Alexandra Trusova: “That feeling of complete satisfaction and devastation that every athletes competes for, I’ve experienced it twice in my entire sports life.”
Alexandra Trusova about Japan Open.
source: MatchTV
You might be interested to know about the Japan Open, a competition that takes place every autumn in Japan.
In 2019 (my first senior season), I was invited to compete in competitions that took place on October 5th in Saitama. This is a team competition in which three teams participate: Europe, America, and Japan. Each team consists of four people: two male single skaters and two female single skaters. I performed with Alina Zagitova, Javier Fernandez, and Deniss Vasiljevs. Team America was represented by Bradie Tennel, Mirai Nagasu, Vincent Zhou, and Nathan Chen. Japanese: Rika Kihira, Satoko Miyahara, Koshiro Shimada, and Shoma Uno.
The competition itself is more like a show. It lasts one day, everyone skates only a free program, and the results are added to the team points. After the competition, gala performances are held on the same day.
We arrived in Japan late in the evening. The next day was a training day, and the day after was a competition. It’s not only a change of time zones, but there are also almost no breaks. I have never performed in such conditions before; it was a serious test. I was very worried because I did not have time to rest before the performance, as I usually did. The morning before the competition, training was unsuccessful; nothing worked out for me, so I decided to lie down for a while and relax in the Ice Palace locker room.
When the competition began, the arena was full of people—not a single empty seat!
The presentation of the teams was as follows: we went on the ice and showed a small scene presentation. The men were the first to perform; we supported our team in “Kiss and Cry,” and after that, we ran to warm up. I was also very worried because it was a team competition. According to the results of the men’s performance, our team took third place, and I wanted to fix this.
Then, for the first time, I tried to perform four quadruple jumps in one program at the competitions. On that particular day, everything went as planned. In the end, we won! After the performance and the announcement of the results, I experienced a feeling of complete satisfaction and devastation. All athletes, it appears to me, compete for this feeling. I felt this only twice in my entire sports life: at the Junior Worlds in Sofia and here at the Japan Open.
Right after the award ceremony, the ice was resurfaced, and we went to a gala rehearsal. I skated my short program, although it was difficult after such a performance.
The event ended very late. We did not have time for dinner at the hotel, and the four of us (me, my mother, Daniil Markovich Gleikhengauz, and Alina Zagitova) went to look for a restaurant. We found the only one working, and everyone there really liked it. Except me. I was able to eat only the most ordinary salmon rolls, because I don’t really like to experiment with food.
I especially want to note that figure skating is very popular in Japan. They treat all the athletes with admiration and great respect. Spectators at competitions always have the flags of each country. And they support everyone like their own!
These competitions will be forever remembered. For me, it was a very unusual, interesting, and useful experience.
Related topics: Alexandra Trusova, Japan open
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