Table tennis icon Ai Fukuhara finally won a national singles title Saturday, defeating 2011 champion Kasumi Ishikawa four games to one in the final.Fukuhara, making her 13th appearance at the national championships, won 11-7, 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 11-5 in the matchup many people were hoping to see on the penultimate day of action at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.She clinched victory when 18-year-old Ishikawa's backhand went long.Fukuhara, currently ranked ninth in the world, made her tournament debut in 1999 at the age of 11. Her previous best finishes were in the semifinals — twice."I feel like this is a dream," the 23-year-old said. "Winning a national title was a big hurdle for me. At the London Olympics, I want to show how much I've grown as a player."Fukuhara came into the final on a high after beating five-time champion Sayaka Hirano 11-9, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 in her semifinal earlier in the day.
Showing posts with label National. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Kato, Kodaira earn national titles
OBIHIRO, Hokkaido — Joji Kato claimed his first title since 2007 and Nao Kodaira won the women's event for the second year in a row at the national sprint championships Wednesday.Vancouver Olympic 500-meter bronze medalist Kato placed second in the 500 in 35.35 seconds and won the 1,000 in 1:11.86 on the final day for a four-race total of 142.225 points.Kodaira had a meet-record total of 154.285 points after taking second in the 500 in 38.64 and winning the 1,000 in 1:17.31.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Mao scores emotional national crown victory
KADOMA, Osaka Pref. — Grief-stricken Mao Asada rode a Christmas Day wave of emotion to come from behind and capture the women's title at the national championships Sunday, securing a berth at the world championships in Nice, France, in March in the process.
With open arms: Mao Asada performs her free skate program at the national championships on Sunday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao won the event ahead of Akiko Suzuki. KYODOCourageously competing here in Osaka just weeks after the death of her mother Kyoko, the 21-year-old delivered a graceful, if not perfect skate, to beat Akiko Suzuki with a winning total of 184.07 points."I was skating in a different situation to normal and I wondered how things would turn out, but I managed to stay focused and I believed in myself," said Mao, who won her fifth overall national crown."I think I was able to control myself better than yesterday and I am really pleased to end the year with this title," added the former two-time world champion.Grand Prix Final silver medalist Suzuki moved up from third to second with 179.27, while short program winner Kanako Murakami made a series of errors and placed third with 172.69.Suzuki and Murakami were also selected to take part in the worlds.Mao opted out of her trademark triple axel and opened with a double axel before cleanly landing a triple flip-double toeloop and following up with a triple lutz.She popped out of a triple salchow and the only other blemish came when she botched a triple loop and two-footed the jump."I was a bit disappointed about my jump at the end but reminded myself to keep smiling until the end," said Mao.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec earlier this month but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition in the hospital. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Kyoko, 48, passed away on Dec. 9 after a long battle with liver cirrhosis.Like Murakami, Suzuki also had a wobbly skate, singling a triple lutz and also making a bad landing on a triple flip."I was aiming for victory but with a performance like this . . . well, that's just the way it goes. I'll do my best to skate better at the world championships."Murakami singled a triple loop and made errors on a number of other jumps, also tripping over and crashing to the ice after mistiming her steps."My aim was to make the medals podium so I am pleased about that," said the former junior world champion. "I don't normally make mistakes on my steps and my mind just went blank. I want to put the same amount of practice into free skate as I do in my short skate and get more confidence."Daisuke Takahashi won the men's national title on Saturday and will be going to Nice, along with runnerup Takahiko Kozuka and third-place finisher Yuzuru Hanyu.
With open arms: Mao Asada performs her free skate program at the national championships on Sunday in Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture. Mao won the event ahead of Akiko Suzuki. KYODOCourageously competing here in Osaka just weeks after the death of her mother Kyoko, the 21-year-old delivered a graceful, if not perfect skate, to beat Akiko Suzuki with a winning total of 184.07 points."I was skating in a different situation to normal and I wondered how things would turn out, but I managed to stay focused and I believed in myself," said Mao, who won her fifth overall national crown."I think I was able to control myself better than yesterday and I am really pleased to end the year with this title," added the former two-time world champion.Grand Prix Final silver medalist Suzuki moved up from third to second with 179.27, while short program winner Kanako Murakami made a series of errors and placed third with 172.69.Suzuki and Murakami were also selected to take part in the worlds.Mao opted out of her trademark triple axel and opened with a double axel before cleanly landing a triple flip-double toeloop and following up with a triple lutz.She popped out of a triple salchow and the only other blemish came when she botched a triple loop and two-footed the jump."I was a bit disappointed about my jump at the end but reminded myself to keep smiling until the end," said Mao.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec earlier this month but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition in the hospital. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside.Kyoko, 48, passed away on Dec. 9 after a long battle with liver cirrhosis.Like Murakami, Suzuki also had a wobbly skate, singling a triple lutz and also making a bad landing on a triple flip."I was aiming for victory but with a performance like this . . . well, that's just the way it goes. I'll do my best to skate better at the world championships."Murakami singled a triple loop and made errors on a number of other jumps, also tripping over and crashing to the ice after mistiming her steps."My aim was to make the medals podium so I am pleased about that," said the former junior world champion. "I don't normally make mistakes on my steps and my mind just went blank. I want to put the same amount of practice into free skate as I do in my short skate and get more confidence."Daisuke Takahashi won the men's national title on Saturday and will be going to Nice, along with runnerup Takahiko Kozuka and third-place finisher Yuzuru Hanyu.Friday, December 23, 2011
Mao awaits emotional return at national championships
OSAKA — Former two-time world champion Mao Asada has vowed to pull out all the stops in what is set to be a highly emotional return to the rink at the national championships getting under way on Friday.
Back to work: Figure skater Mao Asada, a two-time world champion, will compete in the national championships in Osaka Prefecture two weeks after her mother's death. KYODO PHOTOThe 21-year-old has made the brave decision to compete at the event that serves as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, and starts just a fortnight after her mother, Kyoko, passed away at age 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec City earlier this month, but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside."When I came back from the (Grand Prix) final I was so busy and didn't have time to think about competition," Mao told a news conference Thursday."But I had to think after things settled down a bit and I realized I only had about a week before the nationals and thought I ought to start training. I wasn't thinking about pulling out."Mao did not speak about her mother as she stood calmly before reporters at the news conference, but said she has been given words of encouragement by those close to her."People said 'try hard but not too hard as you are already doing your best.' This is the last event of the year so I want to wrap it up with a good performance. It's not about points or positions I just want to show my best skating," she said.Mao failed to win a single event in the worst season of her competitive career in 2010-11, but headed into the Grand Prix Final with confidence sky high after a pair of strong performances in November.She finished second behind Akiko Suzuki at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo before ending a three-year GP title drought at the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, despite leaving out her trademark 3.5-revolution triple axel jump.Mao will be aiming for her first national title in two years and fifth overall. Defending champion and world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season.NHK Trophy winner Suzuki finished runnerup at the Grand Prix Final and is a strong contender while Kanako Murakami and Haruka Imai are likely to be competing for the third berth.On the men's side, former world champion Daisuke Takahashi, whose strong free skate earned him the silver at the Grand Prix Final, will be battling it out with Takahiko Kozuka and 17-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu, who placed fourth in his Grand Prix Final debut."I made mistakes on my quads (in Quebec) but I have improved in every other aspect," Takahashi said."I have got confidence in my triple jumps. I just have to try and make the quad in both the short and the free programs. Obviously I will be going for victory (at the nationals) but the main thing is getting one of the berths for the world championships."Hanyu said he was hoping to build on the experience of competing against the world's elite skaters."I was so pleased that I was able to get a place among the six skaters at the final," he added.Defending champion Kozuka underperformed on the GP circuit this season and failed to qualify for Quebec. Nobunari Oda will miss the nationals as he continues to recover from an injured left knee.The competition begins on Friday with the pairs and men's short programs. The women's short program is scheduled for Saturday.
Back to work: Figure skater Mao Asada, a two-time world champion, will compete in the national championships in Osaka Prefecture two weeks after her mother's death. KYODO PHOTOThe 21-year-old has made the brave decision to compete at the event that serves as a qualifier for the world championships in Nice, France, in March, and starts just a fortnight after her mother, Kyoko, passed away at age 48 after a lengthy battle with liver cirrhosis.A resurgent Mao had been set to compete at her first Grand Prix Final in three years in Quebec City earlier this month, but made a frantic dash back to Japan from Canada on the eve of the women's short program after learning that her mother was in a critical condition. Kyoko died before Mao could reach her bedside."When I came back from the (Grand Prix) final I was so busy and didn't have time to think about competition," Mao told a news conference Thursday."But I had to think after things settled down a bit and I realized I only had about a week before the nationals and thought I ought to start training. I wasn't thinking about pulling out."Mao did not speak about her mother as she stood calmly before reporters at the news conference, but said she has been given words of encouragement by those close to her."People said 'try hard but not too hard as you are already doing your best.' This is the last event of the year so I want to wrap it up with a good performance. It's not about points or positions I just want to show my best skating," she said.Mao failed to win a single event in the worst season of her competitive career in 2010-11, but headed into the Grand Prix Final with confidence sky high after a pair of strong performances in November.She finished second behind Akiko Suzuki at the NHK Trophy in Sapporo before ending a three-year GP title drought at the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, despite leaving out her trademark 3.5-revolution triple axel jump.Mao will be aiming for her first national title in two years and fifth overall. Defending champion and world gold medalist Miki Ando is taking time out of competition this season.NHK Trophy winner Suzuki finished runnerup at the Grand Prix Final and is a strong contender while Kanako Murakami and Haruka Imai are likely to be competing for the third berth.On the men's side, former world champion Daisuke Takahashi, whose strong free skate earned him the silver at the Grand Prix Final, will be battling it out with Takahiko Kozuka and 17-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu, who placed fourth in his Grand Prix Final debut."I made mistakes on my quads (in Quebec) but I have improved in every other aspect," Takahashi said."I have got confidence in my triple jumps. I just have to try and make the quad in both the short and the free programs. Obviously I will be going for victory (at the nationals) but the main thing is getting one of the berths for the world championships."Hanyu said he was hoping to build on the experience of competing against the world's elite skaters."I was so pleased that I was able to get a place among the six skaters at the final," he added.Defending champion Kozuka underperformed on the GP circuit this season and failed to qualify for Quebec. Nobunari Oda will miss the nationals as he continues to recover from an injured left knee.The competition begins on Friday with the pairs and men's short programs. The women's short program is scheduled for Saturday.Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Japan national hoop squad beefs up competition before important qualification tournaments
All for one: Members of the Japan men's national basketball team, including coach Thomas Wisman (in jacket), have started preparations for this summer's regional and continental tournaments. KYODO
The Japan Basketball Association and men's national team head coach Thomas Wisman have selected a bigger group of players to spark more intense competition inside, while having them peak at the right time.
Wisman announced the 42 players on the provisional national team early last week and divided them into three groups for the first time.
Group One (17 players) is the so-called "A-team," featuring signature names such as Yuta Tabuse, Takehiko Orimo, Takumi Ishizaki and twin brothers Joji and Kosuke Takeuchi.
The second group (14) consists of A-team-caliber players and the JBA wants to have them earn experience in national team jerseys. The majority of the third group players (11) are either from colleges or even high schools. Wisman explained that by using having that many players, it can give rest time for everybody, especially the veterans.
"In the program we have, we're actually excited about all three groups," Wisman said. "We're excited about the prospects that we have, the young kids.
"We're excited about the players we have in Group Two. We'll push them to compete for spots (on the final 12-man roster for the Asian Championships). And we are happy in the Group One we have, their commitment from what we consider to be the main players, the best players in Japan."
"As much as we have to improve our techniques," said Tabuse, who plays for the Link Tochigi Brex of the JBL, "we have to have responsibility with the Japanese flag behind our back."
The Japan Basketball Association and men's national team head coach Thomas Wisman have selected a bigger group of players to spark more intense competition inside, while having them peak at the right time.
Wisman announced the 42 players on the provisional national team early last week and divided them into three groups for the first time.
Group One (17 players) is the so-called "A-team," featuring signature names such as Yuta Tabuse, Takehiko Orimo, Takumi Ishizaki and twin brothers Joji and Kosuke Takeuchi.
The second group (14) consists of A-team-caliber players and the JBA wants to have them earn experience in national team jerseys. The majority of the third group players (11) are either from colleges or even high schools. Wisman explained that by using having that many players, it can give rest time for everybody, especially the veterans.
"In the program we have, we're actually excited about all three groups," Wisman said. "We're excited about the prospects that we have, the young kids.
"We're excited about the players we have in Group Two. We'll push them to compete for spots (on the final 12-man roster for the Asian Championships). And we are happy in the Group One we have, their commitment from what we consider to be the main players, the best players in Japan."
The biggest tasks of this year for Wisman's squad lie in two Asian tournaments, which lead to next year's London Summer Olympics.
Japan will compete in the East Asian Championship (June 10-15 in Nanjing, China) to earn a berth in the Asian Championship (Sept. 15-25 in Wuhan, China).
Top three finishers (except for host China) in the six-nation East Asia Championship earn spots in the Asian Championship. The winning team in the Asian Championship grabs a berth in the 2012 London Olympics and second- and third-finishers advance to the world final Olympic qualifier next year.
Japan's men's team has not made it to an Olympics since the 1976 Montreal Games.
Team Japan will also play some exhibitions during the course of training, along with some other international tournaments.
Tabuse, a former Phoenix Suns guard, said that it is more significant for the players to have a stronger will to make the Olympics."As much as we have to improve our techniques," said Tabuse, who plays for the Link Tochigi Brex of the JBL, "we have to have responsibility with the Japanese flag behind our back."
Tabuse, a 30-year-old point guard, added that as one of the experienced veterans he intends to take the leaderships to guide the team in the right direction.
"As a playmaker, I understand what type of basketball coach wants us to play," he said. "So I want to convey that to the team as much as I can."
Wisman said that he is happy how the A-team players committed themselves to the grave task.
"I think, this year being the qualifying year (for the London Olympics), we received strong commitment from all of our best players," he said. "They want to be part of the program. They want to earn spots and represent Japan."
Former UCLA standout Charles O'Bannon, a Toshiba Brave Thunders player, is likely to be added to the team once he gets Japanese citizenship he's currently waiting for.
Japan saw dark time in the last several years as it finished eighth and 10th, respectively, in the last two Asian Championship tourneys in 2007 and 2009. But it took a positive step forward last year, advancing to the semifinals in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in December.
"Coach told us, 'I want you guys to be Olympians when your careers are over,' " Tabuse said. "We want to live up to the expectation."
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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