Mone Chiba: “There’s no time to dwell on disappointment. I have no choice but to climb back up from here. Right now, this is the most critical period of my skating life – almost a matter of life and death.”
Mone Chiba, who finished fifth at the Grand Prix Final, reflected on her disappointment and expressed her determination to move forward and grow stronger for the upcoming Japanese Nationals.
original source: news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 7th December / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 7th December / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 7th December / news.yahoo.co.jp dd. 7th December
On December 7, the daay after finishing fifth at the Figure Skating Grand Prix Final, Mone Chiba spoke candidly through tears about her feelings. Here’s a translation of her comments.
Chiba led after the short program on the second day of the competition, scoring a personal best of 77.27 points. However, in the free skate, where she skated last, mistakes in her early jumps prevented her from increasing her score, and she dropped to fifth place, missing the podium.
Reflecting on the event, Chiba said, “Looking back on yesterday, I realized how important it is to be aware of my own nerves. I feel like I’m slowly processing everything inside myself. But I think dwelling on my frustration is just self-indulgence, I don’t even have the right or time to feel frustrated. So I want to fully acknowledge my disappointment and, without hiding my weaknesses, see things through to the end.”
At times, her voice broke as she continued, “I think I need to accept my own weaknesses. I want today to be a day where I let out all my emotions and cleanse myself, so I can take a strong step forward again.” She wiped away tears repeatedly as she spoke.
She added, “I thought my nervousness was a weakness and tried to act tough, but I was actually avoiding facing it. I think the best way to describe it is that I was running away from acknowledging it. I believe that only by accepting my weaknesses can I become stronger, so I want to keep that in mind to avoid experiencing the same disappointment again,” she said, her voice trembling but with renewed resolve.
After the free skate, Chiba held an emergency meeting with coach Mie Hamada and others. “We kept finding things to improve,” she said. With tears in her eyes, she added, “I haven’t looked at the protocol yet. I think I need to fully accept my weaknesses. I want today to be a day where I let out all my emotions, cleanse myself, and take a strong step forward.”
With only 12 days left until the Nationals, the final Olympic selection event, Chiba said, “It’s still too painful to call this ‘experience.’ I’m determined to use this as fuel. I won’t forget this frustration, and I’ll make sure I never end with such regret again. I’ll reflect and work hard toward the next step.”
Looking ahead to the Japanese Nationals, Chiba said, “I have no choice but to climb back up from here. I want to focus on what I need to do without ever looking back, and give a performance that I can truly be proud of.”
“This is the most critical period of my skating life – almost a matter of life and death,” she said. “It’s the most important time, and I have to devote everything to skating with a sense of urgency. I have to face it with resolve.” With little time left before the big event, she told herself, “I have to focus only on myself and give it my all. What matters is how desperately I train and whether I can earn my spot on the team.”
Related topics: grand prix final, Mone Chiba, Olympic Games
I don’t think it’s her fault. She’s talented. Maybe the coaching staff is to hard on her.