PJ Kwong

Favourite skating moments, and we all have one or two, are not always about the making of today’s champions…they sometimes say as much about the speaker, as they do about the skating event or skater featured in that moment…in today’s Edgework:

TAKESHI HONDA

Technical Merit - Personal and professional highlights

· 2002 Olympic Team member.

· 2002 World Men’s Bronze Medallist

· Japanese Men’s Champion

Artistic Impression - The essence of their story

‘Although I started out as a speed skater, I lasted 8 months, my most memorable moments have been as a figure skater. From the time a coach saw me from the figure skating ice, located in the middle of our speed skating rink, and asked if I wanted to try. My parents went out and bought me not very good quality skates and, from the minute I stepped on the ice and started to fly around, as I had in my speed skates, I loved it…only problem…toe-picks, and welcome to my first face plant. Fast forward to the time when, as a 14-year-old, I had a great year during the 1995 – 96 season. I skated at Senior Nationals for the first time, where I had both clean short and long programs, which paved the way for my winning the Senior event. I also won the Junior National event that year. This meant that I went to just about every competition going, including both Junior and Senior Worlds. Junior Worlds felt more like a regular competition, but wow, when I got to Senior Worlds, I was totally in awe. I think back on it now and smile, as I found myself totally unable to concentrate on practice, totally distracted by sharing the ice with some of the best skaters of the day.’