It’s just that I always see her crying, but she always has a reason to cry. She cried at her interview right after getting a silver during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. I bet she cried even more after her short program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. And after finishing an almost clean performance (under rotated her first combo), she cried again and they are probably “thank you” tears for her fans who cheered on her.
I’m a huge Kim Yuna fan. I’ve been a fan since I’ve heard about her winning in China ten years ago. That was the time that Korean media started talking about her. And Mao Asada is her greatest rival. Perhaps without Mao, Kim Yuna will not be the “Queen” that she is now. She gave the Korean figure skater a good competition and vice versa.
Despite being skating rivals, the two figure skating queens are friends. They have been friends since they were competing at junior levels. In one interview, Kim Yuna said that Asada Mao is the skater she mostly talked with. I love the story of Kim Yuna and Asada Mao. Rivals on ice, but friends in real life.
Asada Mao redeemed herself with her free skate. She is the only female figure skater who has gone out of her comfort zone. Other female figure skaters never attempted the triple axel, touted to be the most difficult jump, but Asada Mao did.
I love Mao! I always find her performances exciting! And yes she’s the only female figure skater who has gone out of her comfort zone. That’s what I like about her, she’s never afraid to challenge herself, she’s fearless, she never plays safe, she takes figure skating to another level.