Mao Asada: “The athletes’ great success at the Olympics made me truly excited for the future of skating. I felt inspired, and I realized I need to do my best so my students can take even one step closer to that level.”
Mao Asada held her first academy showcase, expressing joy at her students’ performances and sharing her hopes for their future in figure skating.
original source: Nikkansports 20th March 2026
On the March 21st, Mao Asada, who began her coaching career in earnest in August 2025, held the first “Kinoshita MAO Academy Showcase” at MAORINK TACHIKAWA TACHIHI in Tachikawa, Tokyo. Ten academy students aged 5 to 10 performed their routines, with Asada, serving as director, watching from rinkside. Here’s a translation of his comments posted on Nikkansports.
After the showcase, she spoke to the press, saying with a gentle smile, “I was relieved to see them skating with smiles. It was wonderful to hear them say, ‘It was fun,’ with such happy faces.”
Asada will accompany her students to their first competition, the Spring Trophy at Tokyo Tatsumi Ice Arena, starting on the 28th. She explained that today’s event also served as a rehearsal: “We prepared as if it were the real thing. We’ll work on the issues that came up today and prepare so they can perform even better at the next competition.”
At the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February, Japanese skaters won a record six medals. “The athletes’ great success made me truly excited for the future of skating. I felt inspired, and I realized I need to do my best so my students can take even one step closer to that level,” she said.
Having started her journey as a coach six months ago, Asada shared her aspirations: “First, I want to help all the students in the academy achieve their goals.”
Related topics: Mao Asada
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