NEWSWORTHY
Mao Asada: Magnetism and artistry on ice defined an era
Three-time figure skating world champion Mao Asada became one of Japan’s most prominent individuals on the international scene during her storied career, while also taking the sport to new heights.
Ayaka Hosoda content with triple axel achievement, but hopes to skate on
Fame has come late for Ayaka Hosoda, but she acknowledges that is better than it never having come at all. The Kansai University student grabbed the headlines at the Japan Championships in December by landing three triple axels at the age of 23 while competing ...
Takahiko Kozuka aiming to enrich skating
When a skater's career comes to an end, they are often faced with a difficult choice about how to proceed with their life. Some want nothing more to do with the sport, worn out by years of training and competition, some want to stay connected ...
Choreography legend David Wilson a man in demand
Sometimes in life we encounter a person who is a veritable force of nature. Dynamic, honest, emotional. The kind of individual that stops you in your tracks. David Wilson is one of those people. After a short time with Wilson you feel like you have known him ...
Rafael Arutunian looking forward to coaching teen star Marin Honda
Rafael Arutunian is going through a bit of deja vu right now. Some 12 years after taking on a young Japanese prodigy in Mao Asada, the Armenian coach is doing it again with Marin Honda. Arutunian, who led Nathan Chen to the world title in March ...
Could Hanyu headline a new pro tour in the future?
A thought crossed my mind recently. With Yuzuru Hanyu undecided on his athletic future at this point, could he be a part of a new skating endeavor that would be successful? What do I have in mind? A new professional skating tour, primarily centered in Asia, that ...
Mako Yamashita's bronze at world juniors impressive
Lost in the glare of Alexandra Trusova's phenomenal performance in landing two quadruple jumps on the way to victory at the world junior championships in Sofia on Saturday was the fact that Mako Yamashita picked up another medal for her growing collection. Trusova's clean execution ...
The Japan Times is offering several readers the chance to win an autographed copy of the recently released Japanese book "Mao Asada: My Skating Life." Mao, a three-time world champion and the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, talks about her trademark triple axel, participating in two ...
Candeloro feels Hanyu will skate 2-4 more years
The big extravaganza in Pyeongchang is over now and what a show it was. In every category, the skating performances were simply amazing. Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno in the men's, Alina Zagitova, Evgenia Medvedeva, Kaetlyn Osmond and Satoko Miyahara in the women's, Aljona Savchenko ...
Mirai Nagasu's story won't end with triple axel
The wonderful thing about the inspiring — shall we call it Olympian? — story of Mirai Nagasu is that it's not over. Not even close. Nagasu has gone from teenage wunderkind and U.S. champion to fourth-place finisher at the Vancouver Olympics to passed over and nearly ...
Time for a Japan Figure Skating Hall of Fame
I was hit by a thunderbolt last week. Sometimes creative thoughts bounce around in our heads for a while before coalescing in a moment of clarity. That is what happened with me. What is it I came up with? Pretty straightforward. The idea to have a Japan Figure ...
Uno eager to escape Hanyu's shadow
Shoma Uno first stepped on the ice at five, but it was the rough-and-tumble of hockey he had his eyes on — until a chance meeting with a figure skater changed everything. The skater was Mao Asada, now a household name and two-time Olympian who ...
