“I wanted to take on the challenge and since I consider myself in a position to take risks.” Mao Shimada about Japanese Nationals
Translation of Mao Shimada’s comments about Japanese Nationals
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd. 27 December 2023
Here’s a translation of Mao Shimada’s comments about Japanese Nationals from the article posted on Web Sportiva.
“I’m very happy that I was able to take third place among so many great skaters, but there were some parts of my performance that I was disappointed with. It was a competition that had both frustration and joy,” Shimada shared her mixed feelings after securing third place at the Japanese Nationals, matching last year’s result.
“Even with the risk, I wanted to take on the challenge since I consider myself in a position to take risks,” said Mao about her jumping content with a triple axel in a short program. She scored 65.23 points in the SP, placing 7th, she admitted, ‘Honestly, since I intended to include the triple axel and aimed to improve my personal best score, I felt nothing but regret when I heard the scores.”
“After making mistakes in the Junior Grand Prix Final Short Program (SP) and managing to recover in the Free Skate, I gained confidence from that experience. Although I think reaching the podium that I was aiming for became distant, I want to take it positively and approach it as if nothing is at stake anymore,” Mao said before the free program.
“When it was my turn to skate, I suddenly became nervous. It was not just the usual heart tension; my legs felt shaky. Similar nervousness occurred in last year’s Nationals, but it was slightly different from the Junior Nationals and Junior Grand Prix Final. I had the desire to get closer to senior skaters, but more than that, I wanted to deliver a good performance, especially nailing jumps other than the big ones in the Free Skate. So, I was nervous.”
“Performing on the stage of the Japanese Nationals brings a different level of tension compared to other competitions. I feel like I couldn’t win, so I want to aim for a victory next time.”
Related topics: Mao Shimada
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