OLYMPIC REVIEW41 VANCOUVER 2010 MAOASADAANDYU- NAKIM YU- NA KIM What are your music choices for this Olympic year? I had a lot of ideas for this season. My choreographer David Wilson suggested the James Bond Medley for the short programme and when I heard this music for the first time, I knew right away that it would be something different. It is not a music that women often choose, but it is something special and I'm very happy with it. For the long programme, I'm skating to " Concerto in F" by George Gershwin. You are the only woman to have surpassed the 200 points barrier. What does it mean to you? I actually don't care so much about the score. Figure skating is not about a score. I just try to express myself. You have become very popular in Korea. How do you deal with the attention? I'm getting used to this popularity, but sometimes in competition I feel the pressure. However, it is also an experience to overcome this kind of pressure. Your coach Brian Orser said that you are a very shy person off the ice. I was very shy when I first met Brian, but my character changed with the experience I got from all the competitions and events. Now I'm enjoying performing in front of so many people. You are headed to your first Olympic Winter Games as one of the top contenders. What do you expect it to be like? I watched the 1998 Olympic Winter Games on TV and I dreamed of being there. In Turin in 2006, I was too young. Now I can finally go. I'm a little nervous, but I skated well last season and at the beginning of this season, therefore I'm confident. MAO ASADA What are your music choices for this Olympic year? In the short programme, I'm skating to " Waltz Masquerade". For the free skating, I chose " Bells of Moscow" by Sergei Rachmaninov. What new challenges did you set for yourself for this season? I want to do three triple Axels - a triple Axel- double toeloop combination in the short programme and two triple Axels in the long programme. You are currently the only woman to consistently perform a triple Axel in competition. How do you do this difficult jump? I've trained the Axel from the very beginning of my career and it comes naturally to me. You are extremely popular in Japan. How do you deal with all this attention from the media and the public? The media has been following me since I was a child, so I'm used to it, and I actually like it. The pressure comes only from myself, as I'm not sure if I always can show in competition what I can do in practice. I need to develop more confidence. You are one of the top contenders for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, which is also your first Olympic participation. What do you expect it to be like? My participation is not sure yet, first I have to be selected for the Japanese Olympic team and I have to earn my place, but if I make it, I will be very excited. I really want to be there to compete in Vancouver. What is your Olympic dream? Ever since watching the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano at home my dream was to compete at the Games and to win the gold medal. FIGURE SKATING JAPAN'S MAO ASADAAND YU- NA KIMOF KOREA WILL GO HEAD TO HEAD FOR THE WOMEN'S FIGURE SKATING GOLD MEDAL IN WHAT IS EXPECTED TO BE ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GAMES LeftYu- Na Kim BelowMao Asada

42OLYMPIC REVIEW VANCOUVER 2010 SHELLEY RUDMAN How did it feel to win Olympic silver in Turin? It was a truly magical experience, I knew medaling was in reaching distance but it was still a little bit surreal to think of doing it at my first Games. It was the right timing, the right place and it was one of my favourite tracks. You have become a mother since the 2006 Games, how has that affected preparation? I am trying to get back to my competitive best and at the same time, loving the fact that I have a little daughter with me. There came a point near the end of my pregnancy when I really wanted to be on the ice and back competing, I had come through the relaxed stage and began to remember why I love the sport and why I love to compete. Juggling motherhood and full- time training is quite tricky but that's because I want to give all my time to both. What are your impressions of the Vancouver track? If I am brutally honest, it's not my favourite at the moment, I got on all right with it to begin with but then a few poor sequences knocked my confidence. I take a long time to connect with a track but if I can work everything out in my head then it might be a good day. I am not worried - I am still making stepping- stones after my return. Who will be your biggest rivals in Vancouver? Maya [ Pedersen- Bieri] had a baby six months after me, so did Noelle [ Pickus- Pace] but they will be very strong competitors in Vancouver. We are all getting back into the sport and perhaps it is not all clicking at the moment. I know that when it comes together for those two they are incredible sportswomen and are both capable of taking gold. SKELETON ICE HOCKEY SHELLEY RUDMAN WON THE SILVER MEDAL FOR GREAT BRITAIN IN THE WOMEN'S SKELETON IN TURIN. AFTER TAKING TIME OFF TO BECOME A MOTHER SHE IS BACK AND AIMING TO GO ONE BETTER IN VANCOUVER JAROME IGINLA What are you looking forward to most about the Games? It's going to be a huge honour to represent Canada in Canada, with that electricity and that excitement. After Turin, what a chance for Team Canada to get an opportunity to rebound right at home and win a gold medal. Is training for an Olympic Games any different than training for a regular hockey season? Most guys probably train a little bit different going into the orientation camp in August. You're preparing earlier, trying to get a little bit more ice time. Camp was quick, it was very competitive. Who do you think will be Canada's chief competition in 2010 - Russia and the U. S.? Finland's always strong, feisty, and competitive. Sweden. Even in Salt Lake, there were a lot of very close games - Germany, the Czechs. What does it mean to you that these Games will be held in Western Canada? Being in Western Canada, my family and friends can make it there. Vancouver is a beautiful city, and the set- up looks like it's going to be awesome for the Olympic Games. Turin, when we didn't win, was still an amazing experience. I think this Games, with Canada behind it, will be even better. RIGHT- WING JAROME IGINLAIS HOPING FOR A REPEAT OF CANADA'S SALT LAKE CITY 2002 GOLD MEDAL WIN IN THE MEN'S ICE HOCKEY