Mao Asada

Mao Asada
Asada's gold medal at the 2013 Skate America
Born	(1990-09-25) September 25, 1990
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Japan
Coach	Nobuo Satō, Kumiko Sato
Skating club	Chukyo University
Began skating	1995
Medal record Ladies' Figure Skating Representing Japan Olympic Games 2010 Vancouver Singles World Championships 2013 London Singles 2010 Turin Singles 2008 Gothenburg Singles 2007 Tokyo Singles Four Continents Championships 2013 Osaka Singles 2012 Colorado Springs Singles 2011 Taipei Singles 2010 Jeonju Singles 2009 Vancouver Singles 2008 Goyang Singles Grand Prix Final 2013–2014 Fukuoka Singles 2012–2013 Sochi Singles 2008–2009 Goyang Singles 2007–2008 Turin Singles 2006–2007 St. Petersburg Singles 2005–2006 Tokyo Singles World Junior Championships 2006 Ljubljana Singles 2005 Kitchener Singles Junior Grand Prix Final 2004–2005 Helsinki Singles

Olympic medal record
Women's figure skating
Representing Japan
	2010 Vancouver	Singles

Mao Asada (浅田 真央, Asada Mao, born September 25, 1990) is a Japanese competitive figure skater and an Olympic silver medalist noted for her smooth skating skills and triple axel jumps. She is the only female figure skater who has landed three triple axels in one competition, which she achieved in 2010 Winter Olympics. She is the 2010 Winter Olympic silver medalist, a two-time (2008 and 2010) World champion, the 2007 World silver medalist, 2013 World bronze medalist, a three-time (2008, 2010, and 2013) Four Continents champion, and a four-time (2005–2006, 2008–2009, 2012–2013, 2013–2014) Grand Prix Final champion. She is also the 2005 World Junior champion, the 2004–2005 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a six-time (2006–2010, 2012–2013) Japanese national champion.

A former prodigy, Asada is the fifth woman and the first junior girl to land the triple axel, accomplishing this feat at the 2004–2005 Junior Grand Prix Final. She won her first Grand Prix Final at the age of 15. Considered by many to be the best figure skater in the world at that time, Asada was 87 days too young to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics. She is the first figure skater in a singles discipline from Asia to win multiple world championships. At the 2013 Skate America, she became the first singles skater, male or female, in history, to win all seven of the current events on the Grand Prix circuit. She is one of the most highly recognized athletes in Japan.

Personal life

Mao Asada was born in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. She was named after the Japanese actress Mao Daichi. She attended Nagoya International School until the middle of 1st grade. After transferring, she graduated from Takabari Elementary School and Takabaridai Junior High. She received her high school diploma from Chukyo High School on March 15, 2009. After that, she enrolled in Chukyo University. She paused her studies in March 2013 to focus on training. While growing up, she idolized Midori Ito.

Her sister Mai Asada (two years older) is also a figure skater and finished 6th at the 2006 Four Continents Championships. She is now skating in shows.

Career

Early career

Mao Asada studied classical ballet from the age of three to nine, but in 1995 switched to figure skating, when her sister, Mai Asada, also switched from ballet to skating.

She won the Japanese novice national championships in the 2002–2003 season, and earned an invitation to compete at the junior championships, where she placed 4th. She also competed in the senior national championships and placed 7th.

In the 2003–2004 season, Asada repeated the same placements at the novice and junior level and placed 8th at the senior nationals. She won the Mladost Trophy, her first international event.

2004–2005 season

In the 2004–2005 season, Asada was age-eligible for junior international competitions. She competed in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, winning both of her events. At the Junior Grand Prix Final, she won gold with an overall score 35.08 points ahead of the silver medalist, Kim Yu-Na. Asada won the Japanese Junior National championships, ahead of her sister who took the silver medal, and qualified for the 2005 Junior Worlds.

Mao Asada's win earned her an invitation to the senior national championships, where she won the silver medal. Asada was not age-eligible for the 2005 World Championships. At the Junior World Championships, she won with a 20.31 lead over the silver medalist Kim Yu-Na.

2005–2006 season

Having won everything on the junior level, Asada moved to the senior level for the 2005–2006 season and competed on the Grand Prix circuit. At the 2005 Cup of China, she placed second in the short program and third in the free skate and won the silver medal. Asada won her second event, the 2005 Trophée Eric Bompard, after placing first in both the short and free program. Her medals qualified Asada for the 2005–2006 Grand Prix Final. She won the event with 189.62 points after placing first in both programs.

At the 2005–2006 Japan Championships, Asada placed third in both programs and won the silver medal behind Fumie Suguri. She was not age-eligible for the Olympics. At the 2006 World Junior Championships, Asada finished 24.19 points behind gold medalist Kim, and 18.21 points ahead of bronze medalist Christine Zukowski. At this competition, Asada became the first lady to land a triple axel in the short program at an ISU championship.

2006–2007 season

At her first event, the 2006 Skate America, Asada won the bronze medal behind Miki Ando and Kimmie Meissner. Asada had won the short program, but was fourth in the long program, finishing with a total score 171.23 points. She was 21.36 points out of first place. Asada won her second event, the 2006 NHK Trophy with 199.52 points, by a margin of victory of 20.21 points ahead of Fumie Suguri. At the NHK Trophy, Asada set a new world record for highest combined score in a Ladies competition under the ISU Judging System. Asada went into the 2006–2007 Grand Prix Final as the reigning champion. She placed second behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na with 172.52 points, by a margin of 11.68. Asada had won the short program, but placed fourth in the long program.

Asada won the 2006–2007 Japan Championships by 26.11 points ahead of silver medalist Miki Ando. At the 2007 Worlds, Asada was fifth in the short program, 10.03 points behind Kim Yu-Na, who placed first in that section of the competition. Asada won the free skate with a score of 133.13 points, setting a new world record for the highest free skate score, a record which stood for eight months. She won the silver medal earning an overall of 194.95 points, 0.64 behind gold medalist Miki Ando and 8.31 ahead of Kim Yu-Na, who won the bronze.

2007–2008 season

Mao Asada during the ladies medals ceremony at the 2007-2008 Grand Prix Final.

At the 2007 Skate Canada International, Asada was third in the short program and first in the long, finishing with the gold medal ahead of silver medalist Yukari Nakano. Asada won her second gold at the 2007 Trophée Eric Bompard and advanced to the 2007–2008 Grand Prix Final. In the short program, Asada did not do the jump out of footwork required element and placed 6th with a score of 59.04 points. She was first in the free skate with 132.55 points and won the silver medal with 191.59 points, 5.24 behind gold medalist Kim Yu-Na, who repeated as champion.

As in the previous year, Asada won the 2007–2008 Japan Championships. Her final score was 1.15 points ahead of silver medalist and reigning World champion Miki Ando. Asada was placed on the Japanese team for both the World and Four Continents Championships. Having left her coach, Asada competed at both events without a coach but an official from the Japan Skating Federation accompanied her as needed. Competing for the first time at Four Continents, Asada won both segments and finished 13.71 points ahead of silver medalist Joannie Rochette.

In March 2008, at the 2008 Worlds, Asada won her first World title. She was second in the short program, 0.18 behind Carolina Kostner. In the long program, she was second to bronze medalist Yu-Na Kim by 1.92 points but 0.88 ahead of silver medalist Carolina Kostner.

2008–2009 season

At the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard, Asada placed second in both programs and finished second overall with a score of 167.59 points, 12.54 behind Joannie Rochette. Asada won gold at the 2008 NHK Trophy with 191.13 points, 23.49 ahead of the silver medalist Akiko Suzuki. She qualified for the 2008–2009 Grand Prix Final. At the final, Asada placed second in the short program behind Kim Yu-Na by a margin of 0.56 points. Asada won the free skate with 123.17 points and the competition overall with a total score of 188.55 points. Asada made history in the free skate by becoming the first woman to land two triple axels in the same program in an ISU competition, one in combination with a double toe loop.

At the 2008–2009 Japan Championship, Asada was second behind Yukari Nakano in the short program. Asada landed three beautiful clean triple jumps in her free skate program, three other triple jumps were downgraded, including two triple axels which were judged to be under-rotated. She received 117.15 points for her free skate for a total of 182.45 points overall. Placing second both in the short program and in the free skate, Asada won her third straight national title.

Entering the 2009 Four Continents in Vancouver, Canada as the defending champion, Asada placed 6th in the short program but won the free skate. Her first axel attempt was popped into a single, but she gracefully executed the second, garnering 8.80 points for the jump. She also completed a triple flip-double loop-double loop, a triple loop, and a triple flip-double loop. Asada placed third overall in the competition behind Joannie Rochette of Canada who won silver and Kim Yu-Na who won the gold.

At the 2009 World Championships, Asada placed third in the short program with 66.06 points and 4th in the free skate, where she scored 122.03 points. She finished in fourth place with a combined total score of 188.09 points.

At the inaugural 2009 World Team Trophy, she won both programs and finished first overall in the ladies' event, with personal bests in the short program (75.84 points) and combined total (201.87) The Japanese team finished third overall at that event, trailing the United States and Canada.

2009–2010 season

Asada at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

For the 2009–2010 Grand Prix series, Asada placed third in the short program and second in the free skate, finishing with the silver medal at 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard, 36.04 points behind gold medalist Yu-Na Kim. At the 2009 Rostelecom Cup, she placed 6th in the short and 5th in the free after landing just two triple jumps in her free program. She finished 5th overall, 21.65 points behind gold medalist Miki Ando.

At the 2009–2010 Japan Championships, Asada was first in both programs and won her fourth Japanese national title, 8.72 points ahead of silver medalist Akiko Suzuki.

At the 2010 Four Continents, Asada placed third in the short program with 57.22 points after under-rotating her triple axel, popping a triple flip and receiving a timing deduction of 1.00 point. She was first in the free skate with 126.74 points, 11.9 ahead of Akiko Suzuki, and won the gold medal with a total score of 183.96 points, 10.24 points ahead of Suzuki.

From February 23–25, Asada competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In the short program on February 23, she executed a triple axel-double toe loop, a triple flip and a double axel as well as receiving level fours for all her spins and her spiral sequence. She scored 73.78 points to place second in this phase. In her free skate on February 25, she succeeded in landing two triple axels, but under-rotated the first jump of a triple flip-double loop-double loop combination and popped a planned triple toe loop into a single. With 131.72 points from the free skate, Asada won the Olympic silver medal with a combined score of 205.50 points, 23.06 behind Kim Yuna. She earned a Guinness World Record for the most triple axels performed by a female skater in a competition – one in the short program and two in the free skate. Asada was Japan's flag-bearer at the closing ceremonies.

At the 2010 World Championships, Asada placed second in the short program with 68.08 points, 2.32 behind Mirai Nagasu of the United States. In her triple axel-double toe loop combination, the axel was downgraded to a double, but she executed a triple flip and a double axel and received level fours on all her spins and her spiral sequence. She was also second in the free skate with 129.50 points, 0.99 behind Yu-Na Kim, after executing a triple axel, a downgraded triple axel-double toe loop combination, a triple flip-double loop, a triple loop, a triple flip-double loop-double loop, a triple toe loop and a double axel. Asada won the gold medal with an overall score of 197.58 points.

2010–2011 season

In her first Grand Prix event of the season, the 2010 NHK Trophy, Asada placed 8th in both programs and finished 8th overall with a total of 133.40 points. At the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard, Asada placed 7th in the short program, 5th in the free skate and fifth overall, scoring 148.02 total points. At the Japan national championships, Asada was first in the short program and second in the free skating. She obtained a total score of 193.69 points and won the silver medal behind Miki Ando.

At the 2011 Four Continents Championships, Asada placed second in both programs and won the silver medal with a score of 196.30 points, 5.04 points behind gold medalist Miki Ando. At the 2011 World Championships, Asada placed 7th in the short program, 6th in the free skate, and finished 6th overall with 172.79 points.

2011–2012 season

Mao Asada performs her FS "Liebesträume" at the 2011 NHK Trophy.

Asada began the 2011–2012 season at the 2011 NHK Trophy. She placed third in the short program with 58.32 points and first in the free skate, garnering a total of 184.45 points and the silver medal, 1.79 behind Akiko Suzuki. At the 2011 Cup of Russia, Asada placed first in the short program with 64.29 points. She earned a level four on her straight line step sequence with +1.30 GOE. She won the event and qualified for the Grand Prix Final. She withdrew from the Final due to her mother's serious illness. Her mother died of liver cirrhosis in Nagoya Hospital while Asada was flying back to Japan.

Placing second in both programs at the 2011–2012 Japanese National Championships, Asada secured her fifth national title and a berth to the ISU Championships. First in the short program and second in the free, Asada won the silver medal at the 2012 Four Continents Championships behind gold medalist Ashley Wagner of the United States. At the 2012 Worlds, Asada placed 4th in the short program, 6th in the free skate, and finished 6th overall with 164.52 points.

2012–2013 season

Asada began the 2012–2013 season at the Japan Open, performing to Swan Lake. She won gold at her two Grand Prix events, the 2012 Cup of China and the 2012 NHK Trophy, qualifying her to the 2012–2013 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Asada finished first at the Grand Prix Final, placing first in both the short program and long program.

Asada won the gold at the Japan Nationals. Asada placed first in both programs at the 2013 Four Continents and won the gold medal with an overall score of 205.45 points, while teammates Akiko Suzuki and Kanako Murakami took the silver and bronze medals respectively. She returned to the World podium with a bronze medal finish at the 2013 World Championships with a personal best free skate. Asada placed fifth at the World Team Trophy and team Japan placed third.

2013–2014 season

Asada plans to retire after the 2013–2014 season. Asada won the 2013 Skate America with 204.55 points overall. At the 2013 NHK Trophy, Asada finished first in the short program. In the free skate, she earned a personal best score of 136.33 with a total of 207.59, another personal best, and won the event. Winning both her Grand Prix assignments, she was able to advance to the 2013–2014 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. With first place finishes in both the short program and the free skate, Asada took her fourth Grand Prix Final title, ahead of silver medalist Yulia Lipnitskaya and bronze medalist Ashley Wagner. In late December, Asada competed in the 2013–2014 Japan Figure Skating Championships. She led after a strong short program, but only placed 3rd in the free skate, dropping to 3rd overall, behind champion Akiko Suzuki and Kanako Murakami. Asada, along with Suzuki and Murakami, were selected to be the Japanese ladies singles team to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, as well as the 2014 World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan. In the Team event at the Olympics, Asada fell on her triple axel and placed third in the short program overall; Team Japan finished fourth. In the individual free skate in 2014 Winter Olympics, Asada earned her new personal best score of 142.71, but placed sixth due to a failed performance in the short program.

Jumping technique and signature moves

Asada performs a one-handed Biellmann spin at the 2006 Skate America practice.

During her first two years on the international scene, Asada became known for her signature move, the cross-grab Biellmann position. She is also noted for performing the one-handed Biellmann spin in competition.

Asada landed her first triple axel jump at the age of 12, and she became the first lady to perform a triple-triple-triple combination in national competition, which was a triple flip-triple loop-triple toe loop combination. At the age of 14, Asada landed a triple axel in her free skating program at the 2004 Junior Grand Prix Final, held in December 2004 at Helsinki, Finland, becoming the first junior girl to do one in an international event. She has since been known for her triple axel jumps.

Starting with the 2007–2008 season, criteria for judging jump take-off and landing technique were made more rigorous, and Asada began to be penalized for under-rotating her jumps and for change-of-edge errors on her Lutz jump, colloquially called a "flutz."

Asada did not include salchow jumps in her junior and senior career programs until 2008. She had stated previously that the triple salchow was the first triple jump she had ever landed and that she did not have a problem landing it cleanly, but she was not comfortable using the jump in competition because it is one of her least favorite jumps. Asada added the triple salchow to her free skate program in the 2008 NHK Trophy and 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final.

Normally, Asada uses a triple loop jump as her second jump in a combination, especially after the triple flip. However, she added the toe loop to her free program as the second jump of her first triple-triple combination during the 2004–2005 season, a triple flip-triple toe loop. In the 2006–2007 season she used the double axel-triple toe, while in the 2007–2008 season she performed the triple flip-triple toe loop again.

In the 2008–2009 season she executed the triple axel-double toe loop combination in international competition, first getting full credit for it at the 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final. At that same competition, Asada became the first female skater to land two triple axels in the same program. She is also the only woman to have landed three triple axel jumps in the same competition at an ISU competition. She has a Guinness World Record for the most triple axels performed by a female skater in competition.

Asada has been known to practice and land quadruple jumps in training. She credits training alongside Takahiko Kozuka for improving her spins. The number of rotations she is able to achieve with one kick increased from 30 to 104.

Coaching changes

Rafael Arutyunyan, Tatiana Tarasova and Mao Asada at the 2007-2008 Grand Prix Final.

Coach Nobuo Sato (left) and Mao Asada (right) at the 2011 Cup of Russia.

Asada originally trained in Japan, but left for the U.S. in August 2006 to train with Rafael Arutunian in Lake Arrowhead, California. There she was able to escape the overcrowding of Japanese rinks and the pressure of the Japanese media. Before 2008 Four Continents Championships, she split with Arutunian and returned to Japan to practice on the new Aurora Rink at Chukyo University, where she does not have any problems getting ice time. She went to Worlds, and won, without a coach.

During the summer of 2007, Asada received additional training in Russia from Tatiana Tarasova, while Arutunian remained her primary coach. The following summer, after leaving Arutunian, Asada returned to Russia, and formally decided to be coached by Tarasova. However, their cooperation was hampered by Tarasova's health problems and Asada trained mostly in Nagoya, Japan, with her assistant Jeanetta Folle; in February 1, 2010, Asada indicated she had not been coached by Tarasova since the 2009 Cup of Russia in October. Tarasova was present with Asada at the 2010 Olympics but after the event, Asada chose to be based in her hometown Nagoya and parted ways with Tarasova.

On June 17, 2010, Asada announced that her new jump coach was Hiroshi Nagakubo. In September 2010, Nobuo Sato became Asada's new coach and Asada ended her relationship with coach Nagakubo.

Public life and endorsements

Asada owns a miniature poodle named Aero, who is named after the chocolate confection made by Nestlé. Asada and Aero have been featured in chocolate commercials in Japan, and she has also used her dog in exhibition programs. In 2008, Asada got two new puppies named Tiara and Komachi.

Asada is very popular in Japan and is credited, along with several other Japanese skaters, with increasing the popularity of figure skating in Japan. She has appeared in many variety television shows as well as in commercials for Oji Paper Company, Sato Pharmaceutical, Weider In Jelly, Itoham Foods, Nestlé, Kao, Omron, Nippon Life Insurance Company, Lotte, Olympus, Coca-Cola, and Weavajapan. Asada's sponsors include Sato Pharmaceutical, Itoham Foods, Oji Paper Company, Lotte, Omron, Japan Airlines, Weider In Jelly, Olympus, and Weavajapan. Her skating music was compiled on two albums by EMI Music Japan: Mai & Mao Asada Skating Music and Mai & Mao Asada Skating Music 2008–09.

Asada headlines her own exhibition show called "The Ice", which began from the summer of 2008, with her sister Mai. She is also a big fan of Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki, and was seen congratulating her on her 10th Anniversary. The Asada sisters have also been named as goodwill ambassadors to Canada, and have traveled to Canada to serve in that role.

During the 2010 Winter Olympics, a popular Vancouver Japanese street food vendor, Japadog, named a hot dog after Asada called the Mao Dog. Similarly, a local sushi store created a sushi roll and named it the Mao Roll after Asada. After Asada's silver medal win, Japanese dollmaker Kyugetsu created a Mao Asada hina doll in celebration of her efforts.

In 2011, Asada launched her own kimono brand named MaoMao.

In January 2012, Asada cancelled the release of a book on her skating career; she stated, "The way the book was advertised was different from what I had in mind."

In December 2013, chrysanthemum farmers in the Ryukyu Islands named a new crop of chrysanthemums "Mao Orange" after the colour of Asada's short program dress from the 2012–2013 season.

On 25 December 2013, Japan Airlines unveiled a new Boeing 777–300 (JA8942) with a special Mao Asada livery to promote Japan's participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Also present at the unveiling were JAL Sky Co., Ltd President and Executive Officer Toshio Shinohara and singer Tatsuya Ishii, who also performed.

Accomplishments

• Fifth woman in history to land the triple axel jump in international competition.
• Second woman to break the 200-point barrier in international competition.
• Third Japanese female figure skater to win an Olympic medal.
• Fourth Japanese figure skater to win an Olympic medal.
• First woman to break the 200-point barrier three consecutive times in international competition.
• First woman to land the triple axel in a short program at the Winter Olympics.
• First woman to land the triple axel at the World Junior Championships.
• First woman to land the triple axel in junior international competition.
• First woman to land two triple axel jumps in the same program.
• First woman to land three triple axel jumps in one competition.
• First figure skater in a singles discipline from Asia to win multiple world championships.
• First figure skater in a singles discipline, male or female, to win all 7 of the current events on the Grand Prix circuit.
• Has the second-most number of victories on the Grand Prix circuit (14) by a woman, behind Irina Slutskaya.
• Record holder for most Grand Prix Final titles won by a woman, tied with Irina Slutskaya.
• First woman to skate an 8 triple jump layout including all current 6 types of jumps. (2 under rotations and 1 edge error but all safely landed.)

Programs

Asada performs her short program at the 2013 Worlds.

Asada performs a spiral during her exhibition program at the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard.

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2013–2014	Nocturne No.2 Op. 9–2 in E flat major by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Lori Nichol	Piano Concerto No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Smile by Charlie Chaplin performed by Ima choreo. by Lori Nichol
2012–2013	I Got Rhythm by George Gershwin choreo. by Lori Nichol	Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Mary Poppins choreo. by Lori Nichol
2011–2012	Scheherazade by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Liebesträume by Franz Liszt choreo. by Lori Nichol	I Vow to Thee My Country by Libera choreo. by Lori Nichol Waltz Op. 64 No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova
2010–2011	Tango (from Agony) by Alfred Schnittke choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Liebesträume by Franz Liszt choreo. by Lori Nichol	Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2 by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova
2009–2010	Waltz from Masquerade Suite by Aram Khachaturian choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Bells of Moscow by Sergei Rachmaninov choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Caprice No. 24 by Niccolò Paganini choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova
2008–2009	Claire de Lune by Claude Debussy choreo. by Lori Nichol	Waltz from Masquerade Suite by Aram Khachaturian choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Por una Cabeza (from Scent of a Woman) by Carlos Gardel, Alfredo Le Pera Payadora by Julián Plaza choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova Sing, Sing, Sing by Louis Prima choreo. by Lori Nichol
2007–2008	Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra (from Ladies in Lavender) by Jean-Claude Petit performed by Joshua Bell choreo. by Tatiana Tarasova	Fantaisie-Impromptu by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Lori Nichol	So Deep Is The Night Étude Op. 10, No. 3 by Frédéric Chopin vocals by Lesley Garrett choreo. by Lori Nichol
2006–2007	Nocturne No.2 Op. 9–2 in E flat major by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Lori Nichol	Csárdás by Vittorio Monti choreo. by Lori Nichol	Habanera (from Carmen) by Georges Bizet vocal by Filippa Giordano choreo. by Lori Nichol
2005–2006	Carmen by Georges Bizet choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi	The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky choreo. by Lori Nichol	Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen vocal by Eva Cassidy choreo. by Lori Nichol
2004–2005	Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen choreo. by Lea Ann Miller	La Boutique Fantastique by Gioachino Rossini, Ottorino Respighi choreo. by Lea Ann Miller	Pick Yourself Up by Natalie Cole choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi
2003–2004	Orchestral Suite (from My Girl 2) by Cliff Eidelman choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi	Waltz-Scherzo in C major Op. 34 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi	Habanera (from Carmen) by Georges Bizet choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi
2002–2003	Say Hey Kids choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi	Inca Dance and Andes by Cusco choreo. by Machiko Yamada, Mihoko Higuchi

Competitive highlights

Asada (right) on the podium at the 2013 World Championships

Asada (center) on the podium at the 2010 World Championships.

Asada (center) on the podium at the 2008 World Championships.

Results
International
Event	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
Olympics								2nd				6th
Worlds					2nd	1st	4th	1st	6th	6th	3rd
Four Continents						1st	3rd	1st	2nd	2nd	1st
Grand Prix Final				1st	2nd	2nd	1st			WD	1st	1st
GP Bompard				1st		1st	2nd	2nd	5th
GP Cup of China				2nd							1st
GP NHK Trophy					1st		1st		8th	2nd	1st	1st
GP Rostelecom								5th		1st
GP Skate Canada						1st
GP Skate America					3rd							1st
International: Junior, Novice
Junior Worlds			1st	2nd
JGP Final			1st
JGP Ukraine			1st
JGP USA			1st
Mladost Trophy		1st N.
Helena Pajovic		1st N.
National
Event	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
Japan Champ.	7th	8th	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	2nd	1st	1st	3rd
Japan Junior	4th	4th	1st
Japan Novice	1st	1st
Team events
Olympics												5th
World Team							3T / 1P				3T / 5P
Japan Open				1T / 1P	1T / 4P	1T / 1P		3T / 3P	1T / 5P		1T / 2P	1T / 1P
GP = Grand Prix; JGP = Junior Grand Prix; N. = Novice level; WD = Withdrew T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only.

Detailed results

Asada at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics medal ceremony.

Asada with her gold medal at the 2008 World Championships

(Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.)

2006–present

2013–2014 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
February 20–21, 2014	2014 Winter Olympic Games	16 55.51	3 142.71	6 198.22
December 20–23, 2013	2013–2014 Japanese National Championships	1 73.01	3 126.49	3 199.50
December 5–8, 2013	2013–2014 ISU Grand Prix Final	1 72.36	1 131.66	1 204.02
November 8–10, 2013	2013 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	1 71.26	1 136.33	1 207.59
October 18–20, 2013	2013 ISU Grand Prix Skate America	1 73.18	1 131.37	1 204.55
October 5, 2013	2013 Japan Open (individual)	– –	1 135.16	– –
2012–2013 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
April 11–14, 2013	2013 ISU World Team Trophy	5 59.39	5 117.97	5 177.36
March 10–17, 2013	2013 ISU World Championships	6 62.10	2 134.37	3 196.47
February 6–11, 2013	2013 ISU Four Continents Championships	1 74.49	1 130.96	1 205.45
December 20–24, 2012	2012–2013 Japanese National Championships	2 62.81	1 130.75	1 193.56
December 6–9, 2012	2012–2013 ISU Grand Prix Final	1 66.96	1 129.84	1 196.80
November 23 – 25, 2012	2012 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	1 67.95	2 117.32	1 185.27
November 2–4, 2012	2012 ISU Grand Prix Cup of China	2 62.89	1 118.87	1 181.76
October 6, 2012	2012 Japan Open (individual)	–	2 122.04	–
2011–2012 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 26–31, 2012	2012 ISU World Championships	4 59.49	6 105.03	6 164.52
February 7–12, 2012	2012 ISU Four Continents Championships	1 64.25	2 124.37	2 188.62
December 22–26, 2011	2011–2012 Japanese National Championships	2 65.40	2 118.67	1 184.07
November 24–27, 2011	2011 ISU Grand Prix Rostelecom Cup	1 64.29	1 118.96	1 183.25
November 11–13, 2011	2011 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	3 58.42	1 125.77	2 184.19
2010–2011 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
April 24 – May 1, 2011	2011 ISU World Championships	7 58.66	6 114.13	6 172.79
February 15–20, 2011	2011 ISU Four Continents Championships	2 63.41	2 132.89	2 196.30
December 23–26, 2010	2010–2011 Japanese National Championships	1 66.22	2 127.47	2 193.69
November 26–28, 2010	2010 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	7 50.10	5 97.92	5 148.02
October 22–24, 2010	2010 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	8 47.95	8 85.45	8 133.40
October 2, 2010	2010 Japan Open (individual)	–	5 92.44	–
2009–2010 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 22–28, 2010	2010 ISU World Championships	2 68.08	2 129.50	1 197.58
February 14–27, 2010	2010 Winter Olympic Games	2 73.78	2 131.72	2 205.50
January 25–31, 2010	2010 ISU Four Continents Championships	3 57.22	1 126.74	1 183.96
December 25–27, 2009	2009–2010 Japanese National Championships	1 69.12	1 135.50	1 204.62
October 22–25, 2009	2009 ISU Grand Prix Rostelecom Cup	6 51.94	5 98.34	5 150.28
October 15–18, 2009	2009 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	3 58.96	2 115.03	2 173.99
October 3, 2009	2009 Japan Open (individual)	–	3 102.94	–
2008–2009 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
April 15–19, 2009	2009 ISU World Team Trophy	1 75.84	1 126.03	1 201.87
March 23–29, 2009	2009 ISU World Championships	3 66.06	4 122.03	4 188.09
February 4–8, 2009	2009 ISU Four Continents Championships	6 57.86	1 118.66	3 176.52
December 25–27, 2008	2008–2009 Japanese National Championships	2 65.30	2 117.15	1 182.45
December 11–14, 2008	2008–2009 ISU Grand Prix Final	2 65.38	1 123.17	1 188.55
November 27–30, 2008	2008 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	1 64.64	1 126.49	1 191.13
November 13–16, 2008	2008 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	2 58.12	2 109.47	2 167.59
2007–2008 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 17–23, 2008	2008 ISU World Championships	2 64.10	2 121.46	1 185.56
February 13–17, 2008	2008 ISU Four Continents Championships	1 60.94	1 132.31	1 193.25
December 26–28, 2007	2007–2008 Japanese National Championships	1 72.92	2 132.41	1 205.33
December 13–16, 2007	2007–2008 ISU Grand Prix Final	6 59.04	1 132.55	2 191.59
November 15 – 18, 2007	2007 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	1 56.90	1 122.90	1 179.80
November 1 – 4, 2007	2007 ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada	3 58.08	1 119.58	1 177.66
2006–2007 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 19–25, 2007	2007 ISU World Championships	5 61.32	1 133.13	2 194.45
December 27–29, 2006.	2006–2007 Japanese National Championships	1 71.14	1 140.62	1 211.76
December 14–17, 2006	2006–2007 ISU Grand Prix Final	1 69.34	4 103.18	2 172.52
November 30 – December 3, 2006	2006 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy	1 69.50	1 130.02	1 199.52
October 26 – 29, 2006	2006 ISU Grand Prix Skate America	1 68.84	4 102.39	3 171.23

• Personal bests highlighted in bold
• ISU seasons' bests highlighted in Italic.

2003–2006

2005–2006 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 6–12, 2006	2006 ISU World Junior Championships	Junior	1 113.58	2 56.10	2 97.25	2 153.35
December 23–25, 2005	2005–2006 Japanese National Championships	Senior	–	3 66.64	3 121.46	2 188.10
December 16 – 18, 2005	2005–2006 ISU Grand Prix Final	Senior	–	1 64.38	1 125.24	1 189.62
November 17–20, 2005	2005 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard	Senior	–	1 63.96	1 118.46	1 182.42
November 2–6, 2005	2005 ISU Grand Prix Cup of China	Senior	–	2 62.92	3 113.68	2 176.60
2004–2005 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 26 – March 3, 2005	2005 World Junior Championships	Junior	1 112.32	1 60.11	1 119.13	1 179.24
December 24–26, 2004.	2004–2005 Japanese National Championships	Senior	–	4 60.46	2 106.36	2 166.82
December 2–5, 2004	2004–2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final	Junior	–	1 57.91	1 114.92	1 172.83
September 29 – October 3, 2004	2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Ukraine	Junior	–	1 56.24	1 86.75	1 142.99
September 9–12, 2004	2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix, USA	Junior	–	1 50.14	1 87.88	1 138.02
2003–2004 season
Date	Event	Level	TFP	SP	FS	Total
March 10–13, 2004	2004 Mladost Trophy	Novice	1.5	1	1	1
December 2–5, 2003	2003 Helena Pajovic Cup	Novice	2.0	2	1	1

• QR = Qualifying round

External links

• Official Site Template:Ja icon
• Mao Asada at the International Skating Union
• AP Winter Games Athlete Profile: Mao Asada