Japan’s former figure skating world champion Mao Asada, returning to form with a fourth straight national title, is rekindling a hot rivalry with South Korea’s Kim Yu-na ahead of their Olympic debut.
Asada nailed her trademark triple axel in the free skate to triumph at the Japanese championships on Sunday, prompting a nationwide sigh of relief for one of the country’s few gold medal hopefuls at February’s Vancouver Winter Games.
“It is important to aim high. I want the gold medal,” the 19-year-old said on television yesterday. “I will aim to perfect all of my programs.”
It was the first time that last year’s world champion has stood on the top of the podium in any event this season, which has been fraught with her failures in landing the highly demanding 3.5-revolution jump.
Asada is the only woman who regularly attempts the triple axel in international competitions.
“Freed from the spell of the jump,” read a headline in the daily Asahi Shimbun, which put a picture of Asada waving to the crowd with a big smile and holding a bouquet in one hand on its front page.
The victory made her one of three Japanese women in the Olympic figure skating competition, in which South Korea’s reigning world champion Kim is the favorite.
Kim, also 19, dethroned Asada at the world championships in April and regained the Grand Prix Final title from her this month.
Kim “has been a good source of inspiration for me. I want to work hard [at the Olympics] together with her,” Asada told Japanese media on Saturday.
Asada and Kim both missed the 2006 Turin Olympics as they were a few months too young to be eligible to compete.
Asada failed to qualify for the Grand Prix Final after she finished second to Kim in the season-opening Grand Prix in Paris and was fifth at the second round in Moscow.
“I know Asada is going through a tough time, but I’m sure that she’ll come to the Olympics,” Kim told Korean media after winning the final.
After under-rotating a triple-axel in her short program at the nationals, Asada avoided attempting the jump twice in her free skating as she had done earlier this season. She had succeeded in only one of her eight previous triple axel attempts as she otherwise popped, landed on two feet or fell.
With just a 0.22-point lead from the short program, she scored 135.50 points in free skating to win with a total 204.62.
The total, while not scored by judges from the International Skating Union (ISU), was close to Kim’s official world record.
“I want to make further adjustments going into the next competition,” said Asada, due to take part in the Four Continents championships next month, which Kim is expected to skip.
“I am the kind of skater who gets better in the second half [of a season],” she said.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
RSS