Miki Ando Back In Form

[Mulboyne]

[floatl][/floatl]ABC: Miki Ando's Golden at Skating Worlds
Miki Ando won gold, and didn't even need her much-anticipated quad. Japan swept the top two women's places Saturday at the World Figure Skating Championships, with Ando taking the title and Mao Asada the silver, after South Korea's Kim Yu-na fell twice in her final skate and had to settle for bronze. Defending champion Kimmie Meissner of the United States was fourth. Ando didn't do the quad she had been practicing, but her seven triples to a Mendelssohn violin concerto earned her a total score of 195.09. That was enough to edge Asada, who had the best marks in the free-skating portion to total 194.45 points. "I didn't think I would end up at the top of the podium," Ando said. "So I was very happy to hear I won the gold medal"...more...

See also FG Thread: Miki Ando Goes Stereotypical

[Mulboyne]

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This was her short programme, after which she was in second place. The Yomiuri report notes that she credits her success to online forums:

Ando, who became Japan's fourth world champion and first since Turin gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa won in 2004, was in tears and could hardly speak because of the memories of past failures and the pressure she had been under to perform. "After Turin, I had such a hard time, but thanks to 'Skaters Lounge' Web site [a Japanese site for figure skating fans] and my new coach, I came back strong."

[GuyJean]

"After Turin, I had such a hard time, but thanks to 'Skaters Lounge' Web site [a Japanese site for figure skating fans] and my new coach, I came back strong."

.. I wonder how many athletes we've inspired..

GJ