I am worried about Zijun. I've had my eyes on her and been rooting for her since the last year's Worlds where she showed us her wonderful rendition of Sleeping Beauty with charm and grace. With China's hosting next year's Worlds in Shanghai, I hope she recovers fast from whatever it is and gets back on the track. She has too much excellent qualities as a skater to just fade out into nothingness imo. I want her to become the next Lu Chen for China and hopefully her federation can support her more with coaching and training situations. Could Orser take her under his charge and help her as he did with Yuna?
Zijun Li's Future
- Thread starter Elistra
- Start date
Orser has too many pupils as it is. Her coach also coaches Han Yan. Are there no other coaches in China available? Yes, she may have grown a few inches, gained a couple pounds, so it's natural that she needs time to adjust. But it's not just the jumps that are worrisome. She needs to enjoy skating, because right now, it really shows on her face just how nervous she is. Taking this chance to improve her musicality wouldn't hurt, but who knows.
Her performance was awful today. It's as if she was just going through the motions. After last season, many posters were raving about what a lyrical skater she is, but I just don't see it! Her presentation is sloppy and lifeless.
Her main problem is that she has no speed or power. Her jumps get no height and are prone to being underrotated.
Her main problem is that she has no speed or power. Her jumps get no height and are prone to being underrotated.
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2013
I think her mentally is not strong enough... She has to be confident in herself, when you were watching her skate today, she just doesn't enjoy it and didn't even crack a fake smile...The spark of 2013 wc is lost, I really hope she will toughen up because I was rooting for her after 2013 worlds. This is her weibo : http://weibo.com/u/1911237367, she deleted all her posts and wrote : This is the last time. I don't know why but i think it is because the harsh comments on her...e.g. she should be practicing but not posting photos, she is an athlete not a star so she shouldn't post many selfies etc.
i am not a fan of her but i read from a Chinese discussion forum that she did not have very effective and well-organized training for the couple of months leading up to Sochi (coping with growing, sickness, rumored strained relationships with coaches, ect). so what we have seen today is the result of lack of training, imho. i hope she has learned from this and show us better programs on home ground next year.
Changing coach might be good at this point of her career, as for Han Yan too. I think their coach has no idea how to push them to the next level both technical and mentally.
I wonder, if she switch to Lu Chen, she might get the coach who at least know how to cope with the competitions.
i also hope they would be able to switch to a better coach who would push them to the next level, there is no way it would be Lu Chen though, who does not seem to stay on top of the current rules, as demonstrated from her commentary job for cctv during Sochi.
That's strange. She has quite a few high level skaters. And from what I saw, she's pretty good too.
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2013
This happened after the sp when she posted that she felt pressure during the sp and tried to let it go. She in fact was going through growth spurt and has many kinds of illness like bronchitis and allergy to medication as i rmb cuz she deleted all her posts
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2012
I think it is too early to say Zijun is done. Wasn't she injured? Didn't she just survive a major grow spurt? Let's just wait and see what she can do next year. She is in the fortunate position that China's field isn't that deep. So she has time to get herself and her body motivated again.
if those skaters are not on the national scene, i am not aware of them. i did not follow Lu Chen's post-athlete career. i only know that she is running an ice rink in south China. it was no secret in the Chinese figure skating community that she was not on good terms with her prior coach Li Mingzhu (current coach of Li Zijun) when they ended their partnerships decades ago, which obviously still haunts her these days that she was spreading negative words/sentiments via weibo (Chinese version of the Twitter) to Li Zijun and Zhang Kexin (both girls had bitter words about Li's coaching sometimes) in the weeks leading to Sochi. For me, such move was really low and i doubt Chen's capability to coach high-level athletes.
So it came down to personal conflict at the end. I forgot about Mingzhu/Chen until you brought it up. It seems changing coach in China is almost impossible, due to politics and emotional issues. Too bad China has so many good coach plus lots of promising skaters.
Yan Han and Zijun are promising skaters, i really hope they will have a coach who is able to bring out their full potential, but as you said, it is hard due to politics, emotional issues and most importantly money!
Of course money is a big burden in FS every where in this world. I don't know much about figure skating in China but I love Zijun. I would love to see her overcome this year disappointment. I still strongly believe that she need to change coach though.
Li Mingzhu's contract with the Chinese Fed is over after this championship. It is highly speculated among FS fans that it is not going to be renewed. let's wait and see who will be the new coach.
Really? That's a good news. Sorry for feeling that way but I can't help it.
China seems to invest a lot of money and effort to build their Juvenile team at the moment. I hope they still keep their effort to support the current team too.
One think that bugged me a lot when thinking about Chinese skaters is that there are so many good skaters in novice level. They seems to disappear after that. Why is that? The competitive level in junior and senior is not that bad compare to elsewhere. Love to hear from someone who has deep information, at least you has the best interest at heart.
