- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
Akiko interview from Worlds (source)
Akiko Suzuki; “I want to thank Daisuke for all of his support.”
Q: After the last competition of your competitive career, how has your mindset changed?
A: There hasn’t been much change. It’s really just the feeling of relief to know that I have successfully completed my career as a representative athlete.
Q: How did you spend your time the other night?
A: I went out for drinks with my coach. Although we didn’t really get too deep in our conversations, my coach has said that “It was a pleasure to have been able to get to today with you, Akiko.”
Q: What do you think is different after the World Championships as opposed to after the Sochi 2014 Olympics?
A: Honestly speaking, after the Olympics, I had thought that I might not be able to participate in the World Championships. In the beginning, I had planned to retire after the Olympics, as the only thing on my mind at the time was the pain in my leg, and that I won’t be able to bear with it for much longer. After it healed, however, I was ecstatic that the pain had left completely. Regarding the results, I think the most important thing is to remember that feeling of accomplishment after a competition. For that, I want to thank Daisuke for all of his support.
Q: What did Takahashi say to you?
A: When I said “I’m tired… There’s a chance that I can’t battle with this pain any longer,” Daisuke replied with “Everybody in Japan is waiting for you. Rather than your placement or performance, I just want everybody to see you skate.” After the competition the other day, the feeling that I got from seeing all of the Japanese fans present the day of to see me off as a competitive skater made me extremely happy. In my heart, I believed what Daisuke had said to me was absolutely true. Although he wasn’t able to in the end, he wanted to experience this as well. Even though I knew that I would not be able to skate as well as he did, I had planned to incorporate some of his style into my performance. When he contacted me the other day, I told him “I’ll be going onstage next.” I think that to be able to get so far like this, I would say that as a representing athlete, I have reached the “happy ending”.
Q: When you were on the ice, did you feel like you were Daisuke? Even for a moment?
A: I don’t think it was to that extent (laughs). We’ve skated together for a long time, so we’ve talked to one another about countless of things. I think that it’s because of that that I believe that he wishes that he was able to skate at the World Championships also. He had said to me, “Go skate in your very own style.” Alongside everybody else’s support, I had skated with that very thought in mind.
Q: Is there anything that you wish to pursue from today on?
A: I want to rest. I also want to travel, but I’ll be busy for quite a while still, so I don’t think that’s possible for now. However, I’ll no longer be skating as an athlete. I’m looking forward to the start of my new life.
Q: If you were to travel, where would you want to go?
A: I want to go to somewhere warm. I want to go to the islands in the south (laughs). I’ve always wanted to go to those journeys of purification, or to kind of “rediscover myself”. I want to be able to eat organic, natural fruits, do some yoga, and to enjoy the feeling of getting massaged.
Q: Do you plan to keep in touch with skating from today on? If so, how?
A: I don’t want to be a coach. I just want to be able to pass on my experiences in various forms. I’ve always loved to skate, so I hope that I will be able to sway more children into the skating world to make them fall in love with the sport as well. In order to continue on the path of a skater, one has to truly love the sport, so I want to be able to pass on my love for it.
Q: Your last stage has drawn to a close. What are your thoughts on that?
A: I think that my career as a competitive skater brought along countless of good memories. To think that I was able to experience this happiness for so long as compared to other skaters makes me really happy. Although I was never able to reach my ideal performance, that isn’t important anymore. I’m just happy that I was able to stay so determined and motivated even to this day. Therefore, even though I do have some regrets and troubles, to be able to have continued for so long makes me really happy.