Ando wins Japanese title, Asada second qualifies for world figure skating champs
Ando wins Japanese title, Asada second
Miki Ando claimed her third Japanese National title Sunday in Nagano - her first since the 2004/05 season.
The 2007 world champion landed six triples in her free skate to top short program leader Mao Asada.
The reigning world champ Asada skated her two best programs of the season to win the silver medal. Her triple Axel attempt was called under-rotated, but the 20-year-old landed five total triples to top world junior champ Kanako Murakami in third.
Olympian Akiko Suzuki improved from seventh in the short program to fourth overall.
source & full list of the top 10@: universalsports
Asada qualifies for world figure skating champs
Vancouver Olympic silver medallist Mao Asada took her final chance to qualify for next year's world figure skating championships with a strong showing at the national tournament on Sunday.
Asada, 20 who has been struggling all season, would have missed out on the worlds if she had ended outside the podium places.
Despite failing one triple axel the five-time national champion finished with 193.69 points, behind 2007 world champion Miki Ando who scored 202.34 points with a near perfect performance.
Last season's world junior champion Kanako Murakami, 16, will join Asada and Ando in the worlds after finishing third.
The top three men's singles finishers also qualified for the world championships to be held in Tokyo from March 21-27 after Takahiko Kozuka, Nobunari Oda and Daisuke Takahashi filled the podium.
source: afp