add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
| advertise add site services publishers database health videos
| | about toolbar stats live show health store more stuff JOIN/LOGIN |
Cosmetic dentist Mao find dental implants Mao or oral surgery die-endverbraucher.com | Organic Jianix Mao Feng Superior (Black) Tea Organic Jianix Mao Feng... spabodyworkmarket.com | Products - Gan Mao Ling, 1 oz goldenneedleonline.com | Acupuncture.Com - Dr. Mao's Prediction for 2003, the Year of the... acupuncture.com |
Mao Asada (浅田 真央 Asada Mao) (born September 25, 1990) is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2008 World champion, the 2008 Four Continents champion, the 2005-06 and 2008-09 season Grand Prix Final champion, the 2005 World Junior champion, the 2005 Junior Grand Prix Final champion and a three-time Japanese national champion (2006-08). She is also the first and only woman to have landed two triple Axel jumps in the same program at an ISU competition. She accomplished it in the 2008-2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.[1] As of November 2009 Mao is currently ranked third in the world by the ISU.[2]
[edit] Personal lifeMao Asada was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. She was named after the Japanese actress Mao Daichi. She attended Nagoya International School until the middle of 1st grade. After transferring, she graduated from Takabari Elementary School and Takabaridai Junior High.[3][4] She received her high school diploma from Chukyo University Chukyo High School in March 15, 2009.[5][6] After that, she enrolled in Chukyo University. Her older sister, Mai Asada, is also an elite figure skater. [edit] Career[edit] Early careerMao Asada originally studied ballet, but in 1995 switched to figure skating, when her sister, Mai Asada, also switched from ballet to skating. She won the Japanese Novice National championships in the 2002–2003 season, and earned an invitation to compete at the Junior National championships, where she placed 4th. She also competed in the Senior National championships and placed 7th. In the 2003–2004 season, Asada repeated the same placements at the Novice and Junior level and placed 8th at the senior nationals. She competed in the Mladost Trophy, the first international event of her career, and won it. In the 2004–2005 season, Asada was internationally Junior age eligible. She competed in the ISU Junior Grand Prix, which is the Junior complement to the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. She won both of her events. She, then, won the Junior Grand Prix Final with an overall score 35.08 points ahead of the silver medalist, her future rival, Kim Yu-Na. Asada won the Japanese Junior National championships and qualified for the team of the 2005 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The Junior National silver medalist that year was her sister, Mai Asada. Mai had placed ahead of Mao Asada in the two previous years. Mao Asada's win earned her an invitation to the Senior National championships, where she won the silver medal. Asada was not sent to the 2005 World Championships because she was not old enough. At the Junior World Championships, she won with a 20.31 lead over the silver medalist, who was, once again, Kim Yu-Na. [edit] 2005-2006 SeasonHaving won everything on the Junior level, Asada moved to the senior level for the 2005–2006 season and compete on the Grand Prix circuit. This choice was made knowing that Asada would not be eligible to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics, because the age standards for the Olympic and ISU championship competitions were different from those for the Grand Prix. Asada competed on the Senior Grand Prix circuit for the first time in November 2005 at the 2005 Cup of China. She won the silver medal, and placed exactly 3 points ahead of future 2006 Olympic Champion Shizuka Arakawa. Asada, then, won her second event, the 2005 Trophée Eric Bompard, by a 7.30 point margin over silver medalist Sasha Cohen, who would later go on to win the silver medal at the 2006 Olympics. The gold medal in Paris and silver from China qualified Asada for the 2005–2006 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. She won the event with a 8.14 margin of victory over silver medalist Irina Slutskaya, who would go on to win the bronze medal at the 2006 Olympics. At the 2005–2006 Japan Figure Skating Championships, Asada won the silver medal behind Fumie Suguri. At that competition, Asada became the first lady to land two triple Axels during a free skate program.[7] She was not sent to the Olympics because she was not old enough. She was sent to the 2006 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, where she was the reigning champion competing against Junior Grand Prix Final Champion Kim Yu-Na. Asada placed second at the competition, placing 24.19 points behind gold medalist Kim, and 18.21 points ahead of bronze medalist Christine Zukowski. At this competition, Asada became the first lady to land a triple Axel in the short program at an ISU championship.[8] During these first two years on the international scene, Asada became known for her signature move, the cross-grab Biellmann position. [edit] 2006-2007 Season Asada entered the 2006–2007 Grand Prix season with rival Kim Yu-Na also competing on the circuit. At her first event, the 2006 Skate America, Asada won the bronze medal behind Miki Ando and Kimmie Meissner. Asada had won the short program, but was fourth in the long program. She was 21.36 points out of first place. Asada won her second event, the 2006 NHK Trophy by a margin of victory of 20.21 points ahead of Fumie Suguri. At the NHK Trophy, Asada set a new world record for highest combined score in a Ladies competition under the ISU Judging System.[9] Asada went into the Grand Prix Final as the reigning and defending champion. She placed second behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na by a margin of 11.68 points. Asada had won the short program, but as at Skate America, placed fourth in the long program. Asada won the 2006–2007 Japan Figure Skating Championships by 26.11 points ahead of Miki Ando and 32.04 points ahead of Yukari Nakano. At the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships, Asada was fifth in the short program, 10.03 points behind Kim Yu-Na, who placed first in that section of the competition. Asada won the free skate with a score of 133.13 points, setting a new world record for the highest free skate score, a record which stood for eight months. She won the silver medal earning an overall of 194.95 points, 0.64 behind gold medalist Miki Ando and 8.31 ahead of Kim Yu-Na, who won the bronze. [edit] 2007-2008 Season In 2007–2008 season, she competed for the first time at the 2007 Skate Canada International. She won the event ahead of Nakano, after being third in the short program and first in the long program. Asada won her second gold medal of the Grand Prix season and her second Trophée Eric Bompard gold at the 2007 Trophée Eric Bompard. She advanced to the 2007–2008 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. In the short program, Asada did not do the jump out of footwork required element and earned a score of 59.04 in that segment of the competition, placing last in that part of the competition. She won the free skate and won the silver medal overall behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na, who repeated as champion. Even with the large mistake in the short program, Asada was only 5.24 out of first place overall, and was 12.66 points ahead of bronze medalist Carolina Kostner. As in the previous year, Asada won the 2007–2008 Japan Figure Skating Championships, with a very small lead ahead of silver medalist and reigning World Champion Miki Ando. The team of Asada, Ando, and Nakano was declared for the World Championships and the team of Asada, Ando, and Suguri was for the Four Continents Championships. This was Asada's first time competing at the Four Continents Championships. Asada won both segments of the 2008 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships to finish 13.71 points ahead of silver medalist Joannie Rochette. Having left her coach before Four Continents Championships, Asada competed there and at the World Championships without a coach. An official from the Japan Skating Federation accompanied her as needed. On March 20, 2008, at the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships, Asada placed 2nd both in the short program and free skate to place first overall and win the title of World Champion.[10] She was second in the short program with 64.10 points, 0.18 behind Carolina Kostner. In the long program, she fell at the beginning of her performance on her triple Axel jump attempt, so that element was not taken on account in the technical pannel and she had only the compulsory 1.00 point deduction for the fall, earning 121.46 points. She scored a total of 185.56 points, 0.88 ahead of silver medalist Carolina Kostner. Yu-Na Kim, who won the free skate with 123.38 points, 1.92 ahead of Asada, won the bronze medal. Miki Ando withdrew from the competition in the middle of her free skate program with injury. The placements of Asada and Yukari Nakano, who placed fourth overall, qualified Japan three entries for the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships. [edit] 2008-2009 Season For the 2008–2009 Grand Prix, Asada had been assigned to the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard and to the 2008 NHK Trophy. At the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard, she placed second overall with a score of 167.59 points, 12.54 behind Joannie Rochette, whereas won gold at the 2008 NHK Trophy with 191.13 points, 23.49 more than Akiko Suzuki. That victory supposed her the qualification for the 2008–2009 Grand Prix Final. At the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Asada placed second in the short program with a score of 65.39 points, behind Kim Yu-Na by a margin of 0.56. With 123.17 points after landing two clean triple Axels for the first time in an ISU sanctioned event, one in combination with a double toe-loop, Asada won the free skate and the competition overall, scoring 188.55 points. Asada made history after her Grand Prix Final performance by becoming the first woman to land two triple Axels in an ISU competition.[1] After her win at the Grand Prix Final, Asada defended her national championship title at the 2008–2009 Japan Figure Skating Championships. In her short program, Asada's second jump in a planned triple flip-triple loop combination was downgraded to a single loop. She received 65.20 points for her short program and placed second behind Yukari Nakano. Asada landed six triple jumps in her free skate program, but three of them were downgraded, including two triple Axels which were judged to be under-rotated.[11] She received 117.15 points for her free skate for a total of 182.45 points overall. Placing second both in the short program and in the free skate, Asada managed to gain enough points to win her third straight national championship. Asada came into the 2009 Four Continents Championships held in Vancouver, Canada as the defending champion. However, she had a short program placing sixth with only 57.86 points in comparison to the leader, Kim Yu-Na, who scored 72.24. Asada rebounded in the freeskate to win that portion of the event with 118.66. Her first triple Axel attempt was popped into a single, but she successfully executed the second, garnering 8.80 points for the jump. She also completed a triple flip-double loop-double loop, a triple loop, and a triple flip-double loop. Her triple toe loop was downgraded to a double, but she finished the routine with a double Axel and spins, spirals, and footwork. Asada placed third overall in the competition behind Joannie Rochette of Canada who won silver and Kim Yu-Na who won the gold. However, at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships, Asada lost ground on her competitors in the free skate and finished off the podium in fourth. Asada then competed at the last ISU event of the 2008-2009 season, the inaugural 2009 World Team Trophy. In the short program she earned 75.84 points, a Personal Best, and lead the ladies competition. She also carried the long program with 126.03 points, and finished with a winning total score of 201.87, also a Personal Best. The Japanese team finished third overall at that event, trailing the United States and Canada. [edit] 2009-2010 Season For the 2009-2010 Grand Prix series, Asada was assigned to the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard and to the 2009 Rostelecom Cup. She had a shaky start to the season finishing 2nd at Trophée Eric Bompard, 36.04 points behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na. She also finished 5th at Rostelecom Cup after landing just two triple jumps in her free program. After these two performances, she did not qualify for the Grand Prix Final. [edit] Jumping technique Asada landed her first triple Axel jump at the age of 12, and she became the first lady to perform a triple-triple-triple (a triple flip, triple loop, triple toe loop) combination in national competition.[12] At the age of 14, Asada landed a triple Axel in her free skating program at the 2004 Junior Grand Prix Final, held in December 2004 at Helsinki (Finland), becoming the first junior girl to do one in an international event. She has since been known for her triple Axel jumps.[13] Starting with the 2007–2008 season, criteria for judging jump take-off and landing technique were made more rigorous, and Asada began to be penalized for under-rotating her jumps and for change-of-edge errors on her Lutz jump, colloquially called a "flutz." Asada has had problems with the triple toe loop jump, and did not include Salchow jumps in her junior and senior career programs until 2008. She had stated previously that the Salchow was the first triple jump she had ever landed and that she did not have a problem landing it cleanly, but she was not comfortable using the jump in competition because it is one of her least favorite jumps.[7] Asada added the triple Salchow to her free skate program in the 2008 NHK Trophy[14] and 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final.[15] Normally, Asada uses a triple loop jump as her second jump in a combination, especially after the triple flip. However, she added the toe loop to her free program as the second jump of her first triple-triple combination during the 2004–2005 season,[16] a triple flip-triple toe. In the 2006–2007 season she used the double Axel-triple toe, while in the 2007–2008 season she performed the triple flip-triple toe again. In the 2008–2009 season she executed the triple Axel-double toe in international competition, first getting full credit for it at the 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final. At that same competition, Asada became the first female skater to land two triple Axels in the same program. [edit] Coaching changes Asada originally trained in Japan, but left for the U.S. in August 2006 to train with Rafael Arutunian in Lake Arrowhead, California. There she was able to escape the overcrowding of Japanese rinks and the pressure of the Japanese media. Before 2008 Four Continents Championships, she split with Arutunian[17] and returned to Japan to practice on the new Aurora Rink at Chukyo University, where she does not have any problems getting ice time. She went to Worlds, and won, without a coach.[18] During the summer of 2007, Asada received additional training in Russia from Tatiana Tarasova, while Arutunian remained her primary coach. The following summer, after leaving Arutunian, Asada returned to Russia, and formally decided to be coached by Tarasova. [edit] Public life and endorsementsAsada owns a miniature poodle named Aero, who is named after the chocolate confection made by Nestlé. Asada and Aero have been featured in chocolate commercials in Japan, and she has also used her dog in exhibition programs. In 2008, Asada got two new puppies named Tiara and Komachi.[7] Asada is very popular in Japan and has appeared in variety shows, as well as in commercials for Oji Paper Company, Olympus Corporation, Itoham Foods, Nestlé, and Omron. Asada headlined her own exhibition show, called "The Ice," in the summer of 2008, with her sister Mai. Asada is also a big fan of Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki, and was seen congratulating her on her 10th Anniversary. The Asada sisters have also been named as goodwill ambassadors to Canada, and have traveled to Canada to serve in that role.[7] Asada's sponsors[19] include Itoham Foods, Japan Hotlife, Kao-Asience, Olympus, Meitetsu Estates, Nepia, Lotte, Omron, United Airlines, and Weider in Jelly. Her skating music was compiled on two albums by EMI Music Japan: Mai & Mao Asada Skating Music and Mai & Mao Asada Skating Music 2008-09. [edit] Programs
[edit] Competitive highlights[edit] Post-2006
[edit] Pre-2006
[edit] Detailed results[edit] Post-2006
[edit] Pre-2006
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ↑ top of page ↑ | about thumbshots |
