冬季オリンピック、終わっちゃいましたね〜
この期間は朝から日本選手のメダル獲得のニュースが飛び交っていたり
かつての冬季オリンピックで活躍した元選手の皆さんが、テレビなどで
解説したり、コメントしたりしていました。
もちろんその中に、織田信成さんもいらっしゃいました！
織田信成さんといえば、2005年から2010年までアマチュアで活躍した
フィギュアスケーターであり、引退後はプロスケーター、スポーツ解説者
TVタレント、指導者などで活動しています。4児のパパでもあります♪
信成さんは、戦国武将の織田信長の子孫と言われていて、周りからも
“殿”というあだ名で呼ばれています。信長は日本統一を進めた
最初の人物としてクールで冷酷なイメージなんですけど
信成さんは感情豊かで、まぁ〜とにかくよく泣くのです（笑）
下の写真は嬉し泣きです♪
試合後や解説中、いっつも号泣してて、感情の振り幅と天然さが
ケタ違いな人だな〜って興味深く見ています
自分が引退する時も、モチロン会見で泣いてたんですけど
後輩の浅田真央さんの引退の時も
羽生結弦さんが金メダルをとった時も
そして、彼が2大会連続金メダルの時も
なんかもう、「放送事故」レベルの面白さなんです♪
あまりに泣くので「信成デトックス」とも呼ばれています
そんな信成さんですが、スケートをはじめたきっかけは
母親がフィギュアスケートの選手だったこともあり
「塾に行くかスケートをするか」の2択を迫られ
消去法でスケートを選んだそうです（汗）
現役時代はジャンプを跳びすぎて失点したりもしています
「ザヤック違反」といって、同じ種類の3回転or4回転ジャンプは
1回のプログラムの中で、2回までしか跳んではいけない
というルールがあるらしいんですよ。3回目のジャンプが
どんなに完璧でも0点になってしまう痛恨のミスなのですが…
信成さんは世界大会などの大舞台で何度もやらかしちゃっています
2010年のバンクーバーでは、フリーの演技中に
靴紐が切れてしまうというアクシデントに見舞われてしまいました
ショートは好発進でメダルを狙える位置にいたのですが
すでに涙目で動揺してしまい、7位入賞に終わってしまいます
日本では、フィギュアはとても人気があるし
メダルをとる選手も増えています。後の羽生結弦さん
世代の功績も大きいですが、その道筋を作った1人は
信成さんだと言えるでしょう
引退した後、タレントとしても活躍していますが
テレビの司会でも
ラジオでも
自分が泣いている過去の映像をスタジオで見ながら
その自分を見てさらに泣くという「泣きのループ」を
披露したこともあります♪
先日、スケート男女ペアの「りくりゅう」が逆転の金メダルを
とった時も、相変わらずスタジオで号泣していました（笑）
でも、泣きながらも選手たちに感謝しながら一生懸命コメント
しようとするところについウルっとさせられ、見てるこっちも
笑い泣きしてしまうんですよ〜〜 もぉ〜朝から〜〜
本当は笑顔もチャーミングな人なので、最後に貼っておきますね♬
The Winter Olympics have come to an end.
During this time, we woke up each morning to news of Japanese athletes winning medals. Former Winter Olympians also appeared on television, offering commentary and sharing their thoughts.
And of course, Nobunari Oda was among them.
Speaking of Nobunari Oda, he was a competitive figure skater who was active as an amateur from 2005 to 2010. After retiring from competition, he has worked as a professional skater, sports commentator, TV personality, and coach. He is also a father of four♪
Nobunari Oda is said to be a descendant of the Sengoku warlord Oda Nobunaga, and he’s affectionately nicknamed “Lord” by those around him. Nobunaga is often remembered as the first great unifier of Japan, with a cool and even ruthless image.
But Nobunari, on the other hand, is incredibly expressive — and well… he cries. A lot. (laugh)
The photo below shows him in tears of joy♪
After competitions and even during TV commentary, he often breaks down in tears. I always find myself watching him with fascination, thinking what an extraordinary range of emotions he has — and how naturally it all comes out.
When he retired from competitive skating, of course, he was in tears at the press conference as well.
And when his junior, Mao Asada, announced her retirement, he was in tears again.
He was also in tears when Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal at the PyeongChang Olympics.
And when Hanyu won his second consecutive Olympic gold medal, he was in tears once again.
At this point, it’s almost at the level of a “broadcast accident” — that’s how dramatic it can be. He cries so much that some people jokingly call it “Nobunari detox.”
As for how he started skating, his mother was a figure skater herself. Apparently, he was given a choice as a child: either go to cram school or take up skating. By process of elimination, he chose skating. (sweat)
During his competitive years, there were also times when he lost points for jumping too much. There is a rule known as the “Zayak rule,” which states that the same type of triple or quadruple jump may only be performed twice in a single program. Even if the third jump is perfectly executed, it receives zero points — a heartbreaking mistake.And Nobunari managed to make that mistake more than once, even on the world stage.
At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he was struck by an unexpected accident during his free skate — his shoelace snapped in the middle of his performance.
He had made a strong start in the short program and was in a position to contend for a medal. However, already shaken and close to tears after the incident, he seemed unable to fully regain his composure, and ultimately finished in seventh place.
In Japan, figure skating is extremely popular, and more and more athletes have gone on to win Olympic medals. The achievements of the generation that followed — including Yuzuru Hanyu — are, of course, remarkable. But it’s fair to say that Nobunari was one of the skaters who helped pave the way.
Even while hosting a television program… he’s in tears
On the radio as well… yes, in tears again.
There was even a time when he watched old footage of himself crying in the studio — and ended up crying again while watching himself. A true “crying loop.”
Just the other day, when the Japanese pair team “RikuRyu” staged a dramatic comeback to win gold, he was once again in tears in the studio.
But even while crying, he tried his best to express his gratitude to the athletes and deliver thoughtful commentary. Somehow, watching him like that makes you tear up too — laughing and crying at the same time. Honestly… first thing in the morning!
He actually has a very charming smile as well, so I’ll leave you with that to finish♪
