Seriously, I cannot get over the whole ~Taka-chan~ bit.
And since Mao said it in such an adorable way, I'm going to keep writing it as ~Taka-chan~.
Ok, so onto the article - it looks like it was a pretty long interview with Emi Takeuchi (the news anchor in the
fluff piece), and they only showed parts of the interview in the video.
Here it is:
**************
http://www.asahi.com/sports/column/TKY200904140269.htmlTakahiko Kozuka (Figure skater) continuing to strive for a quadBy Emi Takeuchi
The first column I am writing is about the hope of Japanese figure skating. He showed me an unexpected side that you would not imagine from his beautiful and powerful performances.
**
---(While holding his hand) Ah - your hand is thicker than I imagined. It's quite compact, but it has a thickness to it.
Yes, after all, I do need a lot of gripping power.
---In your performances, it seems like your nerves spread through your fingertips; do you train your hands?
I do things like pull-ups.
---Your fingertips have cooled down, but they're warm.
They're warm? I wonder if [it's because] my heart is cold.
---Ha ha ha. That's not true! Have you gotten used to doing interviews?
No, I'm not used to it. Still not…
---This season at Skate America you won your first GP series event. At the Grand Prix Final you were 2nd.
Before the season started, I never thought that I would be able to do performances that satisfied me, let alone achieve such good results at the competitions. When I won Skate America, even I was surprised. I had the feeling that I entered the season on a high. Gradually I became able to control my performances by myself.
---What changed?
The fact that I was able to practice until I felt confident - I think that translated into the competitions.
---Up until now, did you not like to practice?
I had always done just the minimum, but this season, the feeling that "I have to do this" became strong. "I have to work until I get there" - that feeling seized me, and I think it had a big effect. [He said something after the "I have to work until I get there," but not sure how to translate! ]
---Winning Skate America was big.
Yes. I was really happy, so I started thinking, at the next one, and the next one, I want to continue this.
---What has changed since you entered the top group?
You can gain experiences that you can't get from regular practice, so I'm glad I was able to skate in the final group. Even in practice, I pushed my feelings forward strongly, strongly, and I was able to feel this spirit of "I will land that jump here!"
---Will you continue to aim for a quad?
The peak for skaters is 23, 24 years old. I'm still young, so even if I leave it out now, I don't think it will affect my future performances.
---At Worlds, where you placed 6th, you didn't try it.
There are also times when you have to leave it out. It's not good to keep messing it up and lose points. But, fundamentally, I will continue to strive for it. If I am able to land it once, from then on I think it will be easy, so even if it's just once, I want to land it.
---In your opinion, how developed is your quad (how close to completion)?
At the Grand Prix Final, it was underrotated but I didn't fall. At Four Continents, it was rotated but I fell. If I combine the two perfectly, then I think I can land it. Without forgetting the timing, if I can combine the take-off feeling perfectly, then I think I can land it.
---Putting difficult jumps in the second half of the program is quite strenuous, isn't it?
Yes it is. But, if I put in a triple axel around 4 minutes in and I succeed, then I get excited. If the song also gets exciting at exactly the same time, then I feel like the song is saying "Jump here!"
---This season, you're doing training with weights, etc.
The biggest influence has been on my jumps. Up until last season, if I got slightly off-balance, I'd fall or mess it up, but now I can correct it with my own strength.
---Where did you add muscle?
I focused on the lower half of my body. After that, I've been training so that I am conscious of keeping my trunk steady. I think that is the key to being able to land the jump or not if you're off-balance.
*Eating a lot/Forgetting stuff---By the way, I heard that you are quite a glutton.
I do eat a ton. Yesterday, we went to eat yakiniku [grilled meat], and there were 4 of us but we ordered 12 portions. And I ate most of it.
---Do you like yakiniku?
I eat it very frequently. Sometimes I'll do something like, dinner, lunch, dinner, dinner - eat it for four days straight. I eat it to the point when you can say "Just looking at it makes me feel sick."
---Four days straight! What do you do when you don't feel cheered up/energized even if you eat yakiniku?
To relieve stress I do things like go for karaoke.
---On the day before the competition, do you do things like sing in front of your computer?
Ah, well, when I get nervous, I feel like it's hard to breathe, so if I sing, I feel like I can breathe…but that's just my explanation.
---What do you sing?
My repertoire is pretty large. To the point that I don't have a specialty [literally, "number 18"]. If I sing GReeeeN's songs, I feel like it sounds good.
---I heard that your room is messy…
Yes, very much so. But when I feel like it, I make it very neat. But if I don't feel like it, then things steadily pile up. Always keeping it neat is impossible.
---What about at the hotels for the competition?
That is difficult situation. When two of us share a room, I use about two-thirds of it. But I clean it up soon.
---Do you cook for yourself?
I can make things like curry. I also have made stuff after watching the things you can cook quickly in your show "The apron of love".
---Thank you very much. Has it been a good reference?
Yes it has.
---I heard that you forget a lot of things.
It's an everyday occurrence. There have been times when I've forgotten my costume and had to run back to the stadium to pick it up. Then I use up my strength and the competition gets all thrown off.
*Making medals into decoration---Your costumes are very simple.
To stand out from the other skaters, or because the other skaters are very flashy, in contrast, the goal was to not stand out. Also, this season I was able to stand on the podium, and wearing a medal is the best decoration, I think…
---On the 16th, the World Team Trophy will start.
It's a team competition, so I can't make mistakes. I want to earn enough points so that the ladies who skate after me can be relaxed.
---What kind of skate will you do?
Without fearing mistakes, I want to skate with a fighting spirit [aggressively]. The quad - when the competition starts I'll decide what to do.
---What is your goal after this?
First, to win the World Team Trophy. After that I have to practice so that I can go to next year's Vancouver Olympics.
---What is your image of the Olympics?
Even skaters who never make mistakes make mistakes [at the Olympics]. I think it's a place where you feel extremely nervous. It's a place where you can't say "never."
---And the quad?
Not just the quad, but if I can give a good performance, I'll be happy.
**
The performance and the true face: the gap between the two is charming{Postscript} On the ice, the Kozuka who plays Romeo with his bangs slicked back. At the competitions, it seems he gels his hair so that "even if it's just a little bit, they look like they're facing up." His true face is a charming 20-year old young man who leaves his bangs down and laughs about stories about karaoke and cooking. The good manners to greet and bow to each and every one of us, and the carelessness to forget his costume at the competition. I was fascinated by that gap, and also comforted. Let's look forward to his performances at the World Figure Skating Team Trophy that starts on the 16th (broadcast on TV Asahi).
*
Takahiko Kozuka Born in Nagoya city, 20 years old. Toyota Motors member. He started skating at age 5 and won the World Junior Championships in 2006. His father, Tsuguhiko, represented Japan at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics. His grandfather and his mother, Sachiko, were also former skaters. 170 cm, 61 kilograms.
**********************
The yakiniku part made me
I didn't realize ~Taka-chan~ was such a yakiniku fan. [Or maybe it's because Mao is? ]
I'm guessing Mao, Miki, ~Taka-chan~ and Nobu all went for yakiniku together?? How fun!
But after reading this, I'm really like, "Gahhhh!!! I really should have gone to that Korean restaurant in the Wilshire Grand! I bet I would've seen Kozu and Mao eating yakiniku there!!!"
Home 
Portal 
Gallery 
Log in 
Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:20 pm
Yeah, all hopes are not lost - he does not have a GF yet! 
Yes, they did ask him if he has a girlfriend, and he said no. They asked him if he would prefer a skater or a non-skater, and he said that his grandfather would prefer a skater, but for him, either is fine. Though if he wants to make his kids skate, then it's probably better to marry a skater. 
I'm kind of disappointed that they didn't ask Taka-chan about Mao or Miki directly, though - it would've been fun if talked about his impressions of them! 
)
) But she has had a lot more practice with the media than Kozuka. Maybe she can give him pointers! 
(But yet again, here's another point in common with Mao - since she is the queen of expressing the music, the sound, with her body!! 
What did she wear?