Mao in 2003

[trebleclef]

Here's a really cute video of Mao that I found on another forum. It's her LP at the 2003 Jr. Nationals. She lands some really amazing jumps, including her triple axel. That's pretty amazing considering that she was only 12 or 13 back then. Enjoy!:D

http://youtube.com/watch?v=unhh-rxisqI

[Bonjour]

HOLY CRUD! That girl was on fire! a triple triple triple combo:suprised: is pretty amazing especially only at the age of like 13.

[sashafigrsk8]

She was 12. ;) Not 13.

That's amazing - although you can tell that she did cheat a little on the 3-3-3 combo, but the power in her jumps was amazing. And they still are.

[sasharussian]

Holy Crap. I have always been puzzled by Mao's incredible jump ability. Do you guys think it's because of her extremely fast rotations, or excellent height or both?

Her rotations make my head spin.

[Sashastar917]

Wow...8 triples and a double axel...insanity. Even though the last jump of the 3-3-3 was underrotated (as was the 3axel), that is without a doubt the most technically ambitious routine I've ever seen by a ladies skater...and she was only 12 when she did it! Not to mention, that music is insanely catchy.

[Alexis]

My gosh, that was so enjoyable to watch. I hope she just continues to get better. She reminds me of a young MK but far better in her jumps! She is AWESOME and I love her skating. It would be great if someone would come up with some beautiful choreography. I definitely will continue to watch figure skating with this gal around!

[loveskating]

My gosh, that was so enjoyable to watch. I hope she just continues to get better. She reminds me of a young MK but far better in her jumps! She is AWESOME and I love her skating. It would be great if someone would come up with some beautiful choreography. I definitely will continue to watch figure skating with this gal around!

Other than being asian, I don't see much comparison of Mao to Kwan at any age, and I'd like some specifics.

Mao Asada could do at the age of 12 things Kwan never has done, like a Bielman spin! Mao's layback, while not classic, was ten times better at 12 than Kwan's was until 2000!

At 12-13 MK was very slow, she did not obtain any speed until 1995, and in 1995 she was an artless jumping bean if ever there was one, although in 1995 she had no 3/3s in her program at Worlds so she was not all that much of a jumping bean in comparison to the jumpers of the time, like Ito, Harding, Kristi Y, or even Kerrigan whose jumps were small but technically very pure.

The huge fight with Lori Nichol in the season before 1996 where Kwan had great difficulty respecting the choreography at all was public, and there are a lot of rumors that the going got very rough -- but at 12, Mao Asada seems to naturally "ooze".

I'm sorry, nothing against Kwan, but this comparison is just inaccurate.

Mao Asada is someone I'd hesitate to compare to anyone else --she skates like herself, she is certainly an enormously talented, gifted skater with her own outstanding characteristics ... like Sasha, she is one of a kind.

So was Kwan, a very special skater with her own characteristics and innovations at the time and in context.

[futurechampion2]

Holy Crap. I have always been puzzled by Mao's incredible jump ability. Do you guys think it's because of her extremely fast rotations, or excellent height or both?

Her rotations make my head spin.

or a freaking gift from god!!!

her talent is seriousley like out of this world.....tell me what other skater could do a triple axel at the age of 12? I mean in the history of skating? theres probably like what...6 skaters ever? maybe? insane.

[Alexis]

Other than being asian, I don't see much comparison of Mao to Kwan at any age, and I'd like some specifics.

Mao Asada could do at the age of 12 things Kwan never has done, like a Bielman spin! Mao's layback, while not classic, was ten times better at 12 than Kwan's was until 2000!

At 12-13 MK was very slow, she did not obtain any speed until 1995, and in 1995 she was an artless jumping bean if ever there was one, although in 1995 she had no 3/3s in her program at Worlds so she was not all that much of a jumping bean in comparison to the jumpers of the time, like Ito, Harding, Kristi Y, or even Kerrigan whose jumps were small but technically very pure.

The huge fight with Lori Nichol in the season before 1996 where Kwan had great difficulty respecting the choreography at all was public, and there are a lot of rumors that the going got very rough -- but at 12, Mao Asada seems to naturally "ooze".

I'm sorry, nothing against Kwan, but this comparison is just inaccurate.

Mao Asada is someone I'd hesitate to compare to anyone else --she skates like herself, she is certainly an enormously talented, gifted skater with her own outstanding characteristics ... like Sasha, she is one of a kind.

So was Kwan, a very special skater with her own characteristics and innovations at the time and in context.

I agree with you 100%. Mao is superior to Kwan at that age. The one thing that Mao resembles Kwan is not that they are Asian, but they are competitive. Another is that they are rather consistent.

And wow, I didn't know Kwan had a "blow out" with Lori Nichols. I know they parted ways in 2002, and was very disappointed about that. Nichols is a wonderful choreographer.

[shavit]

Thanks for the video. I knew she did 3-3-3 at that competiion, but never seen the video. She looks good in Midori Ito's dress, though her 3axel doesn't as high as Midori's.