Rion Sumiyoshi: “I’ve climbed up a step. I’m truly happy that I was able to surpass the 200 points I was aiming for and to share the podium with Wakaba amidst such fierce competition.”
Rion Sumiyoshi on winning bronze at Grand Prix de France 2024.
original source: Nikkansports / Nikkansports dd. 3d November 2024 by Aika Matsumoto
Rion Sumiyoshi (21) commented on winning bronze medal at Grand Prix de France 2024 and scoring over 200 points. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
‘I was very calm from the start,” she said. “I was able to perform to my current capabilities. There are parts I’m frustrated with, but I’m satisfied with my performance,” Sumiyoshi told.
“I believe I did everything I could under the current circumstances. I am satisfied with the result and performance, but I also realized there is a lot more to work on in future competitions,” she told about getting a personal best score. Crossing the 200-point threshold for the first time, she said proudly, “I’ve climbed up a step. I believe you need to score over 200 to compete in international competitions, and now I’ve finally reached that level.”
“Compared to my past self, I was significantly more focused and improved a lot in how I mentally approached the competition. This time, unlike before, I wasn’t jittery and skating unsteadily, nor was I hastily going for jumps while overthinking. However, when I look at other skaters like Amber Glenn or (Higuchi) Wakaba, I still think I lack the ability to stay concentrated until the end and see things through. That’s an area I still need to work harder on,” Rion explained about her biggest challenges.
When asked about how does she plan to overcome this challenges, she responded: “It’s difficult. It might be premature to say I’m “back at the start line,” but previously I was unable to perform in competitions as I did in practice, which was a setback. Now, I’ve gotten to a point where I can perform as I do in practice. Beyond that, when it comes to performing even better than in practice or bringing out my best during practice, it’s not just about accepting the occasional mistakes, but thinking about what more needs to be done. I think it’ll be necessary to discuss this with a mental coach and Coach Okajima moving forward.”
Rion Sumiyoshi also posted on her Instagram page:
“Thank you so much for all the support at the French Cup!!
This was my third time competing at the French Cup in Angers, and I finished third for the third consecutive year. However, I felt that this competition showed growth. I’m truly happy that I was able to surpass the 200 points I was aiming for and to share the podium with Wakaba-chan amidst such fierce competition.
There were frustrating minor mistakes, but I think this performance reflects my current level of ability in competitions. For the next event, I will focus on maintaining concentration right until the end of my performance and prepare to deliver a complete skate!
I will also give my best in China.”
Related topics: grand prix, Grand Prix de France, Rion Sumiyoshi
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