Miki Ando: Sports Give Emotion and Courage Through Imperfection

“I was never able to relax, and it was scary.”

Looking straight into the interviewer’s eyes, Ando carefully chose her words one by one. Her demeanor seemed far removed from the determined image the public often had of her.

“Since the Torino Olympics, when I first competed, I may have stopped trusting anyone on a deep level. I feel that especially now. I’ve had many painful experiences where I blindly trusted others, and it hurt.”

Having won the World Championship twice, in 2007 and 2011, Ando Miki (37), a professional figure skater, competed in two consecutive Winter Olympics, in Torino and Vancouver. Despite her brilliant achievements, she was not always met with positive public perception. Having often portrayed strong and seductive characters like Carmen and Cleopatra, the image of her as a powerful and alluring woman became something that was independently developed and detached from reality.

“My close friends say, ‘Miki laughs a lot, but she also has weak sides mentally, and I’ve never thought she’s intimidating or scary.’ I think there’s a gap between the image the public has of me and who I really am. Even so, I don’t feel like I should loudly deny it and say, ‘That’s not who I am!’ because I think that would be wrong.”

Since her teenage years, Ando has constantly attracted public attention. At 14, she became the first female figure skater to land a quadruple jump in an official competition, and at 16, she won her first national championship. When she decided to compete in the 2006 Torino Olympics, the fact that she was still a high school student sparked a nationwide frenzy. From then on, her every move, even outside the rink, was closely watched.

“Reporters and photographers would wait outside my house and school, and I would be approached. It was like being followed wherever I went, and there was no time to relax. It was scary.”

At that age, her body was going through changes, and harsh comments from the audience, such as “You’re too fat” or “Lose weight,” caused her distress.

“I drastically reduced carbohydrates and even worried about the tiny bit of oil in the eggs I cooked, making them in the microwave. But my weight wouldn’t drop at all. It was natural for my body to gain weight during my growth period, but I hated my body shape at the time.”

At the Torino Olympics, she finished 15th due to a foot injury before the competition, and faced severe criticism, with comments like “A skater who can’t produce results is unnecessary.” Ando chuckled and said, “I don’t remember much from that time.”

“I think it was so painful that I had to erase those memories to keep going. I didn’t want to step outside. I even had periods where I didn’t want to face my family and would lock myself in my room.”

In the January 10 issue of FRIDAY (January 24-31 combined edition) and the paid FRIDAY GOLD, Ando opens up about how she faced the intense defamation and her current mindset as she looks to restart as a professional skater and coach.

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