Miki Ando: “Shizuka Arakawa once told me, ‘The first Olympics was fun, but aiming for a medal changes everything.'”
Miki Ando’s journey: overcoming adversity and chasing Olympic dreams
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd September 7th by Oriyama Toshimi
Miki Ando, a trailblazer in Japanese figure skating, faced both challenges and victories over the course of her career, including her two Olympic appearances in Turin (2006) and Vancouver (2010). This reflection highlights her resilience through injuries and pressure, as well as her landmark achievements, including two world championship titles. Here’s a translation of her comments and an article posted on Web Sporttiva.
During the 2006 Turin Olympics, Japanese figure skating had strong representation, including 2002 Salt Lake City Olympian Fumie Suguri and 1998 Nagano Olympian Shizuka Arakawa, who was the 2004 World Champion. However, the media’s spotlight was on 18-year-old Miki Ando, whose impressive junior career earned her the title of “the world’s first female quad jumper.”
Ando’s first Olympic season in 2005–2006 marked a significant turning point. She relocated her training base to the United States but faced mixed results, including second place at the Cup of Russia, fourth place at the NHK Trophy, and a disappointing fourth-place finish at the Grand Prix Final after falling three times during her free skate. At the Japanese Nationals, she placed sixth.
Reflecting on her challenges, Ando admitted, “I didn’t think I’d make it to Turin, and that was frustrating. But I went to the U.S. because I wanted to train with a smile, to love skating again, and I think I showed a different side of myself this year.” Though her performances earned enough selection points to qualify for the Olympic team, Ando entered Turin under difficult circumstances, including a fractured pinky toe and insufficient jump practice leading up to the Games.
Emotional moments further disrupted her experience. During a pre-competition press conference, Ando broke down as she was asked about her father, who had passed away when she was in second grade. “I can’t answer private questions,” she replied through tears.
On February 21, Ando took the ice for the short program as the first to skate among Japanese skaters. “I was very nervous,” she confessed. Her planned triple lutz-triple loop combination turned into a double loop, with a flawed landing. She also struggled with her triple flip, failing to earn positive grades of execution (GOE). Holding onto a shaky performance, she earned 56.00 points, placing eighth.
For the free skate two days later, Ando decided to take a bold approach: “I want to leave no regrets. Even if I fail, I’ll attempt the quad.” In interviews leading up to the program, she defended her commitment to the quad salchow despite stricter rotational penalties under new scoring rules. Ando stated confidently, “Some athletes practice quads, but I’m the only one performing them in competition. I’m determined to embrace it as my strength.”
During the free skate on February 23, Ando attempted the quad salchow but fell, receiving a downgraded score equivalent to a triple salchow. Later in the routine, she experienced further errors, including slips and missed landings on the triple flip, triple loop, and triple toe loop. Her free skate placed her 16th in that segment, with a combined score of 140.20, resulting in a 15th-place finish overall.
Still, Ando reflected positively on the experience: “Attempting the quad drained my energy, but I’m grateful I had the chance to try it again. Skating on a stage many dream of but never reach is a blessing. I’m happy I achieved that dream.”
Post-competition, Ando revealed she had been performing under physical strain, with her fractured toe still unhealed and pain relievers necessary for her routine. “I faced fears and difficulties heading into the Olympics,” she admitted.
Following the disappointing Olympic outcome, she shifted her approach under the guidance of coach and choreographer Nikolai Morozov for the 2006–2007 season, focusing on developing her expression, spins, and steps.
Armed with her hallmark triple lutz-triple loop combination—the jump she considered her greatest strength—Ando claimed her first Grand Prix victory at Skate America. Reflecting on this moment of redemption, Ando shared, “Last season, with the Olympics, it was nothing but hardships, and I couldn’t deliver a single satisfying performance. This time, considering where I’m at now, I feel like I skated really well. I’m especially happy that I executed the triple-triple combination without mistakes.”
Despite struggles during the Grand Prix Final and Nationals, Ando captured her first World Championship title in March 2007 in Tokyo, defeating Kim Yuna and Mao Asada with a career-best score of 195.09 points.
The following seasons were filled with challenges. During the 2007–2008 season, she placed second at Skate America but finished fourth at the NHK Trophy, missing the Grand Prix Final for the first time in four years. She did, however, achieve her first unofficial 200-point score at Nationals, finishing second behind Asada. However, injuries plagued her that season, culminating in a withdrawal from the World Championships after injuring her left calf during the free skate.
Determined to return stronger, Ando reignited her quad salchow ambitions for the 2008–2009 season. During official practice at Skate America, she attempted the quad salchow but avoided it during competition following coach Morozov’s advice. Despite finishing on the podium at both Skate America and the China Cup, Ando placed last at the Grand Prix Final, although she landed a downgraded quad salchow.
As injuries and inconsistency persisted, Ando managed a third-place finish at Nationals and claimed bronze at the World Championships.
The 2009–2010 season, marking Ando’s second Olympic journey, saw stricter judging standards for under-rotations and edge calls. Ando claimed two Grand Prix victories and finished second to Kim Yuna at the Grand Prix Final, securing her spot on Japan’s Vancouver Olympic team.
Recalling advice from Shizuka Arakawa, who had won gold at Turin, Ando reflected on her second Olympic experience: “Shizuka once told me, ‘The first Olympics was fun, but aiming for a medal changes everything.'” In Vancouver, Ando finished fourth in the short program after struggling with an under-rotated triple in her combination jump. Despite the pressure, she delivered a passionate performance, stating, “Even though I could have played it safe, I was committed to attempting the triple-triple combination, which feels satisfying in itself.”
In the free skate, Ando adopted a more conservative strategy to prioritize clean execution, delivering a flawless routine that earned her a season’s best score of 124.10 points. With a combined total of 188.86 points, she finished fifth overall. Reflecting on her growth, she said, “After the short program, I felt frustrated with myself, but I refocused. Unlike my first Olympics, where I left with nothing but regret, this time I feel like I showcased my growth and performed with appreciation.”
The 2010–2011 season marked a turning point for Ando. Free from the weight of pressure, she flourished, claiming back-to-back victories in the Grand Prix Series and winning her third National title. Ando’s crowning achievement came at the delayed World Championships in April 2011, held in light of Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Ando took a competitive break over the next two seasons before returning for the 2013–2014 Sochi Olympic campaign. However, she finished seventh at Nationals, narrowly missing selection for Japan’s Olympic team. This marked the end of her illustrious competitive career.
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