2014 Olympics Men's Free Program

Dai may not retire. Here is an article. I googled it into English and what I can understand
he says he may go on. Does that mean he will go to Worlds?

http://www.nikkansports.com/sochi2014/figureskate/news/p-sochi-tp0-20140215-1257794.html

^ Thank you Shyla!
So can I hope? I know I'm totally selfish...
Besides we have not seen his "Time To Say Goodbye" and if he is not invited to the Gala here, he needs to go to Worlds to finally show it to us.  


Now, that I've got Dai's performance recorded, I can watch it over and over... It really has healing qualities. So beautiful, mesmerizing, sublime, everything...      And his smile in K&C - just a balsam on my heart. Unfortunately NBC didn't show him playing with his new stuffed bear, I remember that was so cute.

I hope he doesn't feel down. He did everything he could. You cannot fight with the fate...


Congratulations to the medalists, especially Yuzuru!    He must be big in Japan now.
I feel a little sorry for Patrick (just a little).
Happy for Denis!

And SO PROUD OF DAI! Thank you Dai-chan!!!      

Hi Shyla. Thank you for the article.   
The part about his retirement is a sort of "according to an anonymous source ". So I don’t think it’s reliable. Probably he is going to tell his decision to the press in a few days, I think.

In the same article, there is a detail explanation of his injury.
Dr. Hara explained about his injury, “It was on the brink of depression fracture. The outside bone didn’t broke but the inside of it bled. Normally an athlete with this injury has to stay away from practice for one month. ”
He drained water from his knee on January 18 and injected hyaluronic acid to smoothen movement of the joint. Though he is normally an extremely hard worker who breaks his skating boots in every month (average of top skaters is three months) , the amount of practice was limited in the camp in Moscow.

And...
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20140215-00000040-mai-spo
He repeated "it has been hard" even in front of the press (he usually doesn't), so probably the condition msut has been pretty bad.


       I'm amazed again by how brave he was!!

ilica wrote:

Congratulations to the medalists, especially Yuzuru!  cheers  He must be big in Japan now.
I feel a little sorry for Patrick (just a little).

Yes! Congratulations to the medalists!!  (sorry I forgot yesterday!)    
Patrick.... 

Interview after FS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyEt9I2sDM8

It wasn’t satisfactory performance. But I could do the best I could do, while I had pretty hard time both before and after I came here. This is just my ability.
A lot of people came here to support me. I think it was good that I could skate with heart.

Nikolai and Nagamitsu coach told me not to give up till the end. It was actually tough for myself but I tried to do so, at least in my spirit. It wasn’t 100% but I’m glad I didn’t give it up till the end.

(Nagamitsu coach got teary, didn’t her?)
Well, so? She looked a bit frustrated. I myself felt disappointed as I couldn’t give the best performance in the Olympics.

(What did you think of your third Olympics?)
Though I had a lot of tough times, I think this must lead me to what happens next. I had various feeling here in Sochi, frustration and agony, but I still think it was the best Sochi ever for me.


This is his interview after FS, too.
http://sochi.sports.yahoo.co.jp/column/detail/201402150002-spnavi?p=2


We love you, Dai-chan!!    

miyu, thank you so much for info and links    

Glad to see Dai calm and relaxed in interview. He knows he did his best skating with terrible knee conditions. I bet he heard well the support of all Rascals and felt waves of love and energy pouring down on him from fans around and was comforted in his soul.

Lovely when he played with the toy bear!! Just like the sweet kid he is in his heart    

Dai-chan, I will always love you   

Should I move to the first OG thread?

It seems Dai-chan, Yuzuru, Tatsuki and Nobu is on TV now. (I'm still working...  )
From https://twitter.com/3Ababe (Thanks!)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BggoKOVCIAASVmr.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bggoa7GCEAAgbxI.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BggpIoVCcAE0EK3.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bggpi1jCMAEmSWz.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BggqBBzCcAAo1Kk.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BggqMnSCUAASjDm.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BggqsbBCYAEZAqX.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bggs7N_CMAAJfcm.jpg

Nobu burst to cry when he talked to Dai-chan. Dai-chan looks fine!

---------------------------------

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXelcxSmMbw

He is considering about his future plan right now. He hasn't made up his mind yet.

miyu thanks for explanation and also for translation of the articles and the photos.
Dai does look good and seems to be at peace with himself as he should be. Nobu
and Dai grew up together on the ice they are really close brothers. So sweet.

When I think of his placement 6h with his injury it is truly amazing what he has
accomplished in Sochi because if he was 100% there is no doubt in my mind
he would have won that Gold medal and in my mind he has. He really is a treasure
and there won't be another like him for a long time.

We don't know about Gala yet but I am pretty sure they will invite him. I hope so.

miyu, thank you for info and pics    

hope some video of interview be loaded soon...Dai, Yuzu & Tatsuki seem so happy and relaxed.
Dai is clearly moved by Nobu's tears and has peaceful and serene eyes which are really windows of his beautiful soul. And his smile is just....     

But in the second pic...Uncle Dai is here again !!! What a face    The joker, the funny kid  I love   

Shyla, I also hope for an invitation to Gala. IMO, they should invite all veteran skaters who are going to retire: Plu, Joubert, Verner.....OK Gala will be 6 hours long at least, but it's worthy!!  

Here you are!! Thank you so much to the poster!!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mBsKbNDHOM

 

http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+gBd6npjULlbx.jpg
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+oCs1jPSoxAmx.jpg
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+NQjp5sLBFSbx.jpg
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+uRxvh9oK9c5x.jpg
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+zhRYKrIFR9Ex.jpg
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+ou_sWwI93GTx.jpg
http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+4yO0d3J8Bzex.jpg
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+96d1BEWW4FTx.jpg
http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Winter+Olympics+Figure+Skating+6efMjjd1mV2l.jpg

miyu wrote:

Here you are!! Thank you so much to the poster!!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mBsKbNDHOM

miyu, thanks a lot     and thanks to poster    

It seems they have a lot of fun (a part from Nobu's tears, but he is so moving in showing how he cares about his long-term friend) and in the end I understand Yuzu thanking Dai as "senpai". So kind!!

All 3 boys are relaxed and funny and really lovely - but Dai-chan is the most.....   


let's talk, many many thanks for all Daiwonderful, amazing Daibeauty      

What a nice suprise video, thank you miyu!

Let's talk thanks for the beautiful Dai photos!

Thank you for the beautiful pictures, let's talk!!  

NTV broadcasted his intreview filemed just after FP. He said he was going to take time to think and talk about his future plan tomorrow but at this moment he thought this was the limit of his ability. He wasn't sure but probably will participate in WC and it would be the last.

Still we have to wait for his final statement.


Otsukaresamadeshita, Dai-chan!!! Please take a rest for a while and heel your leg completely. You've done the countless great things for Japanese figure skating. Thank you! We love you more than ever!!!  

I don't have words to describe how I felt when Dai skated, I was pretty much in tears at the end of the performance. His skating was so beautiful and I was soo happy to see him smile at the k&c :)that's all it matters to me.
Reading about the injury in his knee I'm amazed at how he could skate in this condition. Dai is surely a brave man and I cannot help but admire him.
Thank you let's talk for the beautiful pictures and miyu for your translations   
I think Nobu completely expressed what we all felt, I'm happy to know they are very good friends and that Nobu got the chance to be a commentator of figure skating

His interview which I mentioned above.
First he talked about Sochi Olympics and then his future.

https://youtu.be/kScC3ZUreUk?t=8m3s

The Japan News (in English), Dai's mom talking http://twitpic.com/dvqn08 Dai http://twitpic.com/dvqmnd

Thank you for the pics, let's talk.  

I’m sorry. “Otsukaresamadesita” was something too early to say…I apologize if I made you guys shocked.
I just can’t stand anymore to see him get hurt and struggle both physically and mentally. He kept saying “I think I can do more” before, believing his own further potential. So it was really sad to hear the word “the limit of my ability” from him yesterday. (even with smile!) I guess, these two and half months after the injury were that painful for him. (I can’t stop thinking if if if he hadn’t have injured whenever I saw him in Sochi………)
Of course I think he still has further potential, but maybe it would be better for him to seek it away from competitions. I believe there are many things only he can do or accomplish and obviously they aren’t those quads. Sorry, it's just my opinion and I will respect whatever he decides.

Anyway, as I wrote, he hasn’t made up his mind completely yet. We have to wait. 

Friday Practice (sorry if already posted):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NIlHtzYaSg