ミラクル

Original interview here. Thanks to @nanoka12 for the translation!!!

16-year-old Rika Kihira-senshu who achieved a splendid victory at the Grand Prix Final. Defeating the best in the world in her Senior debut season, successfully landing the 3A, setting a new world record in the SP, it was a sensational victory. She spoke about her thoughts towards skating on the morning after the competition, while the strong emotions have yet to cool.

Setting aside the mistake on the first attempt, successfully landing the 3A The improvement in her component scores also become a factor behind her victory

Q: Looking back at this competition once again, how do you feel?

A: As my target this year was that I wanted to end all my competitions with a smile, I was truly very happy. I was able to end it with a smile.

Q: Firstly, you successfully landed the 3A in your SP for the first time this season and set a new world record.

A: I was extremely surprised when I saw the score. As it was a score I did not imagine. My feelings were that finally I was able to do the jump as I imagined. I was able to smoothly combine the feel of the ice and my own image of the jump.

Q: Your FS gained momentum as it moved into the second half.

A: Even though I made a mistake on the first 3A, after that I was able to set that aside and focus, and following that it gradually became a performance more and more like myself. As there was a gap (of about 40 minutes) after the 6-minute warm-up, it felt like for the first 3A I could not get the exact timing as my body had cooled. But as I understood the reason for the mistake, I did not become anxious from it and was able to land my second 3A while maintaining my focus.

Q: You set a new personal best in the FS and achieved a complete victory.

A: Because I always perform badly if I am concerned with the placements before I skate, so although I did not think about it before the FS, after my performance thoughts of  “Can I win? As expected I want to win” appeared in my mind. When I was waiting for the scores I could only pray. I was happy that I scored above 150 points. Even though there was one mistake on the 3A, as this was a score attained by the other parts (of the FS) being evaluated well, my emotions steadily became those of happiness.

Q: Your high PCS was also a key factor behind your victory.

A: As the PCS cannot improve unless there is stability with the jumps, there is the solid sense that with stable performances this season the PCS has gone up. Also, as even during training I practice the choreography and skating skills a lot, I think the fruits of that training has finally taken form. I think it was good that I trained without forgetting to also practice the other parts outside of the jumps.

Q: What were the areas in which you defeated PyeongChang Olympic gold medalist Alina Zagitova?

A: Zagitova-senshu has scored even higher previously, I think for her the scores this time were not good scores. I think she will give better performances after this. For myself too, I think it will become important going forward that regardless of how nervous I am I skate my SP and FS well.

In her kindergarten years “I wanted to be number 1 in everything” During 5th grade of elementary school “I will devote my life to skating”

Q: You achieved an amazing victory on the world stage at the age of 16, what kind of steps did you take on your skating path until this point?

A: I started skating when I was 3 years old, when I went to the skating rink with my elder sister and mother. I fell countless times, got up and then fell again. My sister was better, which frustrated me and I continued to try; this is what I heard from my mother. When I was in the upper grade of kindergarten I was enrolled in the skating class at the rink in Namba (Naniwa Ice Skating). My elder sister was in the elementary school kids class, I was in the toddler class and I disliked this so I said “I quit!” and they made a special exception to place me in the elementary school kids class, and since then I have practiced every day wanting to catch up with my elder sister.

Q: You went to a famous kindergarten for your early education, and even there it seemed you worked hard every day.

A: I aimed to be number 1 in everything. Not just gymnastics, but in reading, writing, mathematics. Though there were various different subjects, I worked hard to be number 1 in all of them. For mathematics, once I finished a set of drills I received the next set. There was an adorable kid I was friendly with and competing with that kid, I steadily completed more and more mathematics drills, and while I was in kindergarten I had practiced until I could do calculations with 3-digit numbers. To the extent that when I entered elementary school, I thought “Why are we doing such simple things?”

Q: In everything you competed while enjoying it.

A: No, I did not think it was enjoyable. As it was a kindergarten that pitted us against each other in a rather strict sense. But I liked challenging everything and anything, and as I am more of the type of person who has courage, even for difficult things, these were days in which I worked hard while telling myself “If it is me I can do it”.

Q: When did you decide to pursue skating seriously?

A: Around the time when I was in the 5th grade of elementary school. It was the period when I started to practice triple jumps. To pursue skating seriously, and to devote my life to skating, I had already decided this.

Q: That is an amazing resolve! Did you join Coach Mie Hamada’s team around this time?

A: When I went to watch a particular competition, there was a sensei who was very supportive of the competing skaters while watching the competition. To the extent that she also jumped when the skaters jumped. I thought it would be nice to have a sensei like that, and when I asked my father “Who is that sensei?” he helped me to research and found out that “She is a coach who has developed many good skaters”, and we sent an email asking her to coach me.

Q: How was Team Hamada after you really joined?

A: As there are many top skaters like (Satoko) Miyahara-san, there was a lot I could watch and learn. During the time when I was still unable to do triple jumps, although everyday was tough, as there were many good skaters present I had something to aim for and that was good. Also compared to the rink in Namba, the training conditions at Kansai University’s rink were better, there were fewer people and I could focus and do jumps. It was also great that I received a lot of attention during lessons.

Q: You mastered triples in a very short span of time, and started to challenge the 3A.

A: As I had become able to jump the 2A effortlessly, as Hamada-sensei told me “You can do it if you try” I tried (the 3A). At the first lesson she said “That looks good”, and I became able to do it after practicing everyday. As it is not something everyone can do, I wanted to make it my weapon.

Q: There are very few ladies who have successfully landed the 3A, who did you take reference from?

A: Although in terms of frequency I watched videos of my own attempts the most, I certainly watched Mao Asada-san’s videos as a reference. As the way she jumps makes it very easy to understand the timing. Also when we practice together, I watched many of Takahito Mura-san’s and Shoma Uno-kun’s 3As. As when I watched the male skaters they have a fixed posture immediately before the jump, and as my own position still easily becomes crooked, I think this was also linked to the improved success rate.

Q: What about Midori Ito-san’s videos?

A: Midori-san’s jump is too big, it is too difficult for me and conversely it becomes such that the image does not well up in my mind! I think if I tried to jump such a huge jump, I would fly out with a tremendous amount of momentum, my rotational axis will become weird and that would be the end. There is too much power.

2 years of struggle after the first time she successfully landed the 3A in competition.

“I came to understand myself, and grasped the method to control my emotions”

Q: You first landed the 3A successfully in competition 2 years ago. After that it was a continuous struggle.

A: In terms of technique, I could do it in practice well ahead (of the competition). It had more height than my other triples, and there was also flow upon landing. But once I was in competition I was unable to perform it consistently.

Q: What is the number 1 reason for the rise in the rate of success this season?

A: It is mentality. I came to understand myself. “At such a time I become anxious and cannot jump it”–I experienced such failures many times, and as I came to understand the mental condition that makes me feel “This is something I definitely cannot do”, I make it such that my mental condition does not become like that. It feels like I have grasped the way to control my emotions in competition.

Q: In concrete terms what were these failures?

A: There were many times in which at the moment I strike my opening pose in competition, I would suddenly become nervous and lose focus. Strange thoughts like “Ah, right now I am in a competition” would enter my mind, and I would think about things that are better not thought of such as “I worked hard for this competition”. I would become in a condition in which I am unable to focus on my performance, do my jumps in that same condition, and make mistakes.

Q: What are some examples of the steps you take to deal with this?

A: Before the competition I take a good look all around the venue, say to myself “Henceforth I will be competing here~”, and have an image of myself standing on the ice. It is a feeling like making myself accustomed to the atmosphere of the venue. Making myself accustomed to nervousness so that when I strike the starting pose I do not suddenly think “It’s competition time!” and become surprised.

Q: Successfully, your 3A has become a weapon this season .

A: There were also times when I lost confidence as I made more mistakes than other skaters due to including the difficult element of the 3A. I thought of myself as weak. But as I do not want to have thoughts like “It was better not to do the 3A”, despite the numerous repeated failures, I continue to jump it. As I thought I definitely want to make those struggles worthwhile this season, I think it was good that I continued.

For Japanese Nationals, “To end this year with a smile” The 3A and also quadruple jumps going towards the Beijing Olympics

Q: The Japanese Nationals at the end of the year are coming up soon. What kind of performances are you aiming for?

A: To clean up and make ready my SP and FS with perfect performances. As it is an important competition that will bring the year 2018 to a close, and many people who support me will also be there, I want to firmly draw out my ability and end with a smile.

Q: Even though it is still early, expectations towards the Beijing Olympics in 2022 are rising.

A: I started skating when I was small, and from the time I learnt that the Olympics is the final battle that takes place once in four years I have thought “If I can win the Olympics”.  Although practice starts from the early morning, I cut down my hours of sleep and worked hard.

Q: What kind of jumps do you think would be necessary for the Beijing Olympics?

A: I think two 3As, and also quads will be necessary. As I do not know what kind of era will also come upon the Ladies discipline, I want to practice. As unless I steadily move forward, I do not have the confidence that I am able to achieve big goals (in the form of the gold medal).

Q: How far do you think you have come on the path towards the gold medal?

A: I am still at only around 10%. There is slightly more than 3 years to go. As I still cannot even easily perform my jumps without mistakes, whether I am able to do so when I am under great pressure remains an area to work on. From now on as I think I will come to feel pressure, I think how I complete and finish this work over these 3 years is important. Please support me.

Like, I understand being ambitious and competitive. I did a dance competition with a stress fractured shin, and I wasn’t even close to the level of competition that Yuzu is at.

But that ankle has been a problem for a YEAR now. I’m assuming he re-sprained it, because after an initial injury, those ligaments aren’t necessarily going to heal as strongly, and that makes him much more prone to re-injury. If he keeps skating on it, it’s not going to heal properly, the connective tissue will be permanently damaged, and there are going to be very long-term repercussions from that.

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