Shizuka Arakawa Quotations

Right now I still can't believe this has happened. I'm speechless. Over all I felt very good.

I had made mistakes in the short program earlier this season, but I finally didn't make any. I'm satisfied more with my performance than my position. It was my best short program this season and hopefully my performance in the free skate will help take me to the Olympics.

I felt I was losing my balance so I decided not to do the second one.

I feel the importance and value of winning more and more. Unfortunately, I couldn't find time to meet with my parents who were here to watch my performance. Hopefully, I'll share time with them after coming back home to Japan.

I got a strong feeling while I was skating here that this was going to be one last highlight for my skating career. I had basically the same feeling at the world championships two years ago.

I thought we'd be sending some younger skaters to Turin. I'll need to rethink things now that I've made it and am looking forward to the challenge.

I was a little nervous today, but there was not any major mistake tonight. It was ok.

Overall, I felt very good. I'm just very surprised.

I think I will realize that I have won gold in the next two or three days. Many times I've thought about quitting. I'm happy I have continued.

I'm so surprised. I can't find the words for it.

I wasn't expecting this. I'm finding it hard to find words. I couldn't think at all with that gold medal around my neck.

To win I need to do a triple-triple jump. But I've got to be good overall. I don't see the triple-triple combination alone as the winning factor.

As I was third in the short program, I was hoping to win a medal. But I forced myself not to think about it.

It's surprising right now. I can't find a certain word for it.

It'll make me happy if I skate in ice show events, and hopefully I'd like to be a skater making people want to come and watch as long as possible.

I hope this will be an inspiration for the future generation of skaters.

I'm surprised right now. I can't find the words for it. I couldn't think at all during the medal ceremony, with the gold medal around my neck.

I'm surprised right now and can't find the words to express what I'm feeling.

I'm really happy to have received something so fantastic. I want to look at it (in a mirror).

I'm quite comfortable with my skating now and I think I made the right decision over the music changes. I want to perform the way people might say they want to watch it again.

I?m just surprised right now. I can?t find the words for it.

I'm just so surprised about all of this that I'm speechless. I never expected that I would be the first one to win a medal for Japan, so I didn't feel that pressure. But I'm very happy that I am the one who won it.

I'm satisfied with the way I skated today. I didn't make any major mistakes, I planned to do a triple lutz, triple loop but didn't have the confidence to pull it off.

I poured all my strength into the Olympics, which was always the chief priority for me and I'm still in a situation where I can't relax.

I never thought that I'd be able to win this gold medal, so I felt no pressure. I was surprised at what I've done and I'm glad that it was the first medal for Japan in Turin.

I cannot believe it. I made a mistake in the program, but I could skate with pleasure. I think I will realize I have won a gold in the next two or three days.

It's not that I haven't given it (turning pro) careful thought, it's just that I am torn as to which course I should take. There is no need to rush. I won't be consulting anybody about this and I will do things my own way.