Absolutely gorgeous! Shizuka deserved this win and it was an absolute pleasure watching her skate beautifully. She is a beautiful and honest athlete who earned her marks under the weight of her own and Japan's expectations on her shoulders. Amazing young woman and the 2006 Olympic Champion!
@tntbnt it's not the question of being sluggish or not - listen to the commentary saying after the end of the programme: cool beauty!!! that's says all!
i love watching her hands when she spins, especially on the camel and dounut spins...and her jumps are reaaaally smooth..one of the most graceful skaters I know.
Beautiful skater, and showed such a freshness. She is so sweet of a person. Even though Michelle is my girl, and she ROCKED THE HOUSE at nationals, I believe during this time, Shazuka earned her medal.
I'd like to know the name of the music, the first part, the second part of the piece I know is a fantasy violin on turandot's Puccini, but the first one is what I don't know.
@Ulydf Hey there! Here is a response to your question, as well as an FYI for everyone else. The entire program is from the opera Turandot. The first song in Shizuka's program is from "Principessa Divina!" from act 3 in Turandot, although I am not sure which artist is playing in Arakawa's program. The second song is Nessun Dorma, (also from act 3 of Turandot) played by Vanessa Mae, and her redention is called "Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot." Hope this helps you and anyone else :)
@criminaljournalism Thank you very much for your perfect answer! Shizuka is such an exquisite skater, so elegant, light as a feather on the ice. I was there that night applauding this great artist - and of course many others!
@valentine1125 LMAO shizuka was 24 during the 2006 olympics. that's not old. she's 28 now. of course I realize it's a little older for figure skating but not in real life =/
Beautiful.. but I don't like her 3Flip jumps. she used wrong edge. That's why Scott and Sandra had no comment after her 3F. But i understand. At that time the judging system was not so strict.
PS: Yu-na's Inau Bauer did not suck. Just cause its not "shizuka's" Ina Bauer doesn't mean its not good :) (although i'm shizuka's utterly huge fan lol)
Again, you can't compare the 2010 generation of champions. Its like comparing Shizuka and champions from 20 years ago. Things are developing very rapidly. And if Shizuka were to be 19 today, and to be well trained I don't doubt she would be such a champion as Yu-Na... Same for many other past champions. You can't take the person out of her time, and yes, from 2006 to now, it has changed alot.
Shizuka's LP at the 2004 Worlds should score extremely well even today if it were scored fairly. However her SP there would bomb today. Both the triple toe at the end of her triple lutz-triple toe and her triple flip were badly underrotated and would both be downgraded today. The Eurosport commentators were stunned she was in 2nd in the SP rather than 5th or 6th even in that years field.
While some of what you say is true Shizuka was NEVER a dominant skater like Yu Na Kim. She did win a World and Olympic Gold, neither which she was favored to win, yes. However she her next best finish at any Worlds and Olympics is 8th. Heck after making her first Olympics and Worlds at 16 she missed her own countries team for 4 straight years. Prime Yu Na would crush prime Shizuka even overlooking the time difference which was only 4 years btw.
@hairbrush81 I find shizuka's skating more elegant - her body makes more lyrical movements as opposed to yuna's gangly arms. yuna is renowned for her speed and powerful jumps but shizuka is not a weak jumper herself, what's more shizuka's spirals and flexibility are endlessly better
@BunniechanG Agreed, completely. Arakawa is so beautiful - loved her arm movements during the donut spin. Plus, she can do a 3-3-3 combo, which I've never seen Kim perform.
@hairbrush81 the truth is that Yuna won ONE world title and ONE olympic title- like shizuka did, so it's not strange they are compared. Shizuka has her weak and strong points and Yuna has them too. Shizuka missed her national team cuz Japanese team was very strong. If she had lived in Korea she surely would have go to Nagano. However I agree about one thing- Yuna keeps high level all the time since she started to skate at senior level
What made Shizuka's program so outstanding -- and it is NOT inferior to the Vancouver performances -- is that it was fluid, graceful, and gorgeous, apart from the jumps and the required elements. No one else matches the beauty of that perfect "Y" spiral where she releases her hand, whereas all other skaters apparently need to hold fast to keep the raised leg in position. Or, of course, that gorgeous lay-back Ina Bauer.
@Boshingtang666 true! I'm a huge fan of Yuna but didn't like her Ina Bauer at the Olympics- the only thing i didn't like in her performance. Arakawa's Ina Bauer was gorgeous!!!
and bluntly I do not really care about who is going to do the triple triple or triple lutz ( I'm not so an expert in all these technical terms) what matters first, I think, is how the skater can use his talents and technique to be in perfect harmony with the music. Nothing is more boring than to see a great skater showing all his jumps while the music is just a foil.
despite all the missing jumps and her conservative program, I think this performance is maybe one of the most beautiful I have ever seen ( that may sound exaggerated, but that's how I really feel it, honestly) I can't really express it clearly with words, but that makes me cry almost every time I'm watching it.... She is so graceful, and the choice of the music is so clever...it's like she is part and parcel of it...I think that's pure art ! Bravo Shizuka, we miss your skating !!
Shizuka's 2004 was a clean and bold. 2006 was clean and conservative.
However all skaters have way much more talent than they show. Because the really good moves are risky even for great skaters. And shizuka wasn't a "prodigy child". She was a skater that devoleped slower than those we today see. She knew she needed only her "clean conservative" program so... why risk the OLYMPIC GOLD? If I were her I would've done the same cause no matter how good you are, medals DO count :P
everything is so smooth and elegant...the music goes very well with her skating...there is a perfect fusion between her performance and the music..tha's very artistic....overwhelming !!
I think she would have pulled out several triple triple combos had Sasha skated a clean program. I'm glad the lady not the little girl, not the tomboy, but the lady won this night.
@Fireleigh : Hold on now! I'm no Cohen fanatic, but she is not overrated. Arakawa absolutely deserved gold here, and she is an amazing skater, but Cohen is renowned b/c of her positions, posture, edging, and musicality. If Cohen had skated her free perfectly, she would have won gold, so that says that she's not overrated. Can't you admire more than one skater?
It was good, but it would have been better if she went all out and did the 3/3s and went for the loop. I feel like she just was too conservative because she knew that is all she needed.
Seeing how Irina skated, Shizuka's conservative approach looks smart. But she was taking a big risk by only doing five triples. If Irina had skated perfectly, she might have taken the gold. I'm glad it turned out the way it did, though, because the skater who won was the one with the best combination of technical strength and artistic ability.
I agree. It was a virtual tie between the top three after the short, so Shizuka knew she had a very good chance at winning. She had been doing amazing 3/3 combos in practice all week in Torino, so it really would have been smart to do at least one in the event. If Irina had been clean with her usual 3/3 she would have won easily. Shizuka was rather foolish to be so conservative, but lucky for her it paid off and we avoided a russian sweep.
And the thing is Shizuka didn't have a breath taking performance like Sarah Hughes did at the 2002 Salt Lake City games. But she was virtually the only flawless performance in the LP at Torino for the women in figure skating.
@Rawk4Life The scoring system was different back in 2002 which didn't require that many tricks and entrances to jump combinations, spins and foot work. ie. almost ALL women with the new scoring system had to do a bielman spin which requires soo much energy to pull.
@Rawk4Life She only pulled 2, not 4. One combination at the beginning of her program and then a 2nd right in the middle. And this was all done under the old scoring system which didn't require such artistic performance. I don't think anyone has pulled a PERFECT performance after the new scoring system. FYI Shizuka beats sarah's Olympic performance in the 2004 World Championships where she pulled one 3/3 combination and a 3/3/2 on her FS.
@tinymavy Irina lost because of 2 misses. If she and Cohen played it conservatively as well, they would've stayed the same placement after their shorts leaving Shizuka on 3rd. Unfortunately both Cohen and Slutskaya took the risk of attempting a 3/3 which failed. Shizuka was smart not to succumb to pressure.
Sasha did not try a 3/3. She had a 3/2 planned to open the program but fell on the lutz. Irina had at least one 3/3 planned but did not attempt it, she WAS trying to play to safe and skate clean but she was visably nervous and changed her program as she skated, eventually falling as well.
It's called milking out the points...scratch spins are close to useless under CoP unless its part of a combination spin. -,- Goodness gracious some people are absolutely clueless...
(and it did pay off, btw, because Shizuka received the most GoE's on her spirals, steps, and gasp...SPINS). -,-
I wonder why the scratch spins aren't valued anymore. Skaters used to rely on them too much as a way to end their programs, but now they've gone to the other extreme and they aren't doing them at all. Here, she does the catch-foot camel spin four times. The only criticism I would make of her program is that she did the same spin so many times.
Upright spins in general don't satisfy the "difficult position" requirement, so that's pretty big. Scratch spins do appear frequently for the men, but only as part of their final combination spins...extended scratch spins like the ones Fumie did prior to CoP is pretty much extinct these days. :/
I'm actually surprised Shizuka didn't go for a sit spin of any kind in her Olympic programs since they earn a decent level of points and are relatively easy to max out in terms of points.
Back in 06 the rules concerning spins were different - to achieve a high level you needed to do a lot of difficult positions in one spin. Shizuka repeated the positions because that was the only way to achieve a high level.
The rules have been changing since 2006, though. Repeating some positions more than twice is not allowed now, and you can achieve a higher level by keeping a spin for more than 8 revs, accelerating during the spin, spinning in both directions, etc.
Honestly i find shizuka arakawa a "smart skater". In 2004 she had nothing to loose at 22 years of age, so she gave it all she had at the time. However in torino she knew she wouldn't be competing in the 2010 olympics so she "skated to win"
In fact more recent programs like "frozen" show that she indeed is better than cohen both in technicality and artistry!
In her place i would have played it safe in the olympics too. A gold olympic is worth it, even at the cost of a less coreographed program
this performance is aggravating because she really is a good skater, but she did that camel spin FOUR times! And whenever she brought her leg up into the camel from the sit spin, her leg looked lazy
Cohen's performance was much better choreography-wise and in gracefulness. Some skaters just have the "it" factor
However, Arakawa outperformed all the skaters when it came to having both grace and technicality in her skating
definately agree with you. exquisite performance. However, IF cohen and slutskaya hadn't fallen, I don't think her lead would have been as large. Would have been exciting to say the least!
actually if Cohen hadnt have fallen...Cohen would have won. she fell on the 3 jump combo 3Lz 2T 2L
and on the combo 3F 3T thats a total of 19 points she missed lets see 116 + 19 = 135 points compared to Shizuka's 125...then again there were her triple triple's she didnt do...it would have been totally different.
Cohen didn't have a triple-triple at Turino. In fact, she didn't land most of her triple flips in practice and at the most, lost 9 points from her falls. Comparing a perfect Cohen (which is a paradox in itself) with 7 triples to Shizuka with 5 triples is rather pointless.
Sasha Skated before Arakawa, and Arakawa's coach told her not to do her 3/3 combinations. Had Cohen skated a perfect skate, Arakawa would have definately done them... and that could've made the difference also.
No way it's going to be 19 points! Sasha was originally planning 3Lz+2T+2Lo (worth 8.8) and 3F+2T (6.7) and that only come to 15.5 points, assuming she landed clean. She lost -3 + -1 for the fall on the 3Lz and -2+ on the 3 flip. The score will have been very close within 1 to 2 point range.
She did the japanese and the skating community proud. She is such a beautiful performer and I can't help but stare with my mouth open coz her jumps are absolutely perfect. She makes sure that its clean. She is not overly ambitious. Brava!!
She was really overhyped in the pre Olympic buzz around Slutskaya and Cohen, and Kwans withdrawal. Heck she was even overshadowed as far as the Japanese skaters, there was far more talk about Mao Asada, who would have been one of the gold favorites, being age ineligible after winning the gp final this season then aything.
I watch this performance whenever I feel down. This cheers me up always. Her grace, her effort, her history... just amazing. All I can do here is crying for this. Thanks Shizuka, you did something so special.
Kerrigan may have been the sentimental favorite b/c of the attack, but she also had a history of choking (92 Oly and 93 worlds); whereas Oksana came in as reinging WC..I think she was more a favorite.
She ushered in this modern asian-style of jumping. Kind of low and without snap or tension, giving almost the appearance of being under-rotated.I miss the big, high, strong crisp style of jumping. I know I stand alone , but I find this to be an uninspired and somewhat lethargic performance. Not sure why because it clearly was the best of the night.
I agree. She should have included a layback spin in place of one of them. You can see here that spinning is not her strength. (Although kudos to her for the Bielman (sp?) and the final catch-foot spin.) Sometimes her transition from one position to another is a little awkward, her back could be straigher on the sit spins, and she could spin faster. But these minor problems are overshadowed by the overall beauty of her skating.
i agree, and isnt it funny that of the past 4 olympics or so, the favorite going in never won. (oksana over kerrigan, lipinski over michelle, sarah over michelle, arakawa over slutskaya)???
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I tend to think of the olympics as amateur night. It's never the coronation of the grand skating talent, but rather the nerveless upstarts chance to shine.
You're obviously misinformed about this one. Arakawa was a 24-year old former world champion (2004) that had been around for quite a while--not some "nerveless upstart."
Actually Arakawa was nowhere the year the year before the olympics. Her win in 2004 was a surprise, her freeskates in the following year dismal. There was no pressure of expectation on her. She was considered simply a "good" jumper and a part of a strong Japanese team, nothing more. Cohen had been on the brink for many years and had always been considered a major contendor for gold. Slutskaya was a world medalist first in 1996, and a longtime beloved champion. It was hers to win/lose.
yes, 'conservative' compositions than her best abilities.
but how carefully choreographed by then-new-coach for new judging system,changing positions in spins and unique Y spirals(with 3 sec hands free positions) and total time duration 10 sec over than 4"00 (its ok in the rules).,etc.
those points are not seen in her 2004 world champ version.
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I think Shizuka was skating for silver and that is why she didn't do a triple-triple. She was certainly capable of it. But then Irina S. fell apart in her LP and the gold fell into Shiz's lap. She is certainly a beautiful and expressive skater, but this was not her best performance, though it was very good.
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i never loved this. she was clean but it didnt have the passion and artistry anywhere near sasha's. i dont think sasha should have won considering her mistakes, but this program didnt seem olympic goldworthy
i agree. now don't bash me for saying this anyone. but this olympics was lack luster. I mean, of the top three women's, only one "clean" performance? and NO triple-triples... and the winning performance only had 5 triples? This wouldn't have stood up in other olympics. But regardless, this program and sasha's were still BEAUTIFUL. and Arakawa is as deserving of an olympic champ as any other
Well, that was kind of true of the both the ladies and men's competitions in 2006. They were both won by the only person who didn't implode and performance-wise, they weren't quite as memorable as Nagano or SLC.
She gave a very well-rounded performance. It was technically clean and also very artistic. The previous Olympic golds were given to good technical performers with lackluster artistry because their competitors made mistakes. It's nice to see a winner who had both athleticism and artistry in equal amounts!
abreathtaking performance!!absolutely brilliant!!her elegance and gracefulness are trully amazing!!she put the japanese skaters on the history of figure skating!!way to go cool beauty!!
2004 was definitely stronger/more athletic and more dynamic but this one had more elegance/grace and artistry. One was an athletic peak, the other an artistic one. I like them both in different ways.
I think some people wrote this young lady off since she didn't defend her world title. I remember most predictions pre-Olympics were a bronze at best. I am so glad that she proved her skeptics wrong and showed what an amazing, beautiful skater that we all knew she was!
So happy for this beautiful young lady. I'm so glad she didn't give up the sport! One of the most gorgeous Ina Bauers ever! A fighter, and one that everyone could take a lesson from!
After Olympics she said in JPN TV. she had a pain in her leggs this time and changed a coach 2-3 month before Olympics.Her play teach me how important "Never give up spirit" is.
Isn't that the truth. What a true champion she is. And I love how she and Midori Ito have inspired a whole lot of Japanese skaters - I think that Japanese skaters will win both the men's and women's titles at the World's later this month. They are so wonderful!
From TV speach;at first she had no idea of Ina Bauers,becouse it has no points for judgments from this Olympics.but a new coach said"Shizuka should play Ina Bauers becouse it is the most beautiful & outstanding one in the world" I think her skating is not a sports ,it's a work of ART.I was moved anytime when I watched this VTR.
Yes, I agree. She is so elegant and fluid. Apparently, she has a fantastic coach who saw her strengths. And Shizuka is beautiful enough to be a model.
Nessum Dorma from the opera Turandot.but certainly you have to see Shen and Zhao 2003 Worlds Long Program with this music. you sure that you'll cry. This programme is good but shen&Zhao are amazing.
Goosebumps on my arms and legs. I keep on saying HOLY CRAP!!! Absolutely fantastic and flawless!
xXLovelotsxX 1 month ago
Absolutely gorgeous! Shizuka deserved this win and it was an absolute pleasure watching her skate beautifully. She is a beautiful and honest athlete who earned her marks under the weight of her own and Japan's expectations on her shoulders. Amazing young woman and the 2006 Olympic Champion!
allenglandlawns 8 months ago
wow...smart program, but so sluggish....i'll call her sluggo.
tntbnt 11 months ago
@tntbnt it's not the question of being sluggish or not - listen to the commentary saying after the end of the programme: cool beauty!!! that's says all!
kalurank 7 months ago
i love watching her hands when she spins, especially on the camel and dounut spins...and her jumps are reaaaally smooth..one of the most graceful skaters I know.
Snezhinka9 1 year ago
Beautiful skater, and showed such a freshness. She is so sweet of a person. Even though Michelle is my girl, and she ROCKED THE HOUSE at nationals, I believe during this time, Shazuka earned her medal.
Indiegirl007 1 year ago
實至名歸
YIYUNSHE 1 year ago
I'd like to know the name of the music, the first part, the second part of the piece I know is a fantasy violin on turandot's Puccini, but the first one is what I don't know.
Ulydf 1 year ago
@Ulydf Hey there! Here is a response to your question, as well as an FYI for everyone else. The entire program is from the opera Turandot. The first song in Shizuka's program is from "Principessa Divina!" from act 3 in Turandot, although I am not sure which artist is playing in Arakawa's program. The second song is Nessun Dorma, (also from act 3 of Turandot) played by Vanessa Mae, and her redention is called "Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot." Hope this helps you and anyone else :)
criminaljournalism 1 year ago
@criminaljournalism Thank you so much!!!! I always wanted to know it, love you!
Ulydf 1 year ago
@criminaljournalism Thank you very much for your perfect answer! Shizuka is such an exquisite skater, so elegant, light as a feather on the ice. I was there that night applauding this great artist - and of course many others!
Gabry9242 7 months ago
so sad she retired from competitive figure skating right after this.
accioanime 1 year ago
What a legend :D.
HiroyukiNishino 1 year ago
great skater,beautiful programme
b2367 1 year ago
isnt she lik really old?? not to b offensive or anything:)
valentine1125 1 year ago
@valentine1125 LMAO shizuka was 24 during the 2006 olympics. that's not old. she's 28 now. of course I realize it's a little older for figure skating but not in real life =/
BunniechanG 1 year ago
i have met her before
BSSclub 1 year ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
well...not so great....
snoopynim 1 year ago
Beautiful.. but I don't like her 3Flip jumps. she used wrong edge. That's why Scott and Sandra had no comment after her 3F. But i understand. At that time the judging system was not so strict.
libonita97 2 years ago
PS: Yu-na's Inau Bauer did not suck. Just cause its not "shizuka's" Ina Bauer doesn't mean its not good :) (although i'm shizuka's utterly huge fan lol)
Luccheno 2 years ago 5
Again, you can't compare the 2010 generation of champions. Its like comparing Shizuka and champions from 20 years ago. Things are developing very rapidly. And if Shizuka were to be 19 today, and to be well trained I don't doubt she would be such a champion as Yu-Na... Same for many other past champions. You can't take the person out of her time, and yes, from 2006 to now, it has changed alot.
Luccheno 2 years ago
@Luccheno I totally agree. And I even think that Shizuka's technical skill (ie at 2004 worlds) would still be top notch, even now.
In addition, Shizuka has such a light, flowing, smooth style of skating that I would enjoy watching her do nothing but crossovers.
internetaddict 2 years ago
Shizuka's LP at the 2004 Worlds should score extremely well even today if it were scored fairly. However her SP there would bomb today. Both the triple toe at the end of her triple lutz-triple toe and her triple flip were badly underrotated and would both be downgraded today. The Eurosport commentators were stunned she was in 2nd in the SP rather than 5th or 6th even in that years field.
hairbrush81 1 year ago
While some of what you say is true Shizuka was NEVER a dominant skater like Yu Na Kim. She did win a World and Olympic Gold, neither which she was favored to win, yes. However she her next best finish at any Worlds and Olympics is 8th. Heck after making her first Olympics and Worlds at 16 she missed her own countries team for 4 straight years. Prime Yu Na would crush prime Shizuka even overlooking the time difference which was only 4 years btw.
hairbrush81 1 year ago
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BunniechanG 1 year ago
@hairbrush81 I find shizuka's skating more elegant - her body makes more lyrical movements as opposed to yuna's gangly arms. yuna is renowned for her speed and powerful jumps but shizuka is not a weak jumper herself, what's more shizuka's spirals and flexibility are endlessly better
BunniechanG 1 year ago
@BunniechanG Agreed, completely. Arakawa is so beautiful - loved her arm movements during the donut spin. Plus, she can do a 3-3-3 combo, which I've never seen Kim perform.
Algorithm16 1 year ago
@hairbrush81 the truth is that Yuna won ONE world title and ONE olympic title- like shizuka did, so it's not strange they are compared. Shizuka has her weak and strong points and Yuna has them too. Shizuka missed her national team cuz Japanese team was very strong. If she had lived in Korea she surely would have go to Nagano. However I agree about one thing- Yuna keeps high level all the time since she started to skate at senior level
whirlpool1988 1 year ago
this was not bad performance, but it seriously seems like slow-video playing comparing to medalists in the 2010 olympics.
noranzzi 2 years ago
yea i agree. i don't even know that much about figure skating and i can just tell...
lol2ph 2 years ago
What made Shizuka's program so outstanding -- and it is NOT inferior to the Vancouver performances -- is that it was fluid, graceful, and gorgeous, apart from the jumps and the required elements. No one else matches the beauty of that perfect "Y" spiral where she releases her hand, whereas all other skaters apparently need to hold fast to keep the raised leg in position. Or, of course, that gorgeous lay-back Ina Bauer.
Iwakuni8 2 years ago 3
YuNa Kim's Ina Bauer SUCKED last night....just saying.
Boshingtang666 2 years ago
@Boshingtang666 true! I'm a huge fan of Yuna but didn't like her Ina Bauer at the Olympics- the only thing i didn't like in her performance. Arakawa's Ina Bauer was gorgeous!!!
TheChiLeana 7 months ago
The podium skates at Torino pale when compared to the top three in 2010. Shizuka would probably not have even medaled with this skate in Vancouver.
tinymavy 2 years ago
and bluntly I do not really care about who is going to do the triple triple or triple lutz ( I'm not so an expert in all these technical terms) what matters first, I think, is how the skater can use his talents and technique to be in perfect harmony with the music. Nothing is more boring than to see a great skater showing all his jumps while the music is just a foil.
weapons56 2 years ago
despite all the missing jumps and her conservative program, I think this performance is maybe one of the most beautiful I have ever seen ( that may sound exaggerated, but that's how I really feel it, honestly) I can't really express it clearly with words, but that makes me cry almost every time I'm watching it.... She is so graceful, and the choice of the music is so clever...it's like she is part and parcel of it...I think that's pure art ! Bravo Shizuka, we miss your skating !!
weapons56 2 years ago 3
I wish she wouldn't have retired. :((
empressKasumi 2 years ago 7
Shizuka's 2004 was a clean and bold. 2006 was clean and conservative.
However all skaters have way much more talent than they show. Because the really good moves are risky even for great skaters. And shizuka wasn't a "prodigy child". She was a skater that devoleped slower than those we today see. She knew she needed only her "clean conservative" program so... why risk the OLYMPIC GOLD? If I were her I would've done the same cause no matter how good you are, medals DO count :P
Luccheno 2 years ago 4
everything is so smooth and elegant...the music goes very well with her skating...there is a perfect fusion between her performance and the music..tha's very artistic....overwhelming !!
weapons56 2 years ago 6
The best. Sasha Cohen didn't make it 40% of this.
macdealer 2 years ago 3
I think she would have pulled out several triple triple combos had Sasha skated a clean program. I'm glad the lady not the little girl, not the tomboy, but the lady won this night.
Proto213 2 years ago 4
She is such an amazing skater.
Music is too loud.
lisa2480 2 years ago
Beautiful!
skaw12345 2 years ago 10
WOW
xoxoJubeeVxoxo 2 years ago
sasha is inconsistent and over rated.
Fireleigh 2 years ago 43
@Fireleigh : Hold on now! I'm no Cohen fanatic, but she is not overrated. Arakawa absolutely deserved gold here, and she is an amazing skater, but Cohen is renowned b/c of her positions, posture, edging, and musicality. If Cohen had skated her free perfectly, she would have won gold, so that says that she's not overrated. Can't you admire more than one skater?
mlc2005 1 year ago
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Sasha > everyone else
Hail2TheVictorsBaby 2 years ago
her ena bower is so amazing, her back is so flexible, like my friends at skating!
funnylovely33 2 years ago 3
もう4年か...
time passes so fast...
qpbvn 2 years ago 7
sandra bezic and scott hamilton as commentators are like nails on a chalkboard.
koolaidnhemlock 2 years ago 10
It was good, but it would have been better if she went all out and did the 3/3s and went for the loop. I feel like she just was too conservative because she knew that is all she needed.
tinymavy 2 years ago
Seeing how Irina skated, Shizuka's conservative approach looks smart. But she was taking a big risk by only doing five triples. If Irina had skated perfectly, she might have taken the gold. I'm glad it turned out the way it did, though, because the skater who won was the one with the best combination of technical strength and artistic ability.
dylanvalente 2 years ago 2
I agree. It was a virtual tie between the top three after the short, so Shizuka knew she had a very good chance at winning. She had been doing amazing 3/3 combos in practice all week in Torino, so it really would have been smart to do at least one in the event. If Irina had been clean with her usual 3/3 she would have won easily. Shizuka was rather foolish to be so conservative, but lucky for her it paid off and we avoided a russian sweep.
tinymavy 2 years ago
And the thing is Shizuka didn't have a breath taking performance like Sarah Hughes did at the 2002 Salt Lake City games. But she was virtually the only flawless performance in the LP at Torino for the women in figure skating.
Rawk4Life 2 years ago
@Rawk4Life The scoring system was different back in 2002 which didn't require that many tricks and entrances to jump combinations, spins and foot work. ie. almost ALL women with the new scoring system had to do a bielman spin which requires soo much energy to pull.
vellure 2 years ago
That may be so, but Sarah Hughes successfully pulled off 4 triple-triple combinations, and only 2 were required in the free skate program.
Rawk4Life 2 years ago
@Rawk4Life She only pulled 2, not 4. One combination at the beginning of her program and then a 2nd right in the middle. And this was all done under the old scoring system which didn't require such artistic performance. I don't think anyone has pulled a PERFECT performance after the new scoring system. FYI Shizuka beats sarah's Olympic performance in the 2004 World Championships where she pulled one 3/3 combination and a 3/3/2 on her FS.
vellure 2 years ago
I completely agree. She was a surprise winner and all the other top skaters made mistakes.
akimmer 2 years ago
@tinymavy Irina lost because of 2 misses. If she and Cohen played it conservatively as well, they would've stayed the same placement after their shorts leaving Shizuka on 3rd. Unfortunately both Cohen and Slutskaya took the risk of attempting a 3/3 which failed. Shizuka was smart not to succumb to pressure.
vellure 2 years ago
Sasha did not try a 3/3. She had a 3/2 planned to open the program but fell on the lutz. Irina had at least one 3/3 planned but did not attempt it, she WAS trying to play to safe and skate clean but she was visably nervous and changed her program as she skated, eventually falling as well.
tinymavy 2 years ago
she should have done a triple-triple
jwbt 2 years ago
WOW..what an amazing skater, some people just have that gift... i wish i did.
crazyontheisk8tz 2 years ago 4
WOW the best simply the best!!!
Yummy1976 2 years ago 6
This performance never fails to give me chills. It's so beautiful. Shivers down my spine EVERY time.
selenityshiroi 2 years ago 23
shivers down your spine everytime??? what a wonderful rhyme!!!!!!!
MrAmazingness1234567 2 years ago 4
poet and you didn't know it!
Thaspie 2 years ago 2
荒川さん最高。
tetenkun01 2 years ago 11
beautiful !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MajSimSrb 2 years ago 13
stunning!
nomiob 2 years ago 10
Enchanting...
Ailatan444 2 years ago 5
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italianjen29 2 years ago
Her skating is gorgeous.
THESKATEQUEEN 2 years ago 8
Awesome performance¡¡
7Lynette 2 years ago 3
BRAVO BRAVO SHIZUKA-SAN! TT^TT
I love her and Yuna, they're pretty awesome on ice!
cherrywish19 2 years ago
Really skates from within. Unbelievable. Shizuka competed in the 1998 olympics and I didn't know that she would win this olympics.
She is a beautiful japanese woman and looks wonderful with the medal.
If I had to choose between Sasha or Shizuka at their best, I would've chosen Shizuka.
safehaven11 2 years ago 4
This program was so much better in 2004.
1998 still stands as the best ladies competition as all the medalist turned in stellar programs.
RothdeMan 2 years ago
감동이 대단한 연기라고 할수있어요 ..
왜 이선수가 8점대를 넘었는지 알수있겠어요 .... !!
That was really beatiful ... it is magic
i know why shizuka get program components(?) 8
otheoendo 2 years ago 3
smart skater..
lemoncoffee91 2 years ago 2
I agree with the spin comments... No variety in that aspect... She should have stuck with the 2004 version of this program...
mberretto 2 years ago
I want her to stop making camel spins, she should do some layback and stratch spin maybe.
littlenatte 2 years ago
It's called milking out the points...scratch spins are close to useless under CoP unless its part of a combination spin. -,- Goodness gracious some people are absolutely clueless...
(and it did pay off, btw, because Shizuka received the most GoE's on her spirals, steps, and gasp...SPINS). -,-
clovera 2 years ago 2
I wonder why the scratch spins aren't valued anymore. Skaters used to rely on them too much as a way to end their programs, but now they've gone to the other extreme and they aren't doing them at all. Here, she does the catch-foot camel spin four times. The only criticism I would make of her program is that she did the same spin so many times.
dylanvalente 2 years ago
Upright spins in general don't satisfy the "difficult position" requirement, so that's pretty big. Scratch spins do appear frequently for the men, but only as part of their final combination spins...extended scratch spins like the ones Fumie did prior to CoP is pretty much extinct these days. :/
I'm actually surprised Shizuka didn't go for a sit spin of any kind in her Olympic programs since they earn a decent level of points and are relatively easy to max out in terms of points.
clovera 2 years ago
Back in 06 the rules concerning spins were different - to achieve a high level you needed to do a lot of difficult positions in one spin. Shizuka repeated the positions because that was the only way to achieve a high level.
The rules have been changing since 2006, though. Repeating some positions more than twice is not allowed now, and you can achieve a higher level by keeping a spin for more than 8 revs, accelerating during the spin, spinning in both directions, etc.
z4mboni 2 years ago
agreed
jwbt 2 years ago
the only thing I don;t like to her is the camel position.... the rest is good!
getmewildO2 2 years ago
her camel spins are not strong enough
littlenatte 2 years ago
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA, you are so funny!
kev7978 2 years ago
Honestly i find shizuka arakawa a "smart skater". In 2004 she had nothing to loose at 22 years of age, so she gave it all she had at the time. However in torino she knew she wouldn't be competing in the 2010 olympics so she "skated to win"
In fact more recent programs like "frozen" show that she indeed is better than cohen both in technicality and artistry!
In her place i would have played it safe in the olympics too. A gold olympic is worth it, even at the cost of a less coreographed program
Luccheno 2 years ago 33
this performance is aggravating because she really is a good skater, but she did that camel spin FOUR times! And whenever she brought her leg up into the camel from the sit spin, her leg looked lazy
Cohen's performance was much better choreography-wise and in gracefulness. Some skaters just have the "it" factor
However, Arakawa outperformed all the skaters when it came to having both grace and technicality in her skating
abekaye 2 years ago
Great,so elegant so perfekt!!!
saskazv 2 years ago 15
Glad that Japan won the gold, Shizuka did a good performance, but her program frm 2004 was so much better than this!!
She did the donought spin four times! Always the same camel postions - quite boring I must say. And her dress is just not beautiful at all..
But her jumps and posture are quite amazing, so all in all a deserved gold medal :)
Chalkare 2 years ago
Are you serious??? I thought her dress was gorgeous! So elegant. I agree...2004 was a better program, but I must disagree about the dress. :) Sorry.
redshoes1000 2 years ago 18
Geez, she has a fantastic combination of strength and artistry. Awesome program!
ozgirl37 3 years ago 14
Gives me chills every time.
UndefinedMari 3 years ago 14
I love this it's so graceful.
starstruckcarmeat 3 years ago 13
Love that ina bauer! :p
toughtop 3 years ago 9
Such a gorgeous skater. Without a doubt she blew away the competition.
ShortySOM 3 years ago 10
definately agree with you. exquisite performance. However, IF cohen and slutskaya hadn't fallen, I don't think her lead would have been as large. Would have been exciting to say the least!
nrm1000 3 years ago
actually if Cohen hadnt have fallen...Cohen would have won. she fell on the 3 jump combo 3Lz 2T 2L
and on the combo 3F 3T thats a total of 19 points she missed lets see 116 + 19 = 135 points compared to Shizuka's 125...then again there were her triple triple's she didnt do...it would have been totally different.
dansecontempore 2 years ago
Cohen didn't have a triple-triple at Turino. In fact, she didn't land most of her triple flips in practice and at the most, lost 9 points from her falls. Comparing a perfect Cohen (which is a paradox in itself) with 7 triples to Shizuka with 5 triples is rather pointless.
indicatoto101 2 years ago 2
Sasha Skated before Arakawa, and Arakawa's coach told her not to do her 3/3 combinations. Had Cohen skated a perfect skate, Arakawa would have definately done them... and that could've made the difference also.
barkingtree88 2 years ago 3
No way it's going to be 19 points! Sasha was originally planning 3Lz+2T+2Lo (worth 8.8) and 3F+2T (6.7) and that only come to 15.5 points, assuming she landed clean. She lost -3 + -1 for the fall on the 3Lz and -2+ on the 3 flip. The score will have been very close within 1 to 2 point range.
wonderlen 2 years ago
Comment removed
MrAmazingness1234567 2 years ago
That is what I meant, underhyped. Sorry it was a typo on my part.
ants2876 3 years ago
this seems almost unbeatable
vcij 3 years ago 14
She did the japanese and the skating community proud. She is such a beautiful performer and I can't help but stare with my mouth open coz her jumps are absolutely perfect. She makes sure that its clean. She is not overly ambitious. Brava!!
ApparoDei 3 years ago 15
She was really overhyped in the pre Olympic buzz around Slutskaya and Cohen, and Kwans withdrawal. Heck she was even overshadowed as far as the Japanese skaters, there was far more talk about Mao Asada, who would have been one of the gold favorites, being age ineligible after winning the gp final this season then aything.
ants2876 3 years ago 4
i remmber watching this during the last winter olympics and ive never ever doubted who deserevd the gold. its her allright!
eCupcakes 3 years ago 15
what is the song ???
jepsst 3 years ago
It's an aria from Puccini's Turandot,"Nessun dorma"(None shall sleep tonight).
sbeck1887 3 years ago
thanks this song is beautiful
jepsst 3 years ago
thank you
jepsst 3 years ago
this aria from puccini's turandot, but this song is a different arrangement,whose ?
roshas35 3 years ago
Wasn't Vanessa Mae's ?
espinaca79 3 years ago
I watch this performance whenever I feel down. This cheers me up always. Her grace, her effort, her history... just amazing. All I can do here is crying for this. Thanks Shizuka, you did something so special.
dancingkate 3 years ago 11
This was simply the best
kuhne 3 years ago 4
beautiful!!!
canadagirl18 3 years ago 3
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aeonKH 3 years ago
Kerrigan may have been the sentimental favorite b/c of the attack, but she also had a history of choking (92 Oly and 93 worlds); whereas Oksana came in as reinging WC..I think she was more a favorite.
1andonlyCobra 3 years ago
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She ushered in this modern asian-style of jumping. Kind of low and without snap or tension, giving almost the appearance of being under-rotated.I miss the big, high, strong crisp style of jumping. I know I stand alone , but I find this to be an uninspired and somewhat lethargic performance. Not sure why because it clearly was the best of the night.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
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I agree with you completly.
bunnyinskates 3 years ago
I disagree with you completely.
Yimbie 3 years ago
Hmm.. maybe she should stop doing the camel spin (followed by the donut spin) all the time. There were three of them in her programme.
dotsed 3 years ago
She's doing her donuts even after retiring from eligible competitions. :+
indicatoto101 3 years ago
I agree. She should have included a layback spin in place of one of them. You can see here that spinning is not her strength. (Although kudos to her for the Bielman (sp?) and the final catch-foot spin.) Sometimes her transition from one position to another is a little awkward, her back could be straigher on the sit spins, and she could spin faster. But these minor problems are overshadowed by the overall beauty of her skating.
suraaldy 3 years ago
i agree, and isnt it funny that of the past 4 olympics or so, the favorite going in never won. (oksana over kerrigan, lipinski over michelle, sarah over michelle, arakawa over slutskaya)???
valsetriste 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I tend to think of the olympics as amateur night. It's never the coronation of the grand skating talent, but rather the nerveless upstarts chance to shine.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
You're obviously misinformed about this one. Arakawa was a 24-year old former world champion (2004) that had been around for quite a while--not some "nerveless upstart."
jamieonline 3 years ago
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Actually Arakawa was nowhere the year the year before the olympics. Her win in 2004 was a surprise, her freeskates in the following year dismal. There was no pressure of expectation on her. She was considered simply a "good" jumper and a part of a strong Japanese team, nothing more. Cohen had been on the brink for many years and had always been considered a major contendor for gold. Slutskaya was a world medalist first in 1996, and a longtime beloved champion. It was hers to win/lose.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
dnt just critisize arakawa for landing 0nli 5 triples and won the gold oksana bauil also onli landed 5 triples and still won the gold
11mm47 3 years ago
she was not rushing into gold then.
yes, 'conservative' compositions than her best abilities.
but how carefully choreographed by then-new-coach for new judging system,changing positions in spins and unique Y spirals(with 3 sec hands free positions) and total time duration 10 sec over than 4"00 (its ok in the rules).,etc.
those points are not seen in her 2004 world champ version.
gene3001 3 years ago
wow! she's gd and luv the music...it feels sooooo different to watch someone else for a change instead of Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan! lol
joaqmad 3 years ago 2
does anyone know the name of the song?
vanillabeanfrap7 3 years ago
nessun dorma by G.Puccini
standarddachshund 3 years ago
More accurately, it's Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot played by Vanessa Mae.
oscillating 3 years ago
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I think Shizuka was skating for silver and that is why she didn't do a triple-triple. She was certainly capable of it. But then Irina S. fell apart in her LP and the gold fell into Shiz's lap. She is certainly a beautiful and expressive skater, but this was not her best performance, though it was very good.
idolfan9495 3 years ago
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i never loved this. she was clean but it didnt have the passion and artistry anywhere near sasha's. i dont think sasha should have won considering her mistakes, but this program didnt seem olympic goldworthy
neekswithlove 3 years ago
i agree. now don't bash me for saying this anyone. but this olympics was lack luster. I mean, of the top three women's, only one "clean" performance? and NO triple-triples... and the winning performance only had 5 triples? This wouldn't have stood up in other olympics. But regardless, this program and sasha's were still BEAUTIFUL. and Arakawa is as deserving of an olympic champ as any other
valsetriste 3 years ago
Well, that was kind of true of the both the ladies and men's competitions in 2006. They were both won by the only person who didn't implode and performance-wise, they weren't quite as memorable as Nagano or SLC.
kitkat9288 3 years ago
i love sasha. she was the really queen skater in the 2 years before torino. but in the olympic game, shizuka was best, sooo elegant.
nullpo555 3 years ago 3
She gave a very well-rounded performance. It was technically clean and also very artistic. The previous Olympic golds were given to good technical performers with lackluster artistry because their competitors made mistakes. It's nice to see a winner who had both athleticism and artistry in equal amounts!
kitkat9288 3 years ago 6
i just love the ina bauer she does! absolutely gorgeous
animemanga01 4 years ago 8
OMG. that is gorgeos. she did!
Kimberley931 4 years ago 3
abreathtaking performance!!absolutely brilliant!!her elegance and gracefulness are trully amazing!!she put the japanese skaters on the history of figure skating!!way to go cool beauty!!
GorgeousBeauty1 4 years ago 7
She is just in another whole different league! Her elegance and skill was unrivalled in this competition.
Btw, the commentaries kind of ruin the spiritual elegance of the performance.
They should just shut up before the jumps becuase it makes it sound like a jumping competition - it's not.
applecustardcream 4 years ago 7
nice performance.she really deserved 2 win gold.
edgysk8er5811 4 years ago 6
its a good performance but i prefer her 2004 Worlds performance than this.
lexlib 4 years ago 4
agree 2004 was really amazing and powerful the skate of her life i think
jabolanos 4 years ago 2
2004 was definitely stronger/more athletic and more dynamic but this one had more elegance/grace and artistry. One was an athletic peak, the other an artistic one. I like them both in different ways.
somewhere6 3 years ago 7
I think some people wrote this young lady off since she didn't defend her world title. I remember most predictions pre-Olympics were a bronze at best. I am so glad that she proved her skeptics wrong and showed what an amazing, beautiful skater that we all knew she was!
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago 3
ooooohhh !!!!! my god
this is the best performance of the all history for me
jepsst 4 years ago 3
So happy for this beautiful young lady. I'm so glad she didn't give up the sport! One of the most gorgeous Ina Bauers ever! A fighter, and one that everyone could take a lesson from!
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago 2
After Olympics she said in JPN TV. she had a pain in her leggs this time and changed a coach 2-3 month before Olympics.Her play teach me how important "Never give up spirit" is.
gonta33japon 4 years ago
Isn't that the truth. What a true champion she is. And I love how she and Midori Ito have inspired a whole lot of Japanese skaters - I think that Japanese skaters will win both the men's and women's titles at the World's later this month. They are so wonderful!
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
From TV speach;at first she had no idea of Ina Bauers,becouse it has no points for judgments from this Olympics.but a new coach said"Shizuka should play Ina Bauers becouse it is the most beautiful & outstanding one in the world" I think her skating is not a sports ,it's a work of ART.I was moved anytime when I watched this VTR.
gonta33japon 4 years ago 2
Yes, I agree. She is so elegant and fluid. Apparently, she has a fantastic coach who saw her strengths. And Shizuka is beautiful enough to be a model.
pellebravesskylar 4 years ago
the best (y)
KagomeNoMiko 4 years ago
mi emoziono ancora nel rivederla
nestorex 4 years ago
whooo im tagging you ! :D
kannikaa 4 years ago
oh um ok.
i guess i have to make a five facts video now.
lol.
cassidyke 4 years ago
juggernaut is such a phony. Too bad he knows nothing about Arakawa and her beautiful skating.
waddleduckie1 4 years ago
does anyone know what song this is?
WushuSinned 4 years ago
Nessum Dorma from the opera Turandot.but certainly you have to see Shen and Zhao 2003 Worlds Long Program with this music. you sure that you'll cry. This programme is good but shen&Zhao are amazing.
collito123 4 years ago
Beautiful and Outstanding!
classicalgal14 4 years ago 3
wow she is so beautiful..
uu2020 4 years ago 5
incroyable
Hystoo 4 years ago 2
I remember watching this from TV and I was just stunned about the grace which she moved with. I'll probably remember it forever.