Kaori Sakamoto: “People sometimes say, `Why are you the world champion even though you don’t have a triple axel or a quadruple jump? I don’t like it when people say that.”
Translation of Kaori Sakamoto’s comments about her performance at the Grand Prix Final and goals for the season.
original source: nikkansports.com dd. 10th December 2023
Here’s a translation Kaori Sakamoto’s comments after the Grand Prix Finals posted on Nikkansports.
Recaling her last season’s experience in the Grand Prix Final where Sakamoto finished 5th due to mistakes in the free skare, she said “When I watched it again yesterday after a long time, I stumbled before the axel, and the jumps were so unstable. I was surprised, thinking, ‘I was so shaky.’ After that, I watched yesterday’s Free Skate again and thought, ‘I’ve grown.'”
Kaori also shared that she sometimes faces criticism for not jumping quads or triple axel, “People around me sometimes say, `Why are you the world champion even though you don’t have a triple axel or a quadruple jump?'” She admitted, “I understand it the most. If people want to see big jumps, I don’t think they should watch my performance. I don’t like it when people say that.”
This season, she is also challenging herself with new choreography, “I’m still in the process of growing. I haven’t reached my goal, and while there are more things I can do without mistakes in this season’s programs, I want to create something good as we head into the latter half of the season,” Sakamoto said.
Related topics: Kaori Sakamoto
She HAS the big jumps–her double axel is the best in the business. Good for her for doing what she excels at and not pushing herself toward injury and burnout.