Tokyo Athlete Certified Player Interview (43)
Kazua Kawabata (Chiyoda Ward/Chofu City) Figure skating (2019/2/26)
【profile】
Tomoe Kawabata Born on January 2002, 1. Belongs to N High School Tokyo
2017 All Japan Junior Championship 6th place
2018 Bavarian Open Junior Champion
2018 All Japan Junior Championship 3th place
2018 All Japan Championship 10th place
Figure skating is gaining popularity among both men and women.While many world-class Japanese players are active, the younger generation is rising to prominence one after another, further deepening the player base.This time, we interviewed Kazua Kawabata, who has been attracting attention among the young generation and was selected to represent Japan in the 2019 World Junior Championship.
In order to level up and fight
Update your personal best at the World Junior Championships.
~ How did the people around you react to being certified as a “Tokyo Athlete Certified Athlete”? ~
I was very happy when I heard the news of the certification, and I was glad that my grandparents were so happy.I'm grateful for all the support from everyone around me, and that support gives me motivation and power to compete.I want to continue to do my best in what I can.
~I heard that Kawabata started taking skating classes from the age of 6. What was the reason for that? ~
I don't remember much about it, but at the time, I had allergies such as asthma and atopic dermatitis, and I started skating because I could train my body in a cool place indoors.I heard this later, but my mother apparently read an article about speed skater Hiroyasu Shimizu winning the gold medal at the Nagano Olympics despite having asthma.
~You said that you started skating to train your body, but what was it like when you started skating? ~
At first, I only practiced once a week, but I really enjoyed skating.Then, I was approached by Shoichiro Tsuzuki, who trained athletes such as Yuzuru Hanyu, and as I received his guidance, I became more and more addicted to skating.
~As a competitor, was there a moment when you realized you were an athlete? ~
My mindset changed when I competed in the All Japan Junior Championships in my third year of junior high school.At that time, I was unable to practice to my satisfaction because I had pulled a muscle before the match, so I went into the match with anxiety and was so nervous that my legs were shaking.In the end, I couldn't move on from the short program to the free program, which was very frustrating.However, even when I did poorly, there were many people who supported me, and I began to realize that I was not skating alone, which changed my attitude toward competition.I want to do everything I can so that I don't have any regrets.
~I heard that you represented the "Bouquet Girls" (*) at the 2015 World Figure Skating National Competition. ~
*Responsible for picking up bouquets and stuffed animals thrown on the rink by fans after the athletes' performances.
It was fun picking up the bouquets (lol).Also, I was happy to see the top skaters I always watch on TV performing in front of me, and I could really feel their aura.The speed and skating skills of the players were at a high level, and I wanted to be like that.
~Who is Kawabata's target player? ~
Ever since I was little, I have loved the performances of Patrick Chan (Canada) and Carolina Kostner (Italy).Both have a sense of unity with the song in their skating, dancing, and jumping, which I think is wonderful.He is someone I want to get closer to.
~ Last year in 2018, he had a great success, finishing 3rd at the All Japan Junior Championship and 10th at the All Japan Championship, and was selected to represent Japan at the 2019 World Junior Championship.What triggered his success? ~
I was disappointed at the All Japan Junior Championships for third-year junior high school students that I mentioned earlier, so after that, I started setting goals for each match and imagining the match beforehand, and I was able to manage my nervousness during matches in a positive direction. Now I can go.Setting goals also helped me clarify the purpose of my practice.
~ People around you praise the beauty of your jumps and aerial movements, what do you think? ~
I consider myself to be good at Lutz jumps.I watch videos of good players and try to imitate them where I can, and I think it's all thanks to Nakako Tsuzuki's solid guidance.
~Please share your enthusiasm for the 3 World Junior Championships, which will be held in Croatia in March. ~
In order to improve my level and compete in the future, I would like to first improve my personal best at the World Junior Championships.Currently, my score at the All Japan Championships is in the 180s, but I will do my best with the goal of increasing my score and breaking my record by completing each program one by one.
~What are your strengths as a competitor as you aim to compete internationally? ~
Other than jumping, I think my ability to continue has improved recently.I keep a journal every day, and I am able to improve my practice by writing down what I accomplished during today's practice and what I would do if I could do it over again.Also, the fact that I keep writing notes in itself gives me confidence.
~ Sapporo is working to host the 2030 Winter Olympics, and expectations are high for the country to host the Games, but what do you think about the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Games next year? ~
I've never watched an Olympic competition live, so I don't know, but I think the Olympics have great power.I think it will be very exciting for the city to be held in Tokyo, and it will be great to be able to see athletes from various sports competing up close.I hope I can watch it at the venue, feel the atmosphere, and use it as my own power.
~ How do you balance your studies and competitions? ~
I chose the current correspondence high school because I wanted to have time for both studying and skating, but I also like studying and going to school, so I chose the commuter course where I attend three times a week.
~ How do you plan your future life? ~
(while opening a notebook with questions I had imagined)...I didn't write them down (lol).I have always wanted to get a job that helps people.Now that I'm in high school, I've met people who are active in various fields, and I'm inspired by them, and I want to do something that makes use of my strengths.
~What do you do on your days off or when you have free time? ~
*At a training session for Tokyo representative players
I look at general stores, stop by bookstores, and often take walks.I always go to the same places, but I slowly go around the area within walking distance from my house, sometimes walking for about 3 hours at a time (lol).If it's spring, I calm my mind while walking while viewing the cherry blossoms.The only thing left to do is read books.When I was in junior high school, I read about 10 books a month at most, and I mainly like stories.I don't have a particular preference for authors or genres; I just go to the library, look at the spine, and if I think it's good, I read it.
~ Figure skating has many fans, but is there anything you would like people to pay attention to? ~
I think the appeal of skating is the smooth movements that can only be achieved on ice, and the ability to express yourself by moving your upper body while taking detailed steps, so I'd like people to pay attention to that.
Story by Nagahisa Ono, Chairman of the Tokyo Skating Federation
Kawabata has very high physical ability, and is especially good at jumping height, spin, and skating, and is excellent in all aspects.If he can show off all of his performance in practice in matches, I think he will be in the top five players in Japan.However, he tends to make mistakes during matches and then get dragged down by them and make more mistakes, so I want him to have mental strength as well.I think he will continue to improve as a player and will be able to compete internationally.
Kawabata has a wonderful smile, as his mother, who was accompanying him to practice, said, ``It's good if he's happy and smiling.''I was a little nervous as this was my first interview, but the day before I had looked at previous articles in this series, imagined the questions and wrote down the answers in my notebook, showing that I was as passionate about research as I was practicing. I was able to catch a glimpse of it. At the World Junior Championships in March, I hope they will be able to do well with the help of your support.
