A new article in Nikkei Shinbun 07/22/2009

Today Nikkei Shinbun introduced a very nice article about Dai-chan.
It's very nice but very long.... I'm sorry I can't translate the whole article today. I will do the rest of it in several times.
(I appreciate if someone can help me on this!!! )
Nikkei Shinbun will publish Dai-chan's articles in every odd month from now on, for a while.


Here is the first part of the article. Sorry for my poor translation.


07/22/2009 Nikkei Shinbun Article: Part 1

Vancouver, to the dream stage.

Don't run away. Don't rush. Keep the head forward.

Now in Detroit, U.S.A., he is practicing his FP with his choreographer. He will use "La Strada" which was made last year. Italian film director, Fedelico Fellini's masterpiece and its music was composed by Nino Rota. Takahahi is enthusiastically working with the program, in which they increase difficulties of the elements compared to last year. "I will put new expression into it, like I did the hip-hop two years ago. I still feel embarassed, though."

It was last October when he was injured on the landing of 3A. Coming back on the ice was April and he could only do skating (= no jumps. I don't know about spins.) until the biginning of May. But eventually this resulted in giving him more confidence in steps. His hip joint and ankles have got more flexibility by rehab and he can do spins with new positions. He has started jump practice since the middle of May and now he jumps 3-3s and 3As.
He joined Ex-Olympian Takeshi Honda, who has become his jump coach this season, in the U.S. (In fact Takeshi has worked with Dai-chan for years after he retired from competitive skating, though.)

For the silver medalist at 07 Worlds, the road to come back from injury was the days confronting himself. The rehab since last Novenmver after the surgery was harder than he had imagined. From 9am. to 7pm. he had to repeat treadmill exercise. "My mood rose and fell so hard that I wondered 'Am I sick?'." Takahashi said.
He talked cheerfully but at the next moment he completely neglected someone. He got easily angry over little things, though he knew it was bad. He was often disgusted with himself. For two weeks at the end of the last February, he hadn't appeared in the rehab hospital.
"I just hated it. The two weeks was the time for me to realize that goofing off is no good." He once ran away for a night during university. "I thought I have overcome such weakness of mine."



To be continued...

Thanks Miyu, very interesting. I realize that the last months were very hard to Daïchan. I love the music The Strada, emotional music. Hope he will succeed in his come-back

Thank you so much for translation, miyu )) Now we are waiting for the next parts of this article, so please go on ))

Miyu, thanks for sharing this!

It sounds as if Daisuke had struggled with kind of depressions!
I think, atleths often have that, if they cant train or work as they want to do!

I'm sorry to make you wait! Please enjoy!!


07/22/2009 Nikkei Shinbun Article: Part 2


Utako Nagamitsu has coached him since when he was in the seconde grade in junior high school. At the time (last February) he moved from her home where he had lived with her and lived alone. He answered to one of his friends who advised to him to go back to Nagamitsu's home, "People would think I'm not independent. I don't want people to think I'm a baby." Until last year he follwed the plans made by the people around him, despite saying "I feel like I'm running with all my power on the rails prepared by them. " But now he won't nod his head unless he can agree.

Want to be strong, so as to be immune to everything. He wrote "Goal: Don't run away." in his notebook. Though he still occasionally fights with himself who is about to lose the spirit, Nagamitsu says "He has a new pocket in him" and expects to see more depth in his performance.

The last year's incident was a trigger for him to strongly become aware of "Independence".

"It was a big thing for me." What he says "it" is what happened between him and his coach and choreographer, Nikolai Morozov. Takahashi left from him who he had trained with for three years, because Nobunari Oda started to take lessons from Morozov in the spring 2008. It's rare in any sports that the same coach teaches a possible rival of an athlete in the same field. The leaving was natural decision for him, who describes himself whose personality is to want his coach to pay attention to him the most. He intended to work with Morozov who also had coached Turin's glod medalist Arakawa, until Vancouver, so, perhaps he felt anxious with his foundation collapsing. He fully entrusted costumes and trainings and other things to Morozov. More importantly Morozov gave him self-confidence while he had had low self-esteem. In the first year under him he placed 8th at Turin Olympics. After that, the second place at 07 Worlds and the first at 08 4CC with the highest score ever. His career flowered.

There was no regret. Takahashi enjoyed the programs with new image and different circumstances. He didn't accept the suggestion to find a new coach for Morozov. "I thought it was better to push by myself, or it was the good time to become independent."

Athletes can't compete without helps from the people around them. But the point to determine whether he wins or loses is how strong he is in his spirit. Takahashi partially depended on Morozov. Probably he would have felt danger and weakness in it.

We could see a sign of change soon after that. When he met Morozov at an ice show in June last year, it ignited him and he delivered a breathtaking performance. Nagamitsu was very impressed "He has such guts!" in him who used to be too gentle in some parts of his character to live in the world of battles.



To be continued...

You are welcome, anne-marie, Euphoria and Sabse.
I hope you can understand properly my poor translation.

annne-marie wrote:

I realize that the last months were very hard to Daïchan.

Sabse wrote:

It sounds as if Daisuke had struggled with kind of depressions!

Very true..... That's what I was shocked very much by reading this article.

Do you remember when we got excited by seeing NHK's broadcast of Dai-chan's rehab in last February?
We happily talked about the video here, saying like "Wow, Dai-chan can run already!!". However in the reallity, Dai-chan was so depressed that he couldn't go to rehab at the time.....
You are so brave and patient, Dai-chan!!

GO DAI-CHAN!!

Thank you so much for translation. Miyu. I can help you with this, if you give me a link. (I could not find it myself).

I am a Japanese therapist working in US. I always thought that Psychiatric care for athletes are so retarded in Japan.
Maybe it is stigma still associated with mental illness.

Dai said before that Morozov changed the way he thinks himself and made him much more confident. What Morozov accomplished was called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is a standard practice for athlete to improve performance.

I wonder when they(Skate
Remmei) will wake up and hire sports psychologist seriously.

As Shizuka said, Olympic is not a battle of skating, but it is a battle of metal composure. It is so true, because anybody in world top six an win.

Sometimes I dream that I train Dai mentally as one of my client.Anyway, just a thought.

Finally this is the last part!!


07/22/2009 Nikkei Shinbun Article: Part 3


The injury hit him when his tension rose as a competition approached. He felt discouraged but also took it as a sign saying "Have a rest." Nagamitsu thought the same, too. If he continued to fight with the zeal which he showed at the ice show in June last year, he would be worn out mentally. "Can he get motivated more in the Olympics year? That's what I was greatly concerned about. I could say, we were saved by the injury." Nagamitsu thought.

It was the first experience that he has stayed away from the ice for 5 months during his competitive career, but "It would be necessary for me." he thinks. He could get only one spot for Turin Olympics at 05 Worlds when he had to take on the burden alone because of the teammate's withdrawal. At Turin Olympics, he skated last in FP and he dropped his placement. Each time people said like "He is easy to lose."

"But there are many experiences which changed him for the better. This injury would be one of them." Nagamitsu observes that he looks more positive than he was at the same time of last year when he looked burned out after the show.

He keeps trying not to move fully during July in order not to tear ACL again. He said he was aiming Gold medal, but in the reality his body doesn't allow him to think about it. "I'm not back where I can do reasonably even when I don't have good feeling. However I no longer feel scared. " When he is on, his body moves naturally. When he isn't, it doesn't work well because he moves his body using his head.

It's no use rushing. Soon he can practice at full throttle. And then he will be asked the strength of himself. "If I can be strict on myself, I think my result will be boosted. No doubt. Well, maybe 'perhaps'." He thinks it would be nice to perform in an ice show before October when the season stars. The day he will receive great applause that he has missed so much during the rehab period, won't be so far.

Written by Masako Hara

Genki wrote:

Thank you so much for translation. Miyu. I can help you with this, if you give me a link. (I could not find it myself).

Thank you for saying so, Genki! But unfortunately this article isn't provided in the internet....

Genki wrote:

I am a Japanese therapist working in US. I always thought that Psychiatric care for athletes are so retarded in Japan.

You have an interesting profession, Genki. Yes, Japanese atheletes need more mental care.

Genki wrote:

Sometimes I dream that I train Dai mentally as one of my client.Anyway, just a thought.

Great dream!!

Thank you so much, miyu!!
I think it was so hard for him that he endured to take a long rehab. I can't imagine how he felt so sad when he injured before the upcoming competitions last year. I still can't see his press interview before his surgery.
From latest news, he revealed that his injury was quite serious one for an athlete. However, Daisuke was learned from his injury and he is so much stronger than he used to be now.

Genki wrote:

I am a Japanese therapist working in US. I always thought that Psychiatric care for athletes are so retarded in Japan. Maybe it is stigma still associated with mental illness.

I always feel the same thing, Genki and miyu. They are too young to take care of themselves individually. I think his therapist is his long term coach Utako Nagamitsu. But I hope your dream comes true.

Here is the latest Daisuke's news today.
Thank you for the uploader!

Daisuke Takahashi New Challenge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow_8HmM05IM

End of this vid, he said "I never live without skating life."

GANBARE DAISUKE!!

Thanks for the last vid Leode. Didn't understand that much, but one thing I can tell. "La Strada" is going to be a masterpiece. Those steps are fantastic, and I know Dai will be able to act it out perfectly. Can't wait to see it!