Post by Admin on Nov 30, 2020 22:59:03 GMT
An accidental beginning
Takahashi began skating at the age of eight after an ice rink was built near his house. His mother wanted him to sign up for the local hockey club, but he didn’t enjoy the protective gear that was necessary for hockey, so instead chose the figure skating club. His three older brothers took on karate.
Six years later, in 2000, he was third at Japanese nationals in the juniors. Two years on he was junior national champion, then went on to win the 2002 junior world title, becoming the first Japanese man to do so.
Takahashi recently celebrated skating for 26 years in the sport, writing on Instagram: “I didn’t think I would be starting ice dance in Florida. I really don’t know what will happen in life. Interesting.”
Takahashi is taking on history by partnering with Muramoto in dance, and is attempting to move from being an Olympian in singles to ice dance for the first time in the sport, according to NBC Sports via Olympedia.org.
“That may be pretty unprecedented,” said Tanith (Belbin) White, the 2006 silver medallist with Ben Agosto in ice dance, in reference to Takahashi’s discipline switch.
The team is coached by Marina Zueva, the same mentor who worked with both Davis and White as well as Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. Zueva calls Takahashi “Zeus,” she said, because: “When he’s on the ice he’s just flying around,” she told NBC.
While Beijing is the goal, could Muramoto and Takahashi be contenders for a medal 15 months from now?
“If they will train how they did right now and improve how they improved like every day [this year], they seriously could fight for podium at Olympics,” Zueva told NBC. “For now, what they are, it’s very hard to say.”
Takahashi began skating at the age of eight after an ice rink was built near his house. His mother wanted him to sign up for the local hockey club, but he didn’t enjoy the protective gear that was necessary for hockey, so instead chose the figure skating club. His three older brothers took on karate.
Six years later, in 2000, he was third at Japanese nationals in the juniors. Two years on he was junior national champion, then went on to win the 2002 junior world title, becoming the first Japanese man to do so.
http://instagram.com/p/B7r6VPHn5zW
Takahashi recently celebrated skating for 26 years in the sport, writing on Instagram: “I didn’t think I would be starting ice dance in Florida. I really don’t know what will happen in life. Interesting.”
Takahashi is taking on history by partnering with Muramoto in dance, and is attempting to move from being an Olympian in singles to ice dance for the first time in the sport, according to NBC Sports via Olympedia.org.
http://instagram.com/p/B4nMSx3ngSI
“That may be pretty unprecedented,” said Tanith (Belbin) White, the 2006 silver medallist with Ben Agosto in ice dance, in reference to Takahashi’s discipline switch.
The team is coached by Marina Zueva, the same mentor who worked with both Davis and White as well as Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir for the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. Zueva calls Takahashi “Zeus,” she said, because: “When he’s on the ice he’s just flying around,” she told NBC.
While Beijing is the goal, could Muramoto and Takahashi be contenders for a medal 15 months from now?
“If they will train how they did right now and improve how they improved like every day [this year], they seriously could fight for podium at Olympics,” Zueva told NBC. “For now, what they are, it’s very hard to say.”