[News] Miki Ando back on top at world figure skating 2011 replace Kim Yu-na.

[News] Miki Ando back on top at world figure skating 2011 replace Kim Yu-na.
Cr. - http://www.andfed.com/

Miki Ando credited new-found maturity on her success as she returned to the top of world figure skating this weekend by capturing a second world title.

The world championships had been billed as a battle between titleholder Mao Asada of Japan and Olympic champion Kim Yu-Na of South Korea.

But the 23-year-old Ando, who created history nine years ago by becoming the first and only woman to land a quadruple jump in competition, showed that she is still a force to be reckoned with.

She surged ahead of Kim who had lead after the short programme to take gold in the free skate final, with the South Korean settling for silver, and Asada finishing sixth.

Ando said she feels comfortable competing in Moscow where she trains for part of the year with Russian coach Nikolai Morozov whom she credits with her revival in form.

"We've worked for a long time together, now we don't even have to talk, we know each other so well," she explained.

"Before a competition he just says, 'Believe in yourself, believe what we work in, just think each element one by one and the important thing is to just enjoy skating'.

"Of course we have had good and bad times on the ice together, we fight, we laugh and we cry together.

"This time it works so well and he helps me so much with my skating and my life. For me he's the best coach in the world and I just want to say thank you so much to Nikolai Morozov."



Ando blames self-doubt and a tendency to over-analyse for her failure to live up to her potential in recent years.

Despite slumping to fifth in last year's Olympics and fourth at the subsequent worlds Ando has been the form skater this season.

She won two Grand Prix in Beijing and Moscow, the Four Continents title and recaptured the Japanese national title for the first time in six years.

"Four years ago I didn't have an idea to have a medal. I had a bad injury and didn't skate for two weeks before the competition," she explains of her first world gold in 2007.

"I just did my job and it was a gold medal. This time I had a goal of having a medal. I worked hard and became a strong skater then four years ago. I knew I had a chance of a medal."

Ando's performance to Grieg's Piano Concerto No. 1 on Saturday featured five triple jumps including two triple lutzes, but she doubled the planned triple toeloop in her combination jump and stumbled.

She scored 195.79 points overall to finish 1.29 points ahead of Kim with Italy's Carolina Kostner taking bronze.

"It wasn't perfect I had some small mistakes and not enough speed but I'm just happy because I was skating for Japan and I'm just happy to have a medal this time.

"This was the last time to skate this programme and I really wanted to show my best," Ando said.

"I won my first world title in Japan and now my second title here in Moscow and I'm very happy about that as I consider Russia as my second home."