Daisuke's interview in Sportiva Vancouver Recap (Mar.2010)

I'm sorry to make you wait!!

Here is Dai-chan's interview in Sportiva Vancouver Recap which was published in the beginning of March.
http://blog.shueisha.net/sportiva/magazine/index.php?ID=103

I didn't translate the whole interview.
By reading this interview I learned that Dai-chan really really enjoyed the olympics. He was in such a good state of mind on that day. It's wonderful, isn't it!!

I'm sorry for my imperfect English. Enjoy!!


Sportiva Vancouver Recap, March 2010

"I want to watch my performace on a large screen TV when I return to Japan. I will watch it alone, definitely. I want to check how my performance at that time was seen by other people. I want to see what kind of facial expression I had while I skated. "

*snip*

"The Olympics.... I really enjoyed. After I came to Vancouver, after I began to skate in a practice rink, after I moved to the Olumpic village and even during my performance (I enjoyed).
Especially I had a great time after I moved to the village. I took a lot of pictures and went to shopping on the day off. I enjoyed each day just as usual. *snip* "

Not only Takahashi could enjoyed the olympics, but also he was able to care about the younger skater.
"When I practiced in the competition rink, Takahiko came closer and said to me, 'I'm nervous. I have a stomachache.' He started saying like this for quite some time before the competition, so I said 'Too early, Takahiko. You look so pale. I was the same as you in Turin, though.' like a senior. (laugh) But, in fact, Takahiko is stronger than me. He had more guts than I had four years ago. So I told him something like 'It's you who make the best next time. Good luck.'"

*snip*

The reason why he could go to the competition with relaxed mind and enjoy everything was the extraordinary support from Team Takahashi: coach Utako Nagamitsu, coach Takeshi Honda, trainer Fumio Watabe, nutritionist, agent, technical specialist and costume designer.

"I have been selfish all the time to the people who have worked along with me as a team. Selfish behaviors, complaints, 八つ当たり (I don't know the word in English. ) and everything. (laugh) But I really appreciate that all of them have workd with me without any complaints.

*snip*

(He talked about the diet during the olympics. To reduce his weight to his ideal weight was really difficult because his body fat percentage was already only 5%. The amount of his food became less and less day by day. And he always gets into a bad temper when he finds the amount of his food is small. So the nutritionist removed every bit of fat from meat and made low calorie meals for him. He reached the best weight 2 days before the SP, finally.)

"And Nagamitsu-sensei kept saying funny things during the camp before I moved to the village. There were rather more her funny misstatements than usual. I laughed. In Vancouver I was always laughing. I could relax unusually in the olympic games."

Anyway the team kept good atomosphere. While the old-frind members cared about Takahashi, they didn't tried to make joyful atomosphere intentionally. They still chatted and lived as usual. *snip* To their surprise, Takahashi was so settled.

"So I enjoyed the competition. I enjoyed the SP but enjoyed especially the FP. The costume was just the same as what I've thought of. And my performaces... It was the best 'La Strada' so far. I skated the SP rather calmly and carefully. Perhaps my emotion didn't rise much. I was also in the calm state of mind at the beginning of the FP. But as the crowd got excited, I got excited too. The audiences who came from Japan, the Japnese audiences who live in Canada and the local audiences, all of them were really warm. We athletes are hepled a lot by that applause. So I didn't think of each movements during the FP. It was like my body moved just naturally. I don't remember much how I skated. Just a lot of fun. So delightful. That's why I want to see that performance on large screen TV very much."

*snip*

"I want to be proud that I won the bronze medal. But... It was not my perfect performance with my maximum power. The TES was the ninth, though the PCS of FP was the first. I think this means I can grow more, I can improve score and evaluation more. "

*snip*

"In fact I had thought of retiring after the olympics. But I thought it would be waste if I retire now. My body hadn't been in good shape even after I came back from the injury and the season started. But my own skating has been back to me after the new year. My life of figure skating will turn out to be more fun. "

*snip*

Though Takahashi's goal is a gold medal of 2011 Tokyo Worlds, he doesn't deny the possibility of 2014 Sochi Olympics.
"Well, I don't deny it. I haven't got the medal of world championships and olympic games yet. Yes, I haven't won a gold medal. I'm glad and appreciate I could win the silver in 07 Worlds and the bronze this time. But for me there is a missing medal. I want to win a gold of world championships or olympic games. I want to be a champion. I want to be a world champion with the quad, a jump which only men can do and bring the progress to figure skating."

*snip*

Hirono Aoshima

Thank you so much for the translation, Miyu!
It's really nice that Daisuke enjoyed the Olympics. And I hope he will enjoy the Worlds too

miyu wrote:

八つ当たり

Doesn't it mean "a fit of anger" or "to burst out in anger"

Thanks a lot, miyu!

I'm so happy to hear that Dai really enjoyed the Olympics - that atmosphere in Vancouver was just amazing.
And I hope he's seen his LP by now. Smiling. That's the expression he had. My mom told me: "he was the only one who smiled and seemed to have fun on the ice".

miyu wrote:

The audiences who came from Japan, the Japnese audiences who live in Canada and the local audiences, all of them were really warm.

And what about... the others?!? LOL (I know quite a few people who were in Vancouver and didn't fit in any of those categories )

Thank you, miyu!

That's an interesting read

Thank you so much for translating. It's good to see he is still motivated and hungry enough in ambition to keep on skating in order to get a gold medal.

Though I have to say I found this line priceless "I want to be a world champion with the quad, a jump which only men can do and bring the progress to figure skating."

It's like saying "And those who don't do the quad are just sissies "

Thank you so much, miyu! And please don't apologize for your English every time -- it's truly excellent! If I had to translate from English to Japanese it would be unintelligible, so I think your English is really amazing!

Quote :

"When I practiced in the competition rink, Takahiko came closer and said to me, 'I'm nervous. I have a stomachache.' He started saying like this for quite some time before the competition, so I said 'Too early, Takahiko. You look so pale. I was the same as you in Turin, though.' like a senior. (laugh) But, in fact, Takahiko is stronger than me. He had more guts than I had four years ago. So I told him something like 'It's you who make the best next time. Good luck.'"

I love how Daisuke is such a good "senpai" to Takahiko. And they seem like really good friends too, from the photos and videos I saw it looked like they were practically attached at the hip in Vancouver! If Daisuke doesn't stay in until Sochi, I really hope Takahiko can follow in his footsteps!

Quote :

(He talked about the diet during the olympics. To reduce his weight to his ideal weight was really difficult because his body fat percentage was already only 5%. The amount of his food became less and less day by day. And he always gets into a bad temper when he finds the amount of his food is small. So the nutritionist removed every bit of fat from meat and made low calorie meals for him. He reached the best weight 2 days before the SP, finally.)

I was really sad when reading this part. I know all skaters are very careful about their weight, but in Vancouver I was slightly concerned because I thought he looked really thin compared to usual (his face looked very gaunt at least). He looked much better in the days following the competition. I want to see Daisuke competing for as long as possible, but after the Olympics his mother said that she wishes he would end his amateur career sooner rather than later because the lifestyle is so hard...

Quote :

But as the crowd got excited, I got excited too. The audiences who came from Japan, the Japnese audiences who live in Canada and the local audiences, all of them were really warm. We athletes are hepled a lot by that applause. So I didn't think of each movements during the FP. It was like my body moved just naturally.

I definitely felt that in the arena. The crowd was so supportive, they were really pushing for him to do well. And I had so much fun cheering for him and being a part of that! But I wish he would realize that he has non-Japanese fans overseas who came to Canada to cheer him on too!

Quote :

I want to win a gold of world championships or olympic games. I want to be a champion. I want to be a world champion with the quad, a jump which only men can do and bring the progress to figure skating."

I know he's said similar things before, but I was really moved reading it again in this interview. I could really feel his conviction. And I hope so badly that he'll be able to make it happen!

thank you so much for the translation

You are welcome!

MissC wrote:

Smiling. That's the expression he had. My mom told me: "he was the only one who smiled and seemed to have fun on the ice".

Exactly! Smiling.

MissC wrote:

And what about... the others?!? LOL (I know quite a few people who were in Vancouver and didn't fit in any of those categories )

I knew you thought so. So I thought "Should I skip this part?" But it's Japanese magazine's interview. Probably he thought the people reading this was only Japanese.
Anyway, he knows he had at least one fantastic overseas fan in the arena, who flew to Vancouver for him (maybe not only for him, though ), with "BE SOUL" in her hands

miharuru wrote:

It's like saying "And those who don't do the quad are just sissies "

I sometimes feel like that way, a little........
But Dai-chan has never said so. He always says it's his own determination, it depends on each skater's decision.

Calliope wrote:

I love how Daisuke is such a good "senpai" to Takahiko. And they seem like really good friends too, from the photos and videos I saw it looked like they were practically attached at the hip in Vancouver! If Daisuke doesn't stay in until Sochi, I really hope Takahiko can follow in his footsteps!

Oh yes!
Dai-chan learned a lot from Shizuka in Turin four years ago. IIRC, he even went to the arena together with her on the day of her FP. And now Dai-chan and Takahiko! As a figure skating fan in Japan, I'm glad now Japan has many talented skaters enough to succeed their experiences.

Today I recieved a new magazine, World Figure Skate Vancouver Olympics Edition. (I bought another figure skating book, again... )
In it, Dai-chan said he shared a room with Takahiko during the competition in the village (I thought he used a room alone but it's wrong.)and wanted to pass over what he learned from Shizuka to Takahiko this time. (And he continued, he would regret it in case he continues until Sochi and finds Takahiko is a big threat to him. )
Shizuka also gave Dai-chan a letter on the day of FP, "You radiated aura during the SP, different from you four years ago. Please keep being yourself and enjoy your skate in FP. "

And one more thing, when the interviewer, Akiko Tamura told Dai-chan that Plushenko said "Daisuke was admirable to attempt the quad.", he said "It's a bit ashamed to say, Plushenko said to me 'You are my hero.' after the competition. "

Calliope wrote:

And please don't apologize for your English every time -- it's truly excellent! If I had to translate from English to Japanese it would be unintelligible, so I think your English is really amazing!

Thank you very much for saying so. I have no idea whether my English is correct or not. Becaue I've never lived in abroad and my major in my university wasn't English-related one, and so and so.... So I just can't stop saying it! Please never mind my words!!

miyu wrote:

Dai-chan said he shared a room with Takahiko during the competition in the village (I thought he used a room alone but it's wrong.)and wanted to pass over what he learned from Shizuka to Takahiko this time. (And he continued, he would regret it in case he continues until Sochi and finds Takahiko is a big threat to him. )

I remember in Torino, Daisuke said he was lonely in a single so he moved in with Akiyuki Kido. So it's good that he and Takahiko were able to room together this time! (Although, I heard when they roomed together before Takahiko was so messy he took up like 3/4 of the room and Daisuke hardly had any space left!) And that's so funny about him turning Takahiko into a potential threat for Sochi.

miyu wrote:

And one more thing, when the interviewer, Akiko Tamura told Dai-chan that Plushenko said "Daisuke was admirable to attempt the quad.", he said "It's a bit ashamed to say, Plushenko said to me 'You are my hero.' after the competition. "

Wow! That is some compliment! You know, I was actually kind of sad about Plushenko withdrawing from Worlds, I wanted to see him and Daisuke compete against each other again (and for Daisuke to come out on top this time, of course)!

Calliope wrote:

I was actually kind of sad about Plushenko withdrawing from Worlds, I wanted to see him and Daisuke compete against each other again (and for Daisuke to come out on top this time, of course)!

Me too....

Do you remember this picture?
http://www.jiji.com/jc/p_archives?rel=j7&id=20100219150353-8984948

There is another episode between Dai-chan and Plushenko in this magazine in the article "Sandshake after eight years.". This article is introduced with a picture of the same moment of above one.

Eight years ago (Nov. 2002) in ボフロスト Cup (one of GP events. I'm sorry I can't spell.), 16 yo Dai-chan attempted 4T in the practice but he falled and hit the ice again and again. In the locker room, there was a skater who asked him "Are you alright?". It was Plushenko, 20yo.

Isn' it sweet?!

miyu wrote:

I knew you thought so. So I thought "Should I skip this part?" But it's Japanese magazine's interview. Probably he thought the people reading this was only Japanese.
Anyway, he knows he had at least one fantastic overseas fan in the arena, who flew to Vancouver for him (maybe not only for him, though ), with "BE SOUL" in her hands

LOL You're too funny, miyu! But now he should know that even his fans from abroad get to read/have/know everything about him, mostly thanks to this board!!

miyu wrote:

I have no idea whether my English is correct or not. Becaue I've never lived in abroad and my major in my university wasn't English-related one, and so and so.... So I just can't stop saying it! Please never mind my words!!

Your English is very good, so stop worrying! And I guess I'm talking for all the people here who don't know any Japanese when I say that we are VERY thankful to you and the other Japanese fans on this board for making the effort and taking the time to translate so many articles and videos!!
I wish my Japanese was even just half as good as your English... ("ganbate" and "yonkaiten" won't get me very far I'm afraid!! LOL)

miyu wrote:

And one more thing, when the interviewer, Akiko Tamura told Dai-chan that Plushenko said "Daisuke was admirable to attempt the quad.", he said "It's a bit ashamed to say, Plushenko said to me 'You are my hero.' after the competition. "

Wow, if Plushenko really said that, he's moving up a spot in my esteem (but given that he was a the very bottom of it, he's still not very far up at this point). Personally, I'm glad he won't be in Torino.

Thanks a lot miyu for the translation.
It is really nice to know that Daisuke enjoyed his time in Vancouver.

miyu wrote:

And one more thing, when the interviewer, Akiko Tamura told Dai-chan that Plushenko said "Daisuke was admirable to attempt the quad.", he said "It's a bit ashamed to say, Plushenko said to me 'You are my hero.' after the competition. "

OMG! I'll buy one!! Many thanks, miyu! Please don't worry about your English. You did excellent work! I'm glad that the people who are interested in him knows about him a lot from this forum and love his performance and personality because of you and other DTFF members!

miyu wrote:

You are welcome!

And one more thing, when the interviewer, Akiko Tamura told Dai-chan that Plushenko said "Daisuke was admirable to attempt the quad.", he said "It's a bit ashamed to say, Plushenko said to me 'You are my hero.' after the competition. "

Wow
It's like they are opening up a PRO-QUAD-JUMP special club XD
I think that in someway Plushenko really respects Daisuke because he sees that unlike the majority of athletes he isn't afraid to go ahead and try to do something he knows it's a major risk. Because if Plushenko is an ace in quads, Daisuke hasn't been able to land a quad in competition all season (that and the fact he's just returning for a serious injury.)
It's nice to see they fanboy over each other even though it's a competition.