Wakaba Higuchi
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I am so proud of Wakaba. She's been struggling all week with nerves and jump issues, so for her to go and put out such a gorgeous short program shows just how strong she is.
Yahoo Japan's report on Wakaba before her SP in the team event: (Feb. 5, 2022)
Translation:
The women's short program (SP) and the men's free program will be held at the Beijing Capital Gymnasium on April 6. After the official practice on the 5th, Wakaba Higuchi (21), who will compete in the women's SP, said, "I'm very nervous, but I'm half looking forward to it. I want to be in good form and concentrate on my performance." In order for Japan's team to advance to the free skate, they had to be in the top five at the end of the women's SP. She will try to deliver a good performance to connect the team to the men's free skate.
She has not been in good shape since she arrived in Beijing. "I was expecting to feel at ease at the Capital Gymnasium, the same venue as the Grand Prix (GP) Series China Cup, where she finished second in the last PyeongChang Olympics season, but it was completely different," she said, confused by the change of the venue to the Olympic specifications.
She had very little composure and was anxious. When she told Sakamoto, who had competed in the PyeongChang Olympics, about her current state of mind, she replied, "It's the first time, so it is what it is." It's a funny episode that shows how well the two of them get along, but Higuchi chuckled, "But I don't want to think that it was unavoidable.”
She hasn't decided yet if she was going to attempt the difficult triple axel (three-and-a-half rotations) in the team competition, which she plans to do in the individual competition this year. "I hope I can do it, but I don't want to think about the Axel too much, I want to do it in a way that I won't fail." In the practice, she jumped four times, but was not able to make a clean landing on the ice. She was planning to make a decision based on how she would do in the morning practice.
In Beijing, she and Sakamoto shares a room in the athletes' village. Watching the TV drama "Chuugakusei Nikki Diary of a Junior High School Student)" brought in by Sakamoto, they relaxed, talking about "who's cool." Both of them are said to be the type of people who ease their tensions through casual chitchat, which creates a good atmosphere outside the rink.
"I've never competed in this event before, so I don't know anything about it," said Higuchi. Even so, she has a lot of experience in overcoming hardships. "I don't want to think too much, I just want to focus on myself and do my best." She is determined to give Japan a boost to win its first medal in the team event.
Translation:
The women's short program (SP) and the men's free program will be held at the Beijing Capital Gymnasium on April 6. After the official practice on the 5th, Wakaba Higuchi (21), who will compete in the women's SP, said, "I'm very nervous, but I'm half looking forward to it. I want to be in good form and concentrate on my performance." In order for Japan's team to advance to the free skate, they had to be in the top five at the end of the women's SP. She will try to deliver a good performance to connect the team to the men's free skate.
She has not been in good shape since she arrived in Beijing. "I was expecting to feel at ease at the Capital Gymnasium, the same venue as the Grand Prix (GP) Series China Cup, where she finished second in the last PyeongChang Olympics season, but it was completely different," she said, confused by the change of the venue to the Olympic specifications.
She had very little composure and was anxious. When she told Sakamoto, who had competed in the PyeongChang Olympics, about her current state of mind, she replied, "It's the first time, so it is what it is." It's a funny episode that shows how well the two of them get along, but Higuchi chuckled, "But I don't want to think that it was unavoidable.”
She hasn't decided yet if she was going to attempt the difficult triple axel (three-and-a-half rotations) in the team competition, which she plans to do in the individual competition this year. "I hope I can do it, but I don't want to think about the Axel too much, I want to do it in a way that I won't fail." In the practice, she jumped four times, but was not able to make a clean landing on the ice. She was planning to make a decision based on how she would do in the morning practice.
In Beijing, she and Sakamoto shares a room in the athletes' village. Watching the TV drama "Chuugakusei Nikki Diary of a Junior High School Student)" brought in by Sakamoto, they relaxed, talking about "who's cool." Both of them are said to be the type of people who ease their tensions through casual chitchat, which creates a good atmosphere outside the rink.
"I've never competed in this event before, so I don't know anything about it," said Higuchi. Even so, she has a lot of experience in overcoming hardships. "I don't want to think too much, I just want to focus on myself and do my best." She is determined to give Japan a boost to win its first medal in the team event.
Last edited:
Sponichi Report on her SP (Feb. 6, 2022): https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2022/02/06/kiji/20220206s00079000275000c.html
Translation:
In the Women's Short Program (SP), first-time Olympic competitor Wakaba Higuchi (Meiji Univ.) marked 74.73 points and placed second. Japan moved up to third place, and will advance to the free skate, where the top five teams will compete.
It was her first time on the stage of her dreams. She was very excited to see the Olympic symbol in her eyes, but also very nervous. After the practice on the 5th, she said, "I still feel that my body is not moving the way it normally does, and I'm still getting overwhelmed by the atmosphere around me."
In the team SP, she was handed the baton by her teammates, in 4th place, within the medal range. "I just want to do a composition that I won't fail," she said, and opened with a double Axel instead of a triple Axel (triple and a half jump), and succeeded. She landed Lutz-Toe loop triple combination and triple flip without any major mistakes.
After her performance, the 21-year-old looked relieved.
▼Wakaba Higuchi: "I was very nervous, and more often than not, things went wrong in practice, but I was able to skate calmly in the competition. I'm relieved. (On the state of her jumps,) I think the ones I just did in the competition were the best since I came here. I think it was a good opportunity for me to contribute to the team competition, and also to build a good momentum for my performance in the individual competition."
Translation:
In the Women's Short Program (SP), first-time Olympic competitor Wakaba Higuchi (Meiji Univ.) marked 74.73 points and placed second. Japan moved up to third place, and will advance to the free skate, where the top five teams will compete.
It was her first time on the stage of her dreams. She was very excited to see the Olympic symbol in her eyes, but also very nervous. After the practice on the 5th, she said, "I still feel that my body is not moving the way it normally does, and I'm still getting overwhelmed by the atmosphere around me."
In the team SP, she was handed the baton by her teammates, in 4th place, within the medal range. "I just want to do a composition that I won't fail," she said, and opened with a double Axel instead of a triple Axel (triple and a half jump), and succeeded. She landed Lutz-Toe loop triple combination and triple flip without any major mistakes.
After her performance, the 21-year-old looked relieved.
▼Wakaba Higuchi: "I was very nervous, and more often than not, things went wrong in practice, but I was able to skate calmly in the competition. I'm relieved. (On the state of her jumps,) I think the ones I just did in the competition were the best since I came here. I think it was a good opportunity for me to contribute to the team competition, and also to build a good momentum for my performance in the individual competition."
And now she has made Olympic history with a wonderful triple axel! In my eyes, she's at the top of the table 
Wakaba is on her way to Worlds!
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2004
What College does Wakaba go to? Interesting Building.
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