Mao Asada announces retirement

chapis said:

Thanks to Rosewood from FSU, translation: She felt she did all out at Japan Nats. Even in the K'C she felt so. Placing 12th which was the worst placement in her whole career played a role regarding letting her decide to retire. The final decision was made in February by herself. She talked about it with her family & close friends but basically she decided it by herself.

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Just want to add onto this: I think it's also reported in Jpn news that Mao's coach (not Mr. Sato, but Mrs. Kumiko Sato) states that Mao's decision to retire has nothing to do with results from WC this year when 2 spots are left for Japanese ladies'. There were too many speculations on the correlation.

And alas, for those always commenting on Mao's relationship with Coach Sato, all I have to say is that, it's not just Coach Sato for Team Sato, there are also Coach Kumiko and Coach Reiko who have always been there to take care of Mao...

Mao Asada has no regrets over retiring

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/...o-regrets-over-retiring-to-keep-involved.html

Asada was all smiles throughout the nearly hourlong press conference, except when she needed to turn her back to the journalists twice to fight back tears and keep her composure while expressing words of appreciation at the end of the event.

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i rewatched her performances at Japanese Nat last week and they were much better than her placement indicated. It's so inspiring to see how she managed to improve her performance quality even when she struggled with injury, wears and tears and preserving her jumps etc. She has always been consistent in whatever she said in public, so I believe she really had no regrets about decision.

I can't remember the last time the retirement of an athlete of a minor sport received that much media attention. She's not only a sweeping talent but a beacon of work ethic, humility and sportsmanship. She is the world's treasure.

Her interview video
http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASK4D2G6SK4DUTQP003.html?iref=comtop_video_01

It was very comforting reading all this wonderful things about her. She is my favorite skater ever and to be honest, while I understand her decision and think it is the right one, I still feel like she always got the short side of the stick in this sport. Just look how the ladies were scored at this last World championships and how lenient the caller was despite some very obvious UR's (like Karen Chen's combo), and remember Mao got credit for just 1 out of 3 perfect 3A at Worlds 2010 (back then, an UR was basically a downgrade point wise - so she got credit for a 2A with negative GOE for perfectly executed 3As). And now, just look on how Medvedeva and Pogo get full credit for their flutz and, respectively, lip, while Mao has been (rightfully so) always called. But Mao had to basically rework her jump technique in order to be competitive.
It seems unfair that after years of hard work, after she become a lovely all around skater, she still got crap PCS and overly scrutinized for UR's while the youngsters prodigies are showered with huge PCS and lenient calls. I remember reading a comment during Worlds, when someone said regarding Carolina's SP that if Mao skated the same program, she would have been most likely buried in the standings. And it is true.
Add to all the above the injury and age, and the realization that the Olympic gold will never happen for her, her decision was correct. I just feel that the current judging system played a big part in this decision. And it is a shame that the sport she loved so much is the one who basically pushed her into retirement. I don't know if we will see in the near future a skater like her, probably not. We are in the era of full back-loading and tano-ing jumps, with rushed movements and bad choreography who get huge PCS based exclusively on TES merit (this was confirmed by the results of Jr Worlds, where a clean Alina comfortably won over a clean Marin, both girls being virtually tied on PCS).
No room for a skater like Mao I am afraid in the current judging system. Or at least not at the top.
I hope she will be at peace with her decision and continue to be involved in this sport, one way or another.

http://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201704120232-1.aspx

According to this article from Taiwan's Central News Agency-

Japanese reporter: Do you have plans to get married?

Mao: No. (Pause) If Mr. Right shows up, I'll go back with him.

:think:

Taiwanese reporter: Would you consider marrying a Taiwanese guy, like Ai Fukuhara did? You once said that you've been spending all your time at freezing cold ice rinks, and that you'd like to go somewhere warm to relax for a change. How's Taiwan for a warm place?

Mao: Ai-chan is my dear friend. I'll see if she can introduce any good guys in Taiwan to me. I really want to visit Taiwan and I'll ask Ai-chan to be my guide.

To the question "If you will be born again, would you be a skater?" Mao said probably she won't skate. She feels she has done.

cinnamon said:

To the question "If you will be born again, would you be a skater?" Mao said probably she won't skate. She feels she has done.

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This comment has me a little concerned. Do you think Mao meant that she probably wouldn't do skating again if she had a choice or do you think this means Mao seems to have a negative view towards skating professionally or in exhibitions after she finishes with The Ice in 2017? Though I know it is Mao's choice and I will accept whatever she decides, it would be such a shame if such a great skater, to me the best I have ever seen, stopped performing. Maybe, it is just the way Mao feels now and she needs time to clear her mind and readjust. Her performances are worth so much more than her deflated scores and she can finally be free to express herself more openly outside the the biased confines of a narrowly defined system. The possibilities are limitless with her incredible skills and artistic transcendence that speak so deeply to the soul and emotions. The great love she receives from so many and what has been a great love of skating seem like it would inspire her to continue, Strong love can turn into strong aversion and back again quite quickly. But this is all speculation and I guess we will have to wait to find out. Selfishly, I just long to see Mao continue to skate, and she could lighten up on the jumps and do shorter programs to take some of the strain of her left knee.

apgold said:

I am sad to hear this but I'm sure Mao has her reasons. Fingers crossed we'll still see her lovely skating in shows.

I am fortunate to have seen her skate last year at Worlds, glad I got to see this skating icon in person.

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Thank you, Mao, for all of your stunning performances. What an honor to see you @ Worlds last year!

I think Coach Yamada said it best-

“(Mao’s retirement doesn’t mean) that she has been beaten by younger powers nor that she is getting old,” said Machiko Yamada, 73, Asada’s previous coach. “She has done enough. She has lived through an era.” http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201704120044.html

As Phil Hersh said- Yu Na Kim and Mao Asada were the pinnacle skaters of the IJS system. If we compare 17 year-old Mao and Kim with the 17 year-olds now- they'd still come out on top.

TheCzar said:

I think Coach Yamada said it best-

“(Mao’s retirement doesn’t mean) that she has been beaten by younger powers nor that she is getting old,” said Machiko Yamada, 73, Asada’s previous coach. “She has done enough. She has lived through an era.” http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201704120044.html

As Phil Hersh said- Yu Na Kim and Mao Asada were the pinnacle skaters of the IJS system. If we compare 17 year-old Mao and Kim with the 17 year-olds now- they'd still come out on top.

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This is sooo true

No words could fully describe my admiration and appreciation of her as a skater, I became a vivid skating fan of her after I saw her 2010 at the olympics, she is my favourite skater, in the present, past and future. Everytime she skated and won an event my day could go from bad to amaazing, the way her beautiful skating effected and had such a huge impact my daily life for soo many years is something i will never forget! i'm soo happy to have ben alive during her prime time and follow this legendary skater

She is one the only skaters who are both known as technical and artistic skaters, she won every title this sport has to offer multiple times from juniors to seniors level except a OGM, where she instead won OSM and made history, her achievement and legacy is muuch much bigger then that, she made history soo many times, set soo many World Records, she went though alot but damn she achieved alot too! The technical/difficulty she displayed was exceptional, her steps, spins, and spirals, and SS were always among the best and made her stand out too, she has soo many exceptional qualities that made her stand out, She sure left her mark in this sport!

TheCzar said:

I think Coach Yamada said it best-

“(Mao’s retirement doesn’t mean) that she has been beaten by younger powers nor that she is getting old,” said Machiko Yamada, 73, Asada’s previous coach. “She has done enough. She has lived through an era.” http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201704120044.html

As Phil Hersh said- Yu Na Kim and Mao Asada were the pinnacle skaters of the IJS system. If we compare 17 year-old Mao and Kim with the 17 year-olds now- they'd still come out on top.

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This looks like a clear reference to Evgenia Medvedeva and other 17years old skaters form this generation and i'd leave this conversation out, since they are very different skaters: Evgenia has already won much more than Asada Mao and Kim at this age but she's not able to land a 3A and we don't how long will be her career.

On top of that any form of comparison with skaters from different eras is completely pointless: the way everyone (judges, coaches and skaters) sees figure skating is always different.

Tolstoj said:

This looks like a clear reference to Evgenia Medvedeva and other 17years old skaters form this generation and i'd leave this conversation out, since they are very different skaters: Evgenia has already won much more than Asada Mao and Kim at this age but she's not able to land a 3A and we don't how long will be her career.

On top of that any form of comparison with skaters from different eras is completely pointless: the way everyone (judges, coaches and skaters) sees figure skating is always different.

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Asada, and Kim were both skating prodigies skating in the same era, along with Ando, the competition was fierce, Asada set a WR in the fs while Kim set it in the sp in their first WC, so ofcourse they had to share the medals, the technical and artistic content and level of sophistication they displayed is something Medvedeva could only dream of!

Tolstoj said:

This looks like a clear reference to Evgenia Medvedeva and other 17years old skaters form this generation and i'd leave this conversation out, since they are very different skaters: Evgenia has already won much more than Asada Mao and Kim at this age but she's not able to land a 3A and we don't how long will be her career.

On top of that any form of comparison with skaters from different eras is completely pointless: the way everyone (judges, coaches and skaters) sees figure skating is always different.

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We get it, there are differing opinions.

This is a very emotional thread for the skating community. Please do not bring in other skaters as some sort of scoresheet to say who's better. This is just about Mao and I would hate to pollute this with a who's better or who's worse.

Tolstoj said:

This looks like a clear reference to Evgenia Medvedeva and other 17years old skaters form this generation and i'd leave this conversation out, since they are very different skaters: Evgenia has already won much more than Asada Mao and Kim at this age but she's not able to land a 3A and we don't how long will be her career.

On top of that any form of comparison with skaters from different eras is completely pointless: the way everyone (judges, coaches and skaters) sees figure skating is always different.

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Exactly- and as Yamada said- she has lived through an era. For all her achievements thus far, Medvedeva is still very much the current in a long line Russian manufactured skaters. She's a very good skater yes, but she's not a star. Not yet. Medals do not connote achievements.

As far as comparisons go- the current system is just subject to inflation. Whoever comes along on this generation of girls will ALWAYS be standing on the shoulders of a Mao Asada and Kim Yu Na who were the ones to really develop under the IJS. Even Evgenia's numbers owe a lot to these two. Had Asada's 2007, 2008 (a 3A AND TWO 3-3s at the GPF), 2010 and 2014 freeskates been judged correctly under today's rules her scores would still be holding up. Obviously the same to be said of Kim's records. That's how ladies figure skating was made in the last ten years. A constant uphill battle. However, as it stands- it doesn't matter now. Ladies skating has reached a plateau and its not exciting or inspiring anymore.

When the announcement of your news interrupts geopolitical national news and takes over international media (even the BBC here in the UK), that's when you gauge the impact a skater has made in the world.

Please please please don't make this a "who's better who's worse." This is about Mao. Stop this please.

This is the first time I saw Mao skate, 2007 Worlds in Japan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5G3Ns2i86U

Back then I only followed seniors and only big competitions (Europeans, Worlds and Olympics) so, naturally, I assumed the battle for gold would be between Kimmie Meissner (former World champion) and Carolina Kostner (European champion)

I didn't watch the SP's, I only saw Carolina's SP before the free skate and was surprised to find out that a young girl from South Korea was in first place.
Final group came, I remember cheering for Yuna since she was from a unknown country in figure skating (it was the first time I saw her skate and found her lovely) and sad seeing her with 2 falls. Then I remember Carolina had one of usual bad skates and feeling disappointed. After these two, I remember thinking that oh well, I don't really care that happens next so let's see who takes it. And this 16 year old girl from Japan came, coming from 5th place and the commentators talked about a 3A from her, I thought "wow that would be cool to see, especially since she is in front of her home country". And BAM! 3A smooth and clean the sheer happiness and raw emotions radiating from her throughout the performance made me a fan for life. The little fist pump after her last jump was everything And even if lovely Miki came and won it all in the end, for me it was Mao who stole the night. I can't believe it's been 10 years since then. She is the only reason I started following the GP events and juniors. To me, figure skating will not be the same without her.

lyndichee said:

We get it, there are differing opinions.

This is a very emotional thread for the skating community. Please do not bring in other skaters as some sort of scoresheet to say who's better. This is just about Mao and I would hate to pollute this with a who's better or who's worse.

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That's exactly my point, i've never understood comparison between skaters from different generations. What's the point?

Mao is a legendary skater no matter what, even comparisons with Yuna are so questionable since they have very different qualities.