olympics

No medal for 5th place Japan in team figure skating

20 Comments
By Gus Fielding

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Until Japan has better ice dancers and pairs skaters, they'll never get above 5th place either. The simple fact is, Chris Reed only skates for Japan because he and his sister weren't good enough to even make the Juniors team in the USA, yet could immediately vault to the top of the Japanese rankings.

It's about the same for pairs in Japan.

Until those two elements start to match the high levels shown on the men's and ladies' solo events, the best Japan can hope for is 5th, or maybe 4th if a bunch of other people fall.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

To be fair we had an experienced team this time and they were up to the challenge. Canada won the gold and we hadn't even skated the final pair so there's that. It helps that we have a lot of skating rinks in the country. We flood and ice over the tennis courts and also have a lot of public arenas too. Even people from other countries including Japan come here to train because there aren't as many available to use where they are. People skate across the country in different venues for different reasons but as kids we learn it and some pursue it. A sport of opportunity. Oddly we don't have a lot of speed skaters like the Netherlands though, we tend to mix it up more.

Many of the winter sports coaches are also Canadians on other teams, trying to raise the level up.

I don't want people to be disappointed but use the experience to raise their game. Go for the original connotation of competition: to strive together

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Until Japan has better ice dancers and pairs skaters, they'll never get above 5th place either

To be fair to Japan, they had some great female figure skaters for years. It was only 2014 when Asada won her third world gold. But she retired last year, and she hasn't been properly replaced yet.

There will always be lulls whilst waiting for top new talent/people develop - unless ice skating is much less popular in Japan now, so youngsters aren't going to come through at all.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I would add the Japanese side could probably enjoy and do better in competition, if they put less pressure on themselves and truly enjoyed the competition as the Canadians seem to be doing.

Britain's swimmers tried doing that for many decades - it didn't work out so well for us.

My guess is that the Canadians simply felt more confident about their routines. I doubt they approached it from a "let's give it a go and see what happens" angle.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@sf2k

People skate across the country in different venues for different reasons but as kids we learn it and some pursue it.

Your post reminded me of Friday nights at the rec centre, aged 16 and 17, trying to pick up girls while skating to disco tunes.

Still, the Japanese seem to put A LOT of effort into their skating competitors and fawn all over them. The media attention, etc., here is nothing like in Canada.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

5th place in the world is still pretty darn good.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

5th place in the world is still pretty darn good.

Totally agree! But try telling that to the media here. Well done to the Canadians, they all seem to be born with skates on!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Shumatsu_Samurai: "My guess is that the Canadians simply felt more confident about their routines. I doubt they approached it from a "let's give it a go and see what happens" angle."

That, and they were just better, bottom line. It was nice to see Chan back to his best form after the initial fumbling. And as for Tanaka and the Japan team, many are still quite young and can improve with practice. Well done to all.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Who is this Tanaka guy? If they had Hanyu performing maybe they could have nabbed a medal, but I guess he's been through some injuries recently and it wasn't worth the risk when the pairs and ice dancers would bring the score down anyway.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

All these skaters compete throughout the years leading up to the games and had ample time to profect their routines to there peak form. By the time they go to the Olympic Games there should be no pressure just a personal mindset to preform to they’re best ability and joy of being on the ice. It’s inherant to all these composting to want to do their very best to represent them self’s, their team mates , and their respective countries - but above all else - Them selfs.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There should be no pressure 

LOL

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Chris Reed falls 

Chris Reed laughs , good sportsman , when you know you have lost it , you get an applause from me.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The reason Canada won was they like and trust each other, and they are a team. Hanyu forgot about the team part! I know he has had injuries but so do most of the other athletes. Look at Canada's Mark McMorris he almost died 11 months ago he competed and won a medal

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Kind of surprised the article doesn't mention anything about the Shibutani's who skate for the US.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The reason Canada won was they like and trust each other, and they are a team. Hanyu forgot about the team part! 

It's also important to note that Hanyu's coach is Canadian. Which advice do you think he gave him? :-)

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Also the coach for the women's hockey team for Korea, mix of NK and SK, is Canadian too. We're everywhere ;)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There's also a Japan connection, the Team Japan curling is coached by a Canadian. We don't have enough opportunities at a high level to coach here so we're able to travel and enjoy the opportunity. Nice

https://globalnews.ca/news/3976706/why-canadians-are-coaching-other-countries-olympic-teams/

"""Canadians are coaching teams from China, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland and Great Britain. It’s not just curling either – Canadians are coaching international bobsledders, speedskaters and hockey teams too.

A lot of countries are approaching Canada, said J.D. Lind, a Canadian who will be coaching the Japanese women’s and men’s curling teams at the Olympics. “They want to learn from what they see as the best and they want to have people teach them the most up-to-date things.” """

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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