Kao Miura: “I’m still very shocked, and I really wanted to achieve good results at the NHK Trophy. I think all I can do is go back and practice so that I never feel this way again.”
Kao Miura on his performance at the NHK Trophy 2024.
original source: Nikkansports dd. 11th November 2024 by Daisuke Fujizuka / Nikkansports dd. 11th November 2024 by Kengo Abe
Kao Miura (19) who had started the competitions in second place after setting a personal record and surpassing 100 points for the short program for the first time his career, failed all seven jumps in his free program and finished 11th and 6th overall commented on his performance. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
“Right after I finished, I strongly felt like, ‘I hope this goes in.’ I gave it my all, so I’m very happy to have received 102 points,” Kao said after his short program. “I wasn’t about to cry, but I was just bursting with happiness, and for the first time in a while, I ended up shouting in the kiss and cry area. I shouted ‘Woah!’ (laughs),” he shared about his emotions in the kiss and cry.
At Skate America, Kao Miura was just 0.46 points shy of 100, he commented: “More than motivation, it was pressure. I wanted to surpass 100 points this time too, but there were periods when I couldn’t train due to injuries, and I had anxiety about not having piled up enough practice. But on the day of the competition, everyone is in the same situation. There was nothing to do but go with my feelings.”
“I wasn’t in the best shape during the official practice, and I didn’t feel great, but after practice, when I returned to the hotel, I switched off for a bit and relaxed my mind, which I think was beneficial.” During the practices Kao Miura struggled with quad toe loop, he was asked whether he considered the option of not including this jump into the program to which he replied: “I thought that without it, I couldn’t advance, so there wasn’t a choice to leave it out. I was anxious about practicing the toe loop after coming here, but it turned out as clean as if there was no worry at all.”
“Honestly, I was scared the whole time. The salchow was shaky right from practice, a point of anxiety. The axel also got a quarter call at the competition in America, and the last jump, a toe loop I hadn’t practiced, was coming up. My heart was hardly holding up (bitter laugh). But since I could clear each element one by one carefully, it was good,” he added.
When asked about competing with Yuma Kagiyama, Kao said before the free program, “He’s in a league of his own, so putting that aside, now that I have these scores, I’ll skate the free confidently and go all out.” He shared his feelings about skating last in the final group, saying “I was extremely nervous. I’ve never skated last at a Grand Prix before. Three years ago, I competed in the NHK Cup and I skated first. Three years later, to skate last on the same stage was quite moving; I was touched.”
Right after an unsuccessful free program journalists asked his about his feelings to which Kao replied: “Please, don’t ask anymore. Since it’s a big competition, I still wanted to achieve results. But now I won’t be going to the Finals. I think all I can do is go back and practice so that I never feel this way again.” He also confirmed that poor performance wasn’t connected with injuries or pain, saying “No, it doesn’t matter. My legs weren’t hurting. It’s just lack of ability. It’s irrelevant.”
On a day of a gala performance he spoke about his feelings anf thoughts about the free program, saying “No, it hasn’t settled [his mood]… I’m still very shocked, and I really wanted to achieve good results at the NHK Trophy, so the frustration remains. However, I need to switch quickly, so I’ll move on soon.”
Answering the question of whether he regret the decision to include the triple axel in his routine he replied: “I don’t think there was anything wrong with that decision specifically. Even if I had attempted the loop, I probably would have collapsed badly then too. I think I could have recovered until the first missed toe loop, but from the double axel onward, it felt like all the gears went off.”
As for his vision of the free program in general, Kao told: “I want to skate with my soul, creating a world that feels as if you were stepping into a movie, where the audience can experience happiness, a sense of tragedy, and various other emotions.”
Related topics: grand prix, Kao Miura, NHK Trophy
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