Mao Asada announces her retirement from competition (share your favorite memories here!)

rosewood said:
It's annual cherry blossom time in Japan. I'll always remember Mao with cherry blossom and its "flower snow storm" every this time of the year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQfbp2499nM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcLhNPgaS9I

Good-by beautiful Mao.
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Ah, dear @rosewood. You sound suicidal. I am cryng myself. Let's remember that Mao is full of life and probably has much more beauty in store for us. She gave everything to the sport. There is a Hebrew word, Dayeinu: "It is enough." Thank you, Mao! Now please continue to enjoy the pure art of skating! We will gladly keep watching.
 
Japanese TV companies are reporting Mao's retirement all day long today. Aside from news shows, special TV programs are scheduled to be aired. These are the ones announced so far.

11th (Tue) 19:00-21:48, TV Asahi
12th (Wed) 11:25-11:54, NHK, live coverage of her press conference
12th (Wed) 8:00-9:50, NHK BS1, all Mao's skates done in NHK Trophy
12th (Wed) 19:00-20:54, Fuji TV, including an interview with her
16the (Sun) 13:45-, Tokai TV (local)

ETA:
@gotoschool, can you watch NHK BS1? Seems a good TV program to record her performances in NHK Trophy throughout her whole career
 
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Comments from non-Japanese skaters:

Ashley Wagner
Mao-Chan, congrats on a beautiful and illustrious career. You truly lit up the ice with your talent and changed the path of skating <3
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Laura Lepisto
Huge #respect & gratitude to #MaoAsada for developing our sport. Congrats for an ultimately unique career and all the best for future!
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Gwendal Peizerat
Congrats for a great career Mao Keep on pleasing us on the ice without competition pressure. Hope to skate with you again soon #MaoAsada
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I read on twitter that Peizerat was witnessed skating with Mao during a public session in a local rink in Japan earlier this year.

___

ETA:
From Hiro Yoshida's tweet (photo)
Most of the major newspapers printed extras last night. Mao is not just a world champion but a truly iconic sportsperson in Japan. #浅田真央
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Wonderful memories of Mao at her very best! What a shame that she was one year too young to skate at the 2006 Olympics, which (in retrospect) would likely have been her best chance to win the Oly Gold. By 2010, Yuna was Queen & Mao earned the best that she could (silver). Then 2014 in Sochi, far out of the medals, but still skating a magnificent LP.

So smart of Mao to know when to quit the eligible ranks & move on to the next phase in her life. Wishing her the greatest joy!
 
My rough translation of messages from skaters, coaches and other notable people. (3)

Mai Asada: This moment actually comes, now is the moment, however I can't realize it yet. Twenty one years have passed since she started skating. She's run as a top skater for a long time. Probably there were joy and conflicts inside of herself. Including all of them, she's placed figure skating in the center of her life all the way. I just take my hat off for the reason. I learned lots of things from her life as a competitive skater. It must be difficult to her to find next goals since she decided to retire just before. I wish she'll enjoy free time at the moment. As an older sister, as well as one of her fans, I truly want to say "Otsukaresama (=You did great and you must be tired.)" for her life as a competitive skater. Thank you very much for lots of touching moments.

Daisuke Takahashi: This is not an end and it's a new start. I wish I'll give boost to the new figure skating world together with her.

Another comment from Daisuke: This is a new start. There might be tough things more than before. I'll be praying for her success. Thank you very much for lots of touching moments. She's run as a top athlete all the way.

Yukari Nakano: [When I heard the news of her retiremnt,] it made me almost crying. When we were little, we trained together in the same rink. She trained all day long. While people hyped her as a genius, she actually was a person of endeavor who was very strict to herself. She had great techniques and beauty that stood out. But above all her greatness was her mental toughness with that she never run away from any difficulties. Besides being a genius she was a skater who piled up tireless efforts. Her presence was exceptional.
 
Reading these posts is making me teary eyed.

I already miss her so much! When I think of Mao, two things jump out - beauty and triple axel.

My memorable Mao programs:

Both Chopin SPs but particulars the first one, because she was so young and yet so artistic. Chopin really suited her skating.

Madama Butterfly at the 2016 worlds because I saw it live and she was such a mature artist.

Rachmaninoff LP at the Sochi Olympics - her best skate ever.

Bells of Moscow LP in Vancouver. Not perfect but gutsy and well skated

Masquerade Waltz LP at the 2009 worlds in LA.

Jupiter exhibition

And many many more.
 
I don't know if my memory is playing tricks on me, but I seem to recall Mao gave an interview to Arakawa post-Sochi, and Shizuka got quite emotional throughout IIRC, praising Mao's LP amongst other things.

Does anybody remember it/know what I'm talking about/have a link etc. please?
 
I'm so late to the news! I'm shocked but not too shocked. It's been a rough year for Mao and with Japan only having two spots next season, it just felt like it might be her time.

I have so many great memories of Mao and, to me, she is the epitome of grace, resiliency and beauty in this sport. I am already working on my farewell blog post. I did one for Yuna and Akiko...I might have to do a part one and part two for Mao! I just have so much love, respect and admiration for Mao and what she did for the sport.

I'm going to miss her so much but I wish her all the best.
 
Comments from

Nobunari Oda video: Mao was like a skating angel loved by the spirit of the sport.

Yuzuru Hanyu video : Mao will continue to be my dream skater. She inspired me and I am very grateful.

Johnny Weir instagram:
Mao-chan, thank you for your brilliance, your strength and your majesty in our sport. You've touched so many hearts through your competitive career and I wish you a very happy retirement!

Ashley Wagner: Congrats on a beautiful and illustrious career. You truly lit up the ice with your talent and changed the path of skating. https://translate.googleusercontent...p1334/&usg=ALkJrhiiv9eo9WVAB0IAMaCuDNlN9GNwTg

Laurie Lepisto: Huge respect and gratitude to Mao Asada for developing our sport, congratulations to a rare career, and all the best for the future.

Shizuku Arakawa video: Mao has been a challenger with conviction. She has been the most influential performer in Japanese figure skating.

Thanks to synthesia for this dual translation video report on Mao's retirement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2nY4pHUScE

During the 3 hour broadcast honoring Mao's career Evgeni Plushenko and Evgenia Medvedeva were both interviewed and both complimented Mao on her great technical elements and sophisticated expression with Evgeni also mentioning how she mastered body position and movement though I admit I didn't write it down just caught the jist of it in Russian. Evgenia specifically being inspired by seeing Mao in 2007 Worlds from what I remember and understand. There was also a very nice tweet written in Japanese by Jason Brown but I can't find it now.

Long video clip during which Nobunari just continues to cry for a long time. I admit to crying too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC1d062IJU8

And here is an article about Nobunari Oda's reaction to Mao's retirement

http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/12918615/

Here is a small sample of the multitude of messages about Mao's retirement:

https://translate.googleusercontent...9.html&usg=ALkJrhg39WW3XVMWU7SRCtbJCkr3O0OhkQ
 
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Loves_Shizuka said:
I don't know if my memory is playing tricks on me, but I seem to recall Mao gave an interview to Arakawa post-Sochi, and Shizuka got quite emotional throughout IIRC, praising Mao's LP amongst other things.

Does anybody remember it/know what I'm talking about/have a link etc. please?
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Loves_Shizuka, is this part of it? Unfortunately I could only find part 5 -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkL14Uufsr0
 
My rough translation of messages from skaters, coaches and other notable people. (4)

JSF people's comments in an article:
On April 11th as a reaction to the announcement of Mao Asada's retirement who brought explosive popularity to figure skating, numbers of voices of the praise for her great achievements came from people of the Japanese skating federation. "We owe the breakthrough of today's figure skating to her numbers of success that she kept receiving on the top of the world," the president of the federation Seiko Hashimoto praised, "I'm gratitude from bottom of my heart to her sincere endeavor and her strength as a person that made it possible," Hashimoto appreciated her.

When heavenly "Mao-chan" at the age of 15 won a gold at her debut GP final held at National Yoyogi Stadium in Tokyo in December 2005, an unprecedented boom of figure skating came to Japan. Chairperson of figure skating committee Hidehito Ito said, "There are numbers of athletes who started skating inspired by watching Asada's performances. Lots of skaters set their goals to be like her and they adore her." Head of the section for strengthening skaters Yoshiko Kobayashi said, "She showed us how wonderful figure skating is and gave us lots of touching moments. She is the skater to hold a special place in the history of figure skating," she gave unstinted praise.
 
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I first saw Mao live at the 2009 Worlds. I went into the event not really caring who won the ladies event, and by the end of Mao's first practice session, I knew I was sunk. Her positions, spins, and musicality were so gorgeous.

I didn't see her live again until last year at Worlds. Her Madame Butterfly program. Any judge that didn't give her above a 9.0 in performance, choreography, and interpretation should feel guilt in the marrow of their bones. She is a special, special performer, and I hope those of us outside Japan will have the opportunity to see her continue to skate for years to come. There is, IMO, something very different about seeing Mao perform live versus on television.

Her exhibition at Skate America this year. One of those rare, completely perfect performances.

Thank you, Mao, for all of them.
 
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Spun Silver said:
I wonder if Mao will perform at the WTT gala. There is one, right? Maybe not, as the ovation would detract from the other skaters... but she has earned it.
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I'm not sure about how her left knee is at this point. If things allow, JSF might be willing to have a chance for Mao to say good-by in front of the crowd. Probably it depends on the condition of her knee. At least she's preparing for her own show THE ICE 2017. It's quite a big show so there is a chance for her to see her fans and talk about her retirement directly.
 
rosewood said:
I'm not sure about how her left knee is at this point. If things allow, JSF might be willing to have a chance for Mao to say good-by in front of the crowd. Probably it depends on the condition of her knee. At least she's preparing for her own show THE ICE 2017. It's quite a big show so there is a chance for her to see her fans and talk about her retirement directly.
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I read a comment from yesterday by Mr. Sato, which I unfortunately can't find, that left me with the impression that he thought Mao would continue to do exhibitions beyond The Ice, but maybe this was just speculation and not quoting his comment properly. I guess we would have to wait for her press conference to find out or maybe Mao will decide later during The Ice. To be honest, in looking back at Mao's skating skills, step sequences and spins and even quite a few of her jumps- like the triple flip and loop, double axel / triple toe, and triple lutz at Nationals- she looked very impressive to me. Except for the couple of jumping miscues, it was really some of the most beautiful skating and artistry I had seen from Mao with such a dramatic look and passionate expression. I just can't see her bottling all that up and not showing it to the public that long to see her perform, especially since she has so much love for skating and gets so much love for the performances in return. She could just simplify the jump layout a bit and maybe just skate short program length programs so an not to over-strain her left knee. But, maybe this is just me being selfish and having wishful thinking. In any case, I do hope Mao takes it slowly and it is of course Mao's decision to do what she wants. She has already done far more than enough and I hope she only continues to skate for herself.
 
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^^Just dropping the 3A at last should do wonders for her knee. She did great, she must be very tired.* She won't be needing that jump any more.

* I love this expression,Otsukaresama - hard to believe one Japanese word can say all that!
 
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My rough translation of messages from skaters, coaches and other notable people. (5)

I quite liked this comment from her costume designer who made Sochi LP's costume and others.

Tomoko Yasuno (costume designer): She reached the conclusion at the point when she can believe herself that she did everything all out. She's open to show it to everyone quite naturally. I felt it showed that she's such a strong person.


Mao was always there in front of us even when things were quite tough such as when she was going through the process of reworking on her basics after Vancouver Olys as well as her mom passed away in the middle of a season. Mao was a skater who was able to accept things which seemed very tough to do so to other people, at least to me. She never complained or ran away from them. She handled difficulties in a very sincere and natural way - such as the things like her mom's death, tremendous pressures from the nation, conflicts between two neighbor countries etc etc. The way how she lived her life so far told me the importance of living my life with my chin up and not forgetting my love for people around me even when things were so much tough and seems unable to accept. She was always there and kept encouraging and inspiring me. Probably there have been lots of Japanese people who felt like me since she's so much respected not only as a skater but also a person.
_______

Nana Takeda (with cute photos): I was in the 5th grade in my elementary school when I met her for the first time at Novice Nationals. Mao was in the 3rd grade, she was very little and very good at skating. Since then until being a university student, I was really happy to skate in the same era with her - at domestic competitions, National camps and international competitions. Mao was so cute and so strong. I always adored her. There was a time when I watched her video again and again so that the video was almost worn out. There was another time when I kept her book with me as a lucky charm at a competition. (laugh) Thank you very much for running as a front runner in this sport and kept giving us lots of touching moments for a loooooooong time. Otsukaresama (=You did great and you must be tired.)
 
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