Asahi Shinbun's article: Vancouver Story (11.02.2009)

Today's Asahi Shinbun's article. It's not about NHK Trophy but intresting to read!!

Asahi Shinbun 11.02.2009

Vancouver Story

In the morning after he won Finlandia Trophy, he couldn't wake up easily. He finally woke up after alarm clock rang again and again.
"I had been in good shape before the competition. So I felt the lameness of my body rather more. Especially the back of tighs were so stiff. It was very different from usual practice."
*snip*
"I don't have deep emotion (for the win). I have to do this and do that next time, that's all I have. I feel like I got spanked."
He particulary felt the lack of stamina. The FP in which he performed as a clown with the music from the movie "La Strada", was 4.5 minutes. The sharpness in his step sequence and spins disappeared in the second half.
"I made myself ready too much during 6 minutes practice. So I was tired in the real performance." he said. The preparation before the real performance like how he spends time to wait. That is one of the feeling of competition which he wants to retrieve. There are issues besides stamina or technique.
In this cometition, his manager left his warm-up open to media. Ordinally a skater does it in an out-of-sight place in order to concentrate on himself. But this time many cameras chased his every movement until just before the competition began. He repeated some stretching exercises silently in front of them. This was what Takahashi wanted. "I want to test how much I can control myself." His second olympics. It's clear he will get a lot of attention. So he needs to be accustomed to it.
The come-back drama has started in a small competition in north Europe. "If I wasn't the ace of Japan, I couldn't win the gold at the olympics. People woud think it was tough saying but I want to be naturally called the ace. " NHK Trophy, the true come-back competition for him, will begin on 6th.


GO DAI-CAHN!!

Thank you once again, miyu!

miyu wrote:

It's clear he will get a lot of attention. So he needs to be accustomed to it.

A smart move on his part, btw.

Thank you so much for the translation, miyu!
Yeah, Daisuke learned a lot from Torino and it's clever that he will be accustomed to all attention from mass media.

I feel that Daisuke is calm inside and concentrating upcoming competitions.

Miyu - thank you so much for the article and translation - very interesting! What a smart move to have the cameras up close to get used to them.

Did he call himself エースの日本? He really is, but I find it a bit funny he describes himself in those words.

Only 3 days (2 1/2) till NHK - I am really excited. His first big competition in 1 1/2 years.

Artemis, so what does this "エースの日本" mean?

Euphoria wrote:

Artemis, so what does this "エースの日本" mean?

I thought it meant "Ace of Japan" but my Japanese is pretty non-existent. I haven't seen the article, so I don't know what was written there.

Artemis wrote:

I thought it meant "Ace of Japan" but my Japanese is pretty non-existent. I haven't seen the article, so I don't know what was written there.

If it means this then he's damn right!

You are welcome, all.

Artemis wrote:

Did he call himself エースの日本? He really is, but I find it a bit funny he describes himself in those words.

In fact Japanese media still call him "the ace" even though he didn't compete at all last season. This article's title is "不動のエースへ復帰着々 Comebacking as an unshakable (unbeatable? solid?) ace", too.
Perhaps he might have been asked how he felt to be called "the ace of Japan", I guess. I think he meant he could not be No. 1 in the world if he wasn't No.1 in Japan.

BTW Artemis, you know Japanese language a little!? I don't know that! But... I'm afraid it's the other way around. "日本のエース", not "エースの日本"

miyu wrote:

In fact Japanese media still call him "the ace" even though he didn't compete at all last season. This article's title is "不動のエースへ復帰着々 Comebacking as an unshakable (unbeatable? solid?) ace", too.
Perhaps he might have been asked how he felt to be called "the ace of Japan", I guess. I think he meant he could not be No. 1 in the world if he wasn't No.1 in Japan.

Thank you so much for writing this. I find it so interesting. It's amazing how much faith they have in him - and the amount of pressure that is on him. He is coming back from what could very well have been a career ending injury, and is still working to get to where he was both physically and mentally, so I think they should keep that in mind. But the media have their own way of thinking.

miyu wrote:

BTW Artemis, you know Japanese language a little!? I don't know that! But... I'm afraid it's the other way around. "日本のエース", not "エースの日本"

And yes, I was thinking I had it wrong. Thank you so much for pointing out the correct way. As I said, (and as you can see^_^) my Japanese is extremely limited. I've only studied it on my own, so I am usually wrong.