Akiko Suzuki

Akiko Suzuki
Akiko Suzuki at the 2012 World Championships in Nice, France
Personal information
Country represented  Japan
Born (1985-03-28) March 28, 1985
Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Coach Hiroshi Nagakubo, Yoriko Naruse
Former coach Masoko Ogino
Choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo, Massimo Scali
Former choreographer Anjelika Krylova, Kenji Miyamoto, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Yukako Sugita
Skating club Howa Sports Land
Training locations Nagoya
Began skating 1992
Retired 2014
World standing 5 (As of 25 January 2014)[1]
Season's bests 4 (2013–14)[2]
3 (2012–13)[3]
4 (2011–12)[4]
11 (2010–11)[5]
8 (2009–10)[6]
13 (2008–09)[7]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 199.58
2013 World Team Trophy
Short program 71.02
2014 World Championships
Free skate 133.02
2013 World Team Trophy
Medal record
Figure skating: Ladies' singles
Representing  Japan
World Championships
2012 NiceSingles
Four Continents Championships
2010 JeonjuSingles
2013 OsakaSingles
Grand Prix Final
2011–12 QuebecSingles
2009–10 TokyoSingles
2012–13 SochiSingles
Winter Universiade
2007 TurinSingles
Junior Grand Prix Final
2001–02 BledSingles
World Team Trophy
2012 TokyoTeam
2013 TokyoTeam

Akiko Suzuki (鈴木 明子, Suzuki Akiko) (born March 28, 1985) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is the 2012 World Championships bronze medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final medalist (2011 silver, 2009 & 2012 bronze), a two-time Four Continents silver medalist (2010, 2013), the 2007 Winter Universiade champion, and the 2014 Japanese national champion. She finished eighth at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Personal life

Suzuki was born on March 28, 1985 in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture.[8] She became engaged to a former classmate in June 2016[9] and married him on February 1, 2017.[10] They divorced in 2018.[11]

Career

Suzuki with coach Hiroshi Nagakubo

Suzuki trained in Nagoya, Japan.[12] At the same time, she worked for Toho Real Estate, which has its own skating rink.[13]

Early career

Suzuki won the bronze medal at the 2001–02 Junior Grand Prix Final. After a successful junior career, she was hampered by her struggles with anorexia nervosa which began at age 18 when she left home for university.[14][13] Her weight having fallen to 32 kg, she was unable to jump and missed the entire 2003–2004 season.[14] It took her a year to gain back the weight she had lost.[14]

2004–2005 to 2008–2009

Suzuki returned to competitive skating in the 2004–2005 season after being inspired by Shizuka Arakawa's victory at the 2004 World Championships.[15] She began working with coach Hiroshi Nagakubo in the early 2000s.[13]

She had a breakthrough in 2007–2008, winning several events, and achieving her highest finish at Japanese nationals since 2002. She consequently received her first senior Grand Prix assignment in 2008–2009, and won the silver medal at the 2008 NHK Trophy. That same season, she also won the 2008 Finlandia Trophy and finished 8th at the 2009 Four Continents Championships.

2009–2010 season

Suzuki appeared at two Grand Prix events, winning the 2009 Cup of China and finishing 5th at the 2009 Skate Canada International. She qualified to the 2009–10 Grand Prix Final, where she won the bronze medal. She was awarded a place on the Japanese Olympic team after she placed second at the 2009–10 Japan Championships. She was also assigned to compete at the 2010 Four Continents Championships, where she won the silver medal. At the Olympics, she finished 8th, and was later 11th at the 2010 World Championships – her first senior Worlds.

2010–2011 season

Suzuki opened her season with gold at the 2010 Finlandia Trophy. She received silver at both of her Grand Prix events, the 2010 Cup of Russia and the 2010 Cup of China. She qualified for her second consecutive Grand Prix Final, this time finishing fourth. A fourth-place finish at the national championships left her off the Worlds team, but she was selected to go to the 2011 Four Continents Championships, where she finished 7th.

2011–2012 season

Akiko at 2012 World Championships

Competing again on the Grand Prix series, Suzuki won the silver medal at the 2011 Skate Canada International and the gold medal at the 2011 NHK Trophy. Her placements qualified her for the 2011 Grand Prix Final where she won the silver medal. She won the silver behind Mao Asada at the 2011–12 Japan Championships.[16] At the 2012 World Championships, Suzuki won the bronze medal,[17] becoming the oldest ladies' single skater to medal at the event since Maria Butyrskaya. At the 2012 ISU World Team Trophy, she won the ladies' event, defeating World champion Carolina Kostner. Team Japan also won the event overall.

2012–2013 season

Suzuki received the same Grand Prix assignments as the previous season. She won the silver medal at the 2012 Skate Canada International and the 2012 NHK Trophy, qualifying her for the 2012–13 Grand Prix Final. At the final, she placed third in the short program. She fell twice in the free skating, finishing third overall.[18] In December 2012, Suzuki said that the 2013–14 season would be her last.[19] She finished fourth at the 2012–13 Japan Championships behind Satoko Miyahara.

Suzuki won the silver medal at the 2013 Four Continents Championships, as part of a Japanese sweep of the ladies' event with teammates Mao Asada and Kanako Murakami taking the gold and bronze medal respectively. She placed twelfth at the 2013 World Championships. At the 2013 World Team Trophy, Suzuki placed first; Team Japan placed third overall. Her free skating score of 133.02 and her combined total score of 199.58 are her personal best scores.

2013–2014 season

Suzuki began her season at the 2013 Finlandia Trophy, where she won the silver medal behind Yulia Lipnitskaya. She won another silver at the 2013 Skate Canada International, again behind Lipnitskaya. At the 2013 NHK Trophy, she earned the bronze medal after placing second in the short and fourth in the free skating.

Suzuki won gold at the 2013–14 Japan Championships, ahead of Kanako Murakami and Mao Asada. She placed second in the short program behind Asada, but rebounded to first place after winning the free skating. She skated two clean programs and earned the highest free skating and total score to date in the ladies' event at the Japan Figure Skating Championships.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Suzuki competed in the free skating portion of the figure skating team event, placing fourth in that segment; Japan finished fifth overall. She went on to place eighth in the ladies' singles competition. At the 2014 World Championships, she placed fourth in the short program with a personal best score, eighth in the free skating, and sixth overall. Following the World Championships, Suzuki announced her retirement from competitive skating.

Post-competitive career

Following her retirement in 2014, Suzuki began working as a choreographer and teaching with her longtime coach, Hiroshi Nagakubo, at the Howa Sports Land Skating Club in the Aichi Prefecture. She has choreographed for Rika Hongo, Rin Nitaya, and other young skaters.[20][21] She credited figure skating choreographers Shae-Lynn Bourne and Pasquale Camerlengo for inspiring her to start working as a choreographer.[22]

Programs

Suzuki at the 2010 Olympics
Suzuki at the 2012 World Championships

Post-2014

Season Exhibition
2017–2018

Pre-2014

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2013–2014
[8]
2012–2013
[24]
2011–2012
[25]
2010–2011
[26]
  • Ice Queen
    by Paul Dinletir
  • Prophecy
    by Harem
    choreo. by Miki Sakagami and JANSU
2009–2010
[27]
2008–2009
[28]
2007–2008
  • Titanic
    by James Horner
2006–2007
2005–2006
2004–2005
2003–2004
2002–2003
2001–2002
[29]
2000–2001

Competitive highlights

Suzuki did not compete in the 2003–2004 season.

2004–2005 through 2013–2014

GP: Grand Prix

International[30]
Event 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Olympics8th8th
Worlds11th3rd12th6th
Four Continents8th2nd7th2nd
GP Final3rd4th2nd3rd
GP Cup of China1st2nd
GP Cup of Russia2nd
GP NHK Trophy2nd1st2nd3rd
GP Skate Canada5th2nd2nd2nd
Finlandia Trophy1st1st2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy3rd
Challenge Cup1st
Golden Spin7th1st
Triglav Trophy1st
Universiade8th1st
New Zealand WG1st
National[31]
Event 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Japan Champ.12th12th10th5th4th2nd4th2nd4th1st
Japan Junior3rd5th
Team events
Olympics5th
World Team
Trophy		1st T
1st P		3rd T
1st P
Japan Open3rd T
3rd P		1st T
3rd P
T = Team result; P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

1998–1999 to 2002–2003

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[30]
Event 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03
Four Continents8th
International: Junior
Junior Worlds7th
JGP Final3rd
JGP China5th
JGP Czech Republic3rd
JGP Japan1st
JGP Norway8th
JGP Ukraine6th
JGP United States1st
Triglav Trophy2nd J
National[30]
Japan Champ.4th4th9th
Japan Junior Champ.3rd5th2nd5th5th

Detailed results

Suzuki at the medal ceremony of the 2013 Four Continents Championships
Suzuki at the medal ceremony of the 2012 World Championships

Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.

2013–14 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 24–30, 2014 2014 World Championships 4
71.02		 8
122.70		 6
193.72
February 19–20, 2014 2014 Winter Olympics 8
60.97		 8
125.35		 8
186.32
February 6–9, 2014 2014 Winter Olympics team event – 4
112.33		 5T
December 20–23, 2013 2013–14 Japan Championships 2
70.19		 1
144.99		 1
215.18
November 8–10, 2013 2013 NHK Trophy 2
66.03		 4
113.29		 3
179.32
October 25–27, 2013 2013 Skate Canada International 2
65.76		 2
127.99		 2
193.75
October 4–6, 2013 2013 Finlandia Trophy 2
64.57		 3
115.97		 2
180.54
2012–13 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 11–14, 2013 2013 World Team Trophy 2
66.56		 1
133.02		 3T / 1P
199.58P
March 10–17, 2013 2013 World Championships 7
61.17		 13
103.42		 12
164.59
February 8–11, 2013 2013 Four Continents Championships 2
65.65		 2
124.43		 2
190.08
December 20–23, 2012 2012–13 Japan Championships 1
65.09		 5
114.94		 4
180.03
December 6–9, 2012 2012–13 Grand Prix Final 3
65.00		 3
115.77		 3
180.77
November 23–25, 2012 2012 NHK Trophy 5
58.60		 1
126.62		 2
185.22
October 26–28, 2012 2012 Skate Canada International 5
55.12		 1
120.04		 2
175.16
2011–12 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 18–22, 2012 2012 World Team Trophy 2
67.51		 2
120.28		 1T / 1P
187.79P
March 26 – April 1, 2012 2012 World Championships 5
59.38		 2
121.30		 3
180.68
December 23–25, 2011 2011–12 Japan Championships 3
59.60		 1
119.67		 2
179.27
December 8–11, 2011 2011–12 Grand Prix Final 2
61.30		 3
118.46		 2
179.76
November 11–13, 2011 2011 NHK Trophy 1
66.55		 2
119.43		 1
185.98
October 27–30, 2011 2011 Skate Canada International 4
52.82		 1
119.44		 2
172.26
2010–11 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 7–10, 2011 2011 Triglav Trophy 1
57.15		 2
90.83		 1
147.98
February 15–20, 2011 2011 Four Continents Championships 6
57.64		 7
104.95		 7
162.59
December 23–26, 2010 2010–11 Japan Championships 7
56.86		 4
119.10		 4
175.96
December 9–12, 2010 2010–11 Grand Prix Final 4
58.26		 5
115.46		 4
173.72
November 19–21, 2010 2010 Cup of Russia 1
57.43		 2
115.31		 2
172.74
November 5–7, 2010 2010 Cup of China 2
57.97		 2
104.89		 2
162.86
October 8–10, 2010 2010 Finlandia Trophy 2
57.74		 1
108.83		 1
166.57
2009–10 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 22–28, 2010 2010 World Championships 20
48.36		 7
111.68		 11
160.04
February 12–28, 2010 2010 Winter Olympics 11
61.02		 7
120.42		 8
181.44
January 25–31, 2010 2010 Four Continents Championships 1
58.88		 2
114.84		 2
173.72
December 25–27, 2009 2009–10 Japan Championships 4
67.84		 2
128.06		 2
195.90
December 3–6, 2009 2009–10 Grand Prix Final 5
57.54		 3
116.46		 3
174.00
November 19–22, 2009 2009 Skate Canada International 8
53.10		 5
94.62		 5
147.72
October 29 – November 1, 2009 2009 Cup of China 4
59.52		 1
117.14		 1
176.66
2008–09 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 2–8, 2009 2009 Four Continents Championships 9
55.40		 8
104.96		 8
160.36
December 25–27, 2008 2008–09 Japan Championships 6
57.02		 3
116.96		 4
173.98
November 27–30, 2008 2008 NHK Trophy 4
55.56		 2
112.08		 2
167.64
October 9–12, 2008 2008 Finlandia Trophy 1
58.40		 1
112.28		 1
170.68
September 25–28, 2008 2008 Nebelhorn Trophy 3
55.02		 3
91.91		 3
146.93
2007–08 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 6–9, 2008 2008 Challenge Cup 1
53.70		 1
98.32		 1
152.02
December 26–28, 2007 2007–08 Japan Championships 5
58.66		 5
101.27		 5
159.93
November 8–11, 2007 2007 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1
55.62		 1
101.28		 1
156.90
2006–07 season
Date Event SP FS Total
January 17–27, 2007 2007 Winter Universiade 1
50.40		 1
97.84		 1
148.24
December 27–29, 2006 2006–07 Japan Championships 11
48.72		 9
96.50		 10
145.22
  • ^team event – This is a team event; medals are awarded for the team results only.
    • ^T – team result
    • ^P – personal/individual result

References

  1. ↑ "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance : Ladies". International Skating Union. January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  2. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2013/2014 : Ladies". International Skating Union. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2012/2013 : Ladies". International Skating Union. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2011/2012 : Ladies". International Skating Union. March 31, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2010/2011 : Ladies". International Skating Union. April 30, 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  6. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2009/2010 : Ladies". International Skating Union. March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  7. ↑ "ISU Judging System – Season Bests Total Scores 2008/2009 : Ladies". International Skating Union. April 18, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Akiko SUZUKI: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014.
  9. ↑ "鈴木明子さんが結婚へ！人生の"金メダル"をゲット／フィギュア" [Suzuki to get married] (in Japanese). yahoo.co.jp. June 14, 2016. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016.
  10. ↑ "フィギュア鈴木明子さん"綾野剛と星野源を足して２で割った"小学校同級生と結婚" (in Japanese). yahoo.co.jp. February 6, 2017. Archived from the original on February 6, 2017.
  11. ↑ "元フィギュア選手の鈴木明子さん、スピード離婚…結婚生活１年７カ月で". sanspo.com (in Japanese). October 12, 2018. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ Flade, Tatjana (April 18, 2010). "The exception to the rule". GoldenSkate.com. Archived from the original on 2010-08-08. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 Gallagher, Jack (May 16, 2012). "Suzuki aiming higher following best season of career". The Japan Times.
  14. 1 2 3 "Suzuki seeks to show her power at Skate Canada". Agence France-Presse. November 19, 2009. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  15. ↑ Moore, Emmeline (February 22, 2010). "Akiko finally gets to live Olympic dream". Agence France-Presse. Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  16. ↑ Fielding, Gus (December 26, 2011). "Mao scores emotional national crown victory". The Japan Times.
  17. ↑ "Figure skater Akiko looks to future". Agence France-Presse. Google News. April 2, 2012. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014.
  18. ↑ Rutherford, Lynn (December 9, 2012). "News Runaway victory gives Asada third GP Final title". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Suzuki says next season will be her last". Kyodo News. The Japan Times. December 25, 2012.
  20. ↑ "鈴木明子が描く振付師としての理想像 「本人が知らない自分を引き出したい」". Sports Navi. Sports Navi. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "Ladies". ISU Results. ISU. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  22. ↑ "I think I started really considering becoming a choreographer after I..." Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  23. ↑ THE Legends - Medal Winners Gala 2018 (Television production). TBS 1. March 30, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 9, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010.
  28. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 17, 2009.
  29. ↑ "Akiko SUZUKI: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 14, 2002.
  30. 1 2 3 "Competition Results: Akiko SUZUKI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
  31. ↑ "鈴木 明子 SUZUKI Akiko" (in Japanese). Japan Skating Federation. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014.
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