Behind the glory of Japan's figure skating
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Loading... - Mawar Anam
- 24 Jan 2023
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Behind the shiny medals and cheerful celebrations, countless people work tirelessly to help the student-athletes competing at the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games find their way into the spotlight.
At figure skating events, Yoshiko Kobayashi was one of the many individuals who had a hand in the success of the Japanese team.
Kobayashi is one of the members of Team Japan who decide which skater are sent to international events such as the FISU Games, world championships and Four Continents championships, as well as summer camps, inviting top skaters from overseas.
Among her many tasks, she also makes sure athletes are on schedule and where they need to be. If athletes do not have enough practice time, she finds ways to schedule them at an ice rink before the event.
For Lake Placid 2023, her responsibilities changed as the team leader got sick before the Games and asked her to also take over her job, which is mainly taking care of anything the athletes need.
“When I started I didn’t understand what I had to do. For example, the skaters always want to blow their nose, but there is no garbage can, so I have it prepared,” she said while showing the kit she has with her every time she goes to a competition.
It’s an “all-inclusive-ready-for-any-emergency” tool, including a sewing kit, tissues, garbage bags, and much more. It was so helpful that even though she works for Team Japan, she ends up helping skaters from other countries when needed.
With so many high-level athletes on a single team, including champions, medal winners and non-podium finishers, Kobayashi says it’s imperative to take care of all of them after the event, but she makes sure she adjusts how she approaches them.
“I try to be natural and to take even more time for the lower-ranked athletes. It’s very important because higher-ranked skaters are so busy. And also I take care of the top skaters for the podium because there are so many rules.”
These include making sure the skaters have a proper uniform for medal ceremonies. However, once she has made sure top skaters are taken care of, she goes back to her other skaters. Read More…
