Today's Program of the Day comes courtesy of Mirai Nagasu. After suffering all the way through US Nationals and ending up in fifth, she's finally admitted that it's time for a rest and has withdrawn from Junior Worlds. However, she won't just be sitting at home, as Phil Hersh has reported on the Los Angeles Times site that she will be part of the broadcast team for Japan's Fuji TV.
Nagasu, a Japanese American from Arcadia, will spend her time at Staples Center doing interviews. She is to work from a position in the stands.
Not a bad gig for someone who doesn't turn 16 until April.
And if Nagasu is as effusive in Japanese as she is in English, the TV audience should get quite an earful.
It likely will be a huge audience, given the popularity of skating in Japan since Shizuka Arakawa won the 2006 Olympic gold medal and countrywomen Miki Ando and Mao Asada (both on the 2009 Japanese team) followed by becoming the 2007 and 2008 world champions. In 2007, when the world competition was in Tokyo, Fuji got a 38% share for the women's final.
"I haven't been on the ice since U.S. Championships" in late January, Nagasu said in the Feb. 12 announcement of her withdrawal from junior worlds. "I'm not going to step back on the ice until we are confident that my pain is gone.''
Watch the highly talented young skater's SP to "I Got Rhythm" from last season's Nationals below. Incredible flexibility, and great expression shown throughout. Get better soon Mirai!
