The Ami Nakai cheer thread: What a Wonderful Debut

Wyliefan

Ubering juniors against my will
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Gold in her Grand Prix debut. Silver in her GPF debut. Silver in her Four Continents debut. And now a bronze at her first Olympics, with two triple axels.

(And the co-star of a viral video with Alysa Liu!)

I believe Ami has earned a cheer thread! :cheer2:

From the medalists' press conference: https://fs-gossips.com/15609/

“Honestly, I never thought I’d make it to the Olympics. Standing here now with a medal around my neck makes me so happy. It makes me feel that all the injuries and tough times I’ve been through were worth it and not in vain.”

“When I saw the number ‘3’ next to my name, I thought, ‘Well, I guess I didn’t make it after all.’ Then, I realized it meant I had won the bronze medal. I was completely shocked and even wondered if it was real,” Nakai said, sharing her honest reaction. Reflecting on her journey as a 17-year-old who made her senior debut this season, she admitted, “At first, I never even thought I’d make it to the Olympics, let alone compete for a medal. It’s all been such a surprise.”
 
Aww, Ami got a nice shoutout on Instagram from the Fellini Museum for her La Strada program.
 
Ami's Golden Skate interview after the free program:

“It was a really long season, and mentally it was really tough as well, but now that it’s over, I really feel like I’ve worked hard through it.”

On what stood out to her this season

“There were a lot of good competitions, so I can’t just choose one specific thing, but for me, there are two. First, of course, winning the Grand Prix in France, which was really memorable for me. Next, I think winning an Olympic medal was a highlight of the season. Those experiences and that feeling of happiness will remain important going forward, so I want to properly accept those, as well as the competitions that didn’t go well. I hope to carry all this going into next season.”

On her Axel:

“Jumping the Axel consistently over such a long season is something I never experienced as a junior. Honestly, maintaining both motivation and good condition was really difficult this season. I was in peak condition at the Olympics, so it was difficult to figure out how to carry that momentum forward. But I consider that an experience as well, so I’m glad I was able to learn from it this time.”

On how the Axel felt different

“To be honest, I was anxious, and my condition wasn’t good. I think that showed in the performance.”

“My physical condition had improved a lot after coming here, so I think that was good. But, in terms of how I felt mentally, it was tough at times. I tried to do my best through it.”

 

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