Day by Day – Figure Skating Sensation Mirai Nagasu
January 18, 2008
After four years of competing regionally, 14-year-old Japanese American figure skater Mirai Nagasu in 2007 propelled herself to first place finishes in numerous national competitions, as well as placing second in the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. The season’s climax was the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final, where Nagasu placed first over projected favorite Caroline Zhang, who won the gold medal in 2006. Standing at 4 feet 11 inches, Nagasu’s composure and confidence stood in bold relief to her slight stature, which lent an added layer of appeal to her skillfully executed moves that won her the top spot in the tournament, her first national title.
This season Nagasu competes at the senior level. She will skate against 20 others for the senior ladies’ title at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships held from Jan. 20-27 in St. Paul, Minn.
Nagasu fell in love with ice skating at the age of 5: inclement weather prevented her parents from taking her to play golf, so they brought her to an ice rink. It was a life-defining moment for her. “I liked skating so much I wanted to take skating lessons — that was nine years ago,” Nagasu recalled. Even at this level of competition, Nagasu describes her work ethos as “work hard, and while at it, have fun.”
Nagasu, now a freshman in high school, maintains a routine precious few of her peers would consider fun. She wakes at six in the morning, practices for two hours, attends school, has dinner at the restaurant her parents run, attends ballet class, returns to the restaurant to do homework, and heads home for bed.
Yet Nagasu is able to maintain a decent social life. “I have time for my friends when I am at school,” said Nagasu, adding that she also enjoys the company of her skating friends.
Anyone who saw Nagasu perform at the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final could easily make out the fun factor. Underneath her mien of intense concentration (and makeup), an unadulterated smile of joy would sporadically blossom forth. Nagasu’s movements are woven seamlessly into the music she performs to (for this season: “I Got Rhythm,” variations for piano and orchestra by George Gershwin by Fazil Say, and “Coppelia” by Delibes). Indeed, she says that “music is very important” to her, adding, “It sets the themes of the skating — it tells the story.”
Contributing to her recent success is her primary coach Charlene Wong, along with coaches Sashi Kuchiki, Sondra Holmes, Bob Paul and Jim Yorke, who all recently set Nagasu on a new training regimen. Yet Nagasu sees no magic bullet when it comes to competitive success, saying, “It is all about the process [of] going from one level to another and learning at each level.”
Nagasu’s parents emigrated from Japan; at home she speaks a mix of English and Japanese. Nagasu has a popular fan base in Japan, where she has appeared on Japanese television, and there is speculation that the Japanese Skating Federation is courting her to switch countries.
But for now, the 14-year-old figure skating sensation — whose given name, Mirai, means “future” in Japanese — will go on with her life with no grand expectations in particular. “I love to live life day-by-day,” Nagasu says, “in both my skating and outside of skating. We will see what the future holds.”
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8 Responses to “Day by Day – Figure Skating Sensation Mirai Nagasu”
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The information in this article is wrong. Caroline Zhang did not participate in the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final. She competed on the senior circuit and placed a respectable 4th. So one cannot say that Mirai bested her if they did not compete together.
Mirai did win the 2007 Junior Nationals where Caroline came in second.
Well, I hope Mirai doesn’t get switched over to compete for the JPN, because she is a lovely skater in the US :)
I know Mirai won the 2007 Nationals. I meant that they did not compete on the same circuit this year. “The season’s climax was the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Final, where Nagasu placed first over projected favorite Caroline Zhang, who won the gold medal in 2006.” Nagasu placed first, but she didn’t compete against Caroline, so how can you say she placed first over her?
Sanaphay Rattanavong needs to check the facts first before writing this. Maggie is right - Caroline competed the 2007 Senior ladies Grand Prix final (not the Juniors) and came in fourth, higher than Kimmie Meissner, who placed sixth.
why is asian going into Figure Skating?
white is mainly in swiming, gymnatsic
blacks are in basketball and track and feild
why latley asian into Figure Skating? is it becouse of kristy and Michelle Kwan?
On her very first jump in her long program, Mirai Nagasu tumbles to the ground.
Gasps fill the Xcel Center in St. Paul.
But the 14 year old wasn’t disappointed with her fall - she was angry.
She went on to land the next seven triple jumps, and became the second youngest United States figure skating champion ever.
Nagasu is just 34 days older than Tara Lipinski when she won the title in 1997.
Because she is just 14, she cannot compete in the World Championships next month in Sweden. The International Skating Union says to compete at Worlds, skaters had to be 15 by July 1, 2007.
Mirai won’t be 15 until next April.
The rule is supposed to keep the young “kids” out of the lime light and all the intense pressure until they are a but older and “ready.” In reality, it’s a stupid skating rule.
As a real rule, skaters peak when they are teens, sometimes young teens. Oksana Baiul was 16 when she won Olympic gold in 1994, Tara Lipinski was 15 in 1998, and Sarah Hughes 16 in 2006.
This year, 14 year-old Mirai has been traveling the world, competing in International Junior events, skipping school and making money. Not typical “kiddie” behavior.
Mirai could be a her peak right now. So why not let her skate at Worlds?
Mirai isn’t the only one left in the dust. Second place Rachel Flatt is 20 days shy of the age requirement, and fourth place finisher Caroline Zhang is just 14 as well.
Meaning the USFSA could end up sending 3rd place Ashley Wagner, 5th place BeBe Liang, and if they stick to placement, 6th place Katrina Hacker, who has little to no international experience. According to sanctions, they could pass her over for 7th place Kimmie Missner, who fell three times in her long program.
If we can’t send our top little skaters to Worlds because of their age, and their older, but not as competitive counterparts don’t skate well, they could cost the US dearly.
If the placement from the top two skaters from a country is below 13 - say a seventh and an eighth place finish - that country can only send two skaters to the next Worlds.
Smart rule, right?
More about Mirai:
http://emily-carlson.com/
http://www.emilycarlson.info
http://www.emilycarlson.org
http://www.eacarlson3.bravejournal.com/
http://www.zimbio.com/About+Emily+Carlson+the+figure...
http://www.emily-a-carlson.blogspot.com/
http://www.emily-carlson.com/
That comment by tim is REALLY racsist. Hey tim, did you ever think that maybe they just like figure skating and it has nothing to do with their race!!!!!!!!!!