Mai Mihara: “The coach told me that I’m a ‘genius of concentration.'”
Translation of Mai Mihara’s comments about her performance at the Japanese Nationals
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd. 25 December 2023 by Komiya Yoshiyuki
Here’s a translation of Mai Mihara’s comments about her performance at he Japanese Nationals from the interview with Japanese media posted on Web Sportiva.
“After the NHK Trophy, where I competed with pain after withdrawing from the Grand Prix in China due to a right ankle injury, I gave my all every day until the Nationals. It was good to be able to skate with all my might until the end. I practiced right up to the limit while taking care of myself. I think my legs also worked hard.”
“As for the pain (from the injury), it’s still there. However, more than that, I’ve been practicing desperately until the Japanese Nationalss. A month passed in the blink of an eye, and I gained confidence that I was able to do so much during that time.” Miahara said about her injury. She also mentioned started the season late this year, “This year, the season started late, and I didn’t have enough time to get into the routine, but I’m finally getting into it. So, I think If O concentrate on skating, I’ll be okay!”
Regarding her performance in a short program at the Japanese Nationals where she finished 4th, Mihara told, “I was nervous until the last moment, and there was anxiety about the jumps. It wasn’t going as smoothly as I would have liked. The coach mentioned again this time that I’m a ‘genius of concentration.’ The coaches’ words like ‘You can do it’ are the ones that stick with me the most. I wanted to express my gratitude through my skating, and I was able to switch focus for each element,” she added.
“I’ve been consistently taking good care of myself through training. I’ve focused on proper nutrition, drinking plenty of milk for calcium and vitamins. I’ve been thinking about how to maintain my condition and have been considering what I can do. Compared to NHK Trophy, my physical condition is better now, so I’ll prepare for the Free Skate!”
As for the free skate, Mai said, “It was more nerve-wracking than the Short Program, but I believed in myself and was able to skate through to the end. Compared to NHK Trophy, I’ve improved, so if I have the opportunity to compete in the competitions in the new year, I’ll give it my all. I want to enhance the program’s completeness to the best of my ability in the current condition.”
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