Mirai doesn't often skate clean programs, and when she does, there are typically under-rotations in the latter half of the program. But she doesn't strike me as a headcase, the way that Alissa and Sasha do. Rather, it seems like she has some technical problems with jumps, and maybe with stamina issues later in the LP. On the other hand, she was in tears before her LP at National's, and jumping around with excitement a couple of minutes later. She did seem very emotional there. At the time, it was chalked down to her teenage hormones. But most ladies figure skaters are teenagers, or very recently teenagers, and it is not of the norm for them to break down emotionally under the competitive spotlight. Does anyone remember Michelle or Yu-na or Mao being so emotional before an important competition?? Mirai was a little lucky to have landed her first jumps so well when she was so down on herself, because her confidence built up with each good jump. If she had a mistake along the way, she could easily have fallen apart completely.
Admittedly, Mirai had a tough season last year with injury and growth spurt (though there were others who were injured and had growth spurt), and a rocky relationship with her coach, so let's hope it was a one-off thing. Frank Caroll seems very much like a no non-sense sort of coach, maybe he will help her get into the mindset of a mature champion.
