News about Miki Ando After Disappointment at NHK

Here is a great translation done by the poster MINAM on fsuniverse.net/forum about Miki Ando's comments after her diasppointment at NHK. It is very revealing and surprising. It seems that Miki is really having a tough time with her injuries as well as finding the motivation to keep competing. I wish Miki well in being able to feel better both emotionally and physically soon. Hopefully she can find time to take a much needed break soon as well.

Quote :

Translation done by MINAM on http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54751
http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/other/...pnavi-spo.html

Very rough translation.

―You fell on the jumps a lot.

Ando: Regarding the jumps, I can think and then jump in practice, so the success rate is getting better than Skate America. However, mentally, I am not able to concentrate 100% to the competition, I was anxious and nervous and it showed in my performance. My weakness took over me.
To be completely honest, I was so insecure. Nikolai (Morozov) had advised me not to do the 3-3 combo, and I, myself knew my timing was off. So we talked to do a 3-2 combo instead and while I did hear the words he said, my head was not listening. I was so busy only to focus on the competition. I realized I do need to listen to what my coach says.
(Why the mistake on jumps) I wasn't tired. The morning practice went well and my condition was good. The lutz needs to be restructured, and the flip, you have to jump from the inside. While I changed the combo jump to a 3-2 in the SP, I was so confused.

(That she fell on the axel, although it seemed she held on) During the 6 minute warm up, I fell on the lutz and hurt my leg by the blade. It hurt so much I couldn't do it. Well, that is also my fault...mistakes everywhere. (on the injury) Not pain, I feel a little numb.

I have worked on several patterns of jumps. I changed it (The first 3lutz+3loop) to a 3-2, and after that I was told there are 2 patterns, and I understood the words, but I didn't have any sense of composure and wasn't able to think. My weakness showed. I'll talk about this with my coach.

- What do you think you need to overcome this weakness?

Ando: Its actually about mentality rather than jumps. My performance depends on my emotions. Top skaters must go out there and do their job even when they fell insecure. My skating still shows how I’m feeling. I can land jumps if I am thinking, so I need to feel strong and make it work at competitions. Today, I was prepared with good nervousness, but it didn’t blend well with anxiousness and that led to the mistake on the jumps. I kept dragging the fall on the first lutz and that was bad.

I was questioning myself at practice on why I was doing all of these competitions, and when I read letters from many people and hear encouragement, I can push myself forward. That is my motivation right now. I need to be stable.

(Is questioning yourself doing competitions, the first time in you life?) Yes. I wanted to quite skating after Turin Olympics, but this is different. I don’t want to quit, I just keep thinking. I want to skate, but my body doesn’t move, the jumps are good and even though I finish a flawless program, I don’t feel any satisfaction. “Why?” is what I think the most. If I can improve that, I can smile after a good performance.

- You weren’t able to take a break?

Ando: I was thinking of taking a holiday after doing ice shows. My coach suggested I should take a vacation, but I was anxious about the new season coming up and I needed to work on the choreo. There wasn’t enough time to deal with my mind and to tone up physically. I should have seek advise from my coach. But then, the season has already started.

(skipped the part where she talks about Sendai (the last half).

Thanks for the heads up, UMgal.
When I saw Miki at Gala, she was doing fine and jumped 3lz clean. All jumps she did were completed. I think that she is too much serious about skating under the pressure from mas media. But in Sendai, I felt almost Japanese people expected her to win in NHK trophy. The man who near the my seat was very dissapointed her and angry about her result. Maybe he is a big fan of Miki.
I think she needs to rest for a while and prevent for Japan Nationals. I hope that I can see her in a good shape in Osaka.

Here's another Miki article.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071207&content_id=38783&vkey=ice_news

It mentions Daisuke briefly at the end.