medal has little to do with why she still competes. I genuinely feel that the reward she feels inside herself (intrinsically) for a great performance is as great if not greater than the extrinsic reward (the score or medal). To me Mao seems to me to have a personal ideal of the perfect performance she wants to fulfill that transcends any scoring system. I think it is this supremely noble quality that makes her to want to compete after enduring personal disappointments in her performances and so many overly harsh scoring calls. She is an optimist who cherishes her great performances and strives to learn from her mistakes. But then again, she has gotten so much recognition and admiration beyond just her actual medals and championship wins, which are many to begin with.

I think comments like the following are also what keep her going, which I have posted before. Here is what David Lease of the Skating Lesson and the co-host said about Mao's FS at Sochi.
David states "Mao Asada gave the performance of the night at the Olympics" and "To me that was the moment of the Olympics." He also says, "It was what we want in the Olympic champion and that is everything you could want in a champion." The co-host also says, "That to me was the program of this whole Olympics." and, "When I watched it again, I got emotional just like a big silly baby." The part where they discuss Mao is from
about 18:00-19:00.
http://www.theskatinglesson.com/tsls-2014-olympic-ladies-recap/

Thank you for this, letting me know that. I want to say to them that Don't worry guys you are not the only ones for sure!! :yay:

 

[hurrah]

In track and fields, 26, 27, 28 are considered to be the ages during which athletes' bodies peak, so as long as Mao continues to train up without incurring injuries, there is no biological reason why she wouldn't be in her best possible shape at Pyeongchang.

 

[FSGMT]

Cause I don’t know how should I describe that in other ways due to my lack of the language skill….

For the fact, Mao will be 25 years old this September.
Then when we pay attention to the field of this sport. We can see most of active female competitors who can be her rivals, are actually very young,
As we know, Liza Elena Julia and Satoko etc…even Grace is still 19 years old. (by Wikipedia.)
There are 6 to 9 years of age difference that should be a quite big generation gap for a female athlete especially when it comes to the sport what we are talking about. (in my opinion)

It might all depends on personal sense of values, for that I think it is safe to say that she is surely pretty “old” compared to them.
And I know about Voronov and Menshov but I don't even know if it would be good that the comparison of male single skaters and female single skaters.

I could be wrong as I am a quite newbie of the sport. I might need to hear more various opinions from anybody who is familiar with….

Yes, of course in many sports the comparison between men and women is not directly possible, and it is true that in relation to her opponents she is "old", I just wanted to point out how ironical calling someone old at 25 sounds to me (just as it did when people used it for Carolina or Akiko)

 

[gotoschool]

I think you are both right, yhma fan and FSGMT. I think Mao will be the oldest top competitor, but maybe there is someone I don't know about. I also agree with you FSGMT fan that 25 is remarkably young to be considered old, though "oldest" as yhma fan uses it is accurate in my view and should be distinguished from old, perhaps eldest could be used.

I think that depth of emotional and artistic expression, expertise in skating skills and power are often more impressive in more mature skaters like Mao, for example. I know that as a big Mao fan, her Sochi LP especially and her Nocturne at Worlds 2014 were two of my all time favorite performance of hers when she had reached full maturity. And I admit FSGMT fan that Carolina's best performance ever for me was her Sochi LP at the age of 27, just as Akiko's best that I have seen was her National LP in 2013 when she was almost 28. This bodes well for Mao to deliver more great performances in the future.

 

[Barb]

Yes. There are 6-9years gap. But remember just last year Mao was world champion and there was the same gap.

And for example Gracie is 19 yo. Mao at 19 was olympic silver medalist and 2 time world champion.

 

[MaxSwagg]

I don't think age matters for some skaters. Mao does very difficult elements so of course it's hard to keep those but I think she's one of the hardest and most motivated people. Same with Yuna; I think if she wanted to come back she would still be a gold medal favorite. I'm not too worried because I know if Mao wasn't fully committed she wouldn't be coming back. She knows what she has to do and where she needs to be, and what she needs to do to get where she needs to be. She may not win every time but she's still a lock for the podium (unless she bombs, which can happen to anyone). I mean, at the end of 2014 season she looked as great as she ever has, if not better so she obviously still maybe hasn't reached her peak yet (or at least isn't on the downslope).

 

[yhmafan]

Yes. There are 6-9years gap. But remember just last year Mao was world champion and there was the same gap.

And for example Gracie is 19 yo. Mao at 19 was olympic silver medalist and 2 time world champion.

I don't think age matters for some skaters. Mao does very difficult elements so of course it's hard to keep those but I think she's one of the hardest and most motivated people.

My point is she is the “oldest” amongst all ladies (Describing “the eldest” may be better, thanks gotoschool ) and the 6-9 years of age difference would be BIG for any (female) skaters.

Either way, it doesn’t mean also is not my intentions to say that she is literally old or she can't win anymore. (please see)

I think, to get old would give an advantage on skater’s SS and artistic quality, but on the other hand it would give a considerable disadvantage on their jump elements and body flexibility,
especially to the very difficult jumps like a 3A as it’s difficult even for men. so if there is something I am concerned about is that only on her technical aspects.


All in all, I am not worried at all about her performances as its overall. I believe in her quality as a skater.

 

[yhmafan]

Though I have not watched the movie since it is too old.
But as far as I have seen the actress(Kaoru Yachigusa and she now is 84 years old.) and movie are the most popular and be loved “Madame Butterfly” in Japan.

I share the photo here as I think that probably Mao watched the movie.

 

[plushyfan]

All in all, I am not worried at all about her performances as its overall. I believe in her quality as a skater.

This is the essence!

 

[gotoschool]

Though I have not watched the movie since it is too old.
But as far as I have seen the actress(Kaoru Yachigusa and she now is 84 years old.) and movie are the most popular and be loved “Madame Butterfly” in Japan.

I share the photo here as I think that probably Mao watched the movie.

Thanks for the photo, yhma fan. Here is a bigger picture of Kaoru Yachigusa playing Madame Butterfly in 1956. They are both beautiful:
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...yachigusa-as-she-appears-news-photo/551439773

According to the age you have given yhma fan, Mao would be almost the same age as Kaoru in this second picture when she skates to Madame Butterfly later this season, since the picture was taken in 1956. Mao will be 25 when she skates to it in the Japan Open and Kaoru must be close to 25 in the picture.

 

[yhmafan]

Thanks for the photo, yhma fan. Here is a bigger picture of Kaoru Yachigusa playing Madame Butterfly in 1956. They are both beautiful:
http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...yachigusa-as-she-appears-news-photo/551439773

According to the age you have given yhma fan, Mao would be almost the same age as Kaoru in this second picture when she skates to Madame Butterfly later this season, since the picture was taken in 1956. Mao will be 25 when she skates to it in the Japan Open and Kaoru must be close to 25 in the picture.

It’s a very big picture!! Thanks gotoschool. Yes, She is one beautiful actress.

So They playing Madame Butterfly in the same age!! It’s an interesting/wonderful coincidence indeed!

 

[yhmafan]

This is the essence!

Hi Plushyfan

Have you ever seen these before? (Some great fanarts and pictures)
I like to see Plushy and Mao’s somehow heartwarming relationships..


①　　 ②　　 ③　　 ④　　 ⑤　　 ⑥　　 ⑦　　 ⑧　　 ⑨　　 ⑩　　 ⑪

 

[gotoschool]

Hi Plushyfan

Have you ever seen these before? (Some great fanarts and pictures)
I like to see Plushy and Mao’s somehow heartwarming relationships..


①　　 ②　　 ③　　 ④　　 ⑤　　 ⑥　　 ⑦　　 ⑧　　 ⑨　　 ⑩　　 ⑪

Nice photos and fan art, yhma fan. Yes it is quite a coincidence that the actress Kaoru Yachigusa was and Mao will both be about 25 when they played / play Madame Butterfly.

rosewood at fsuniverse posted an article that gave Mao's training schedule. According to her, she is not sure about the article's reliability, but she did say that Mao verified on her radio show that she gets up at 4am, does off ice training beginning at 5am and on ice training with Coach Sato beginning at 6am. rosewood then says that the rest of the information comes from the article posted below: In the morning, Mao does on-ice training for 2 hours, takes a break, and then exercises in a gym or takes ballet lessons. Then, she goes back to her hotel to have lunch, take a two hour nap, and starts training again on ice from 6 pm to 8 pm. rosewood says that the article also says she is quite focused.

The link for the article in Japanese is:

http://jisin.jp/news/2686/8739/?next

For more information about Mao's training, please see the following link: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...-her-biggest-weapon.95911/page-2#post-4547824 posts 50 and 53

 

[gotoschool]

Here is a new video showing someone making a beautiful portrait drawing of Mao:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGp0LbmbsrE

 

[hurrah]

This is the radio program where Mao talked about her day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drixfcFt7oA

She said she gets up at 4am, eats breakfast and does something to make her body fully awake, starts warming up and stretching at 5am, and starts skating at 6am. She skates for an hour and a bit, then takes a little break, and then skates for another hour and a bit, and then takes a little break. Then she skates again where she has the ice rink all to herself. This ends at 11am. Then she has 'recovery time', and then has lunch. After lunch, she takes a nap, and then goes back to the rink. She has a 45-minute skating session which starts at 7pm.

The above is a pretty accurate description of what she said on the radio program. So she didn't talk much about what she does until 7pm when she goes back to the rink after her nap, so maybe this varies from day to day.

In any case, Mao is practicing hard!!

 

[hamaguri]

Hi Plushyfan

Have you ever seen these before? (Some great fanarts and pictures)
I like to see Plushy and Mao’s somehow heartwarming relationships..


①　　 ②　　 ③　　 ④　　 ⑤　　 ⑥　　 ⑦　　 ⑧　　 ⑨　　 ⑩　　 ⑪

Yes! I’m always impressed that you’ve got a lot of lovely images!

BTW, do you have any images with Candeloro, who calls hisself “Mao’s godfather”? I love him, who highly appreciates Mao.