It seems Machida's preparation for GPF didn't go well. Shame I can't find any detailed interview with him so far. Below are the excerpts from some articles.
Interview after SP
Machida: It was tough both mentally and physically to travel back and forth from France to Japan and back in Europe again in the span of two weeks.
Interview after SP
Machida: In the morning practice my condition was desperately bad. Although I nailed quads, I didn't know why I could do it. I was totally out of point.
Brief article after LP
"I was shattered," Machida ended up in 6th. Totally stalled in LP.
He piled up mistakes after underrotating the opening 4T. He totally stalled. "I can't recall when I made such many mistakes last time," Machida looked back. He was very busy with the graduation thesis and he once declined the participation in GP final. But it's said his withdrawal for the reason of other than injuries was not accepted. That said, "I did everything I can do for accomplishing my ideal performance. I'm not regretful even though I made mistakes." He was determined to redeem in Nationals.
Machida(in 6th): "For Japanese skaters it's very difficult to control peaking for GP final since we have Nationals following this competition. I respect the skaters who dealt with it well."
Brief article after LP
He continued writing his thesis even during the competition.
Machida of Kansai University placed the bottom with LP of nightmare - He even took withdrawal into consideration.
It was a long program of nightmare. It costed him not only missing the chance of winning a medal but also rolling him down to the bottom at the GP final of his third appearance. He fell on three jumps including the opening quad. "Shame I was bounced off the wall," said Machida with a bitter face.
The 'wall' means the ideal performance that he pursues in his LP to Beethoven's symphony No.9. This program has steps and turns inbetween the jumps here and there, and it makes this program very difficult to deliver perfectly, "as exquisite as threading a needle," he needs the super adjustment. "My performance here was to be ashamed of, but I don't have regrets. I'll see a light when I get over the difficulty," he was determined.
He is a man of letters and arms. His sleeping time got shorter even during the competition because of the graduation thesis. He once submitted a notice of withdrawal for the reason of lack of preparation. His next competition is Japan Nationals which starts from December 26th. It is an important competition where he won a spot for Worlds where he won a silver medal in the last season. "I will make the gears engaged," he showed the deep commitment.
Media also likes to paint him as an eccentric guy and he's commonly known as the "philosophy prince".
). We need more of this, not less!
