Mao Shimada: “More than just winning, I want to have competitions that I myself find satisfying.”
Translation about Mao Shimada’s comments about winning Junior Worlds.
original source: hochi.news / nikkansports.com
Here’s atranslation of Mao Shimada’s comments about winning Junior Worlds posted on hochi.news and nikkansports.com
Mao Shimada, a 15-year-old figure skater recently made history at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Taipei. She achieved Japan’s first ever back-to-back victories at this competition. Upon her return to Kansai International Airport on the 4th, she expressed her joy in an interview stating, “I am incredibly happy that I was able to achieve consecutive victories. It feels wonderful to return as a champion.”
In the competition, she launched a major upset, reversing her second-place standing following the short program (SP) with a successful quad toe loop in the free skating program. This impressive performance netted her the gold medal. Reflecting upon her performance, Shimada said “This time I made a mistake with the axel jump, but since the quad was good, I was able to get through without panicking too much. There, I think, is the point of growth since last season.”
“Rather than thinking about trying to turn things around, I wanted to do the best performance I can. When I look back at the quad toe loop this time, I see that I didn’t put in too much power and was able to jump without unnecessary force, so it was a good jump,” she reflected.
This landmark achievement marks the end of this season for Shimada, who labeled this as a season full of various “good and bad experiences”. As she looks ahead to the coming season, she shares desires to achieve a three-peat at the World Junior Championships. However, she also emphasizes the importance of personal satisfaction, stating “More than just winning, I want to have competitions that I myself find satisfying.”
In addition to her accomplishments on the ice, Shimada has exciting news off the ice as well. It was announced that from spring, she would be attending the prestigious Chukyo University Chukyo High School, the same school attended by her idol Mao Asada, who Shimada was named after. She expressed joy at the prospect, saying, “I didn’t think I could go to the same school, so I’m very happy. Now that I’ve entered Chukyo University Chukyo High School, I can focus more on practice. I’m determined to work hard.”
Related topics: Mao Shimada, World Junior Championships
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