Midori Ito 伊藤 みどり (JPN) - 1988 Calgary, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program (US ABC)

[@paulsumiso2248]

ただ飛ぶだけでは簡単すぎると言わんばかりに、手を上げて、セカンドに3Loを持ってきて、カウンターからの腰に手を当てた2Aで降りた後にダメ押しのポーズ。男前すぎる。

[@tn1810]

これまてま色々な演技を観てきたけど、2021年に観てもやっぱりありえないと思うの。 とにかく凄いなんて言葉じゃ足りない。

[@brunnergiesenchar.5446]

伊藤みどりのＳＰは技術が凝縮されている感があるんだよね

[@ポイントポット]

一本目の当時としてはユニークな手のポジションのジャンプで観客の心を掴んで、二本目のコンビネーションジャンプで一気に盛り上がりましたね。解説の方も大喜びで、愛されてる選手でした。 危なげない驚異的なジャンプは永遠に不滅です。

[@たんぼのた-z1v]

令和3年の今見直してもやはりパワフルでスピードが有り眼を見張る。 当時のみどりを生で観ることが出来た人が羨ましい。

[@brunnergiesenchar.5446]

どのエレメンツを取っても現在でも最高のものだしその上に音楽の音を完璧に拾っているんだよね。

[@dmp7252]

Much has been said about Midori's technical prowess, but I'd like to take my hat off to the choreographer and give the woman her dues as a true artist as well. Being artistic doesn't mean imitating Swan Lake. It means giving life to the music you skate to. She took a piece of music that many had never heard, breathed life into it, and wowed and audience - oh and, she created something that people are still watching in awe 30 years later; just saying. In all seriousness, the program was utterly brilliant. This music appeared to have several cuts, yet they were all seamless. The attention to detail was extraordinary. Her skating skills are through the roof. There are clearly, and I mean CLEARLY defined rockers and brackets sprinkled throughout the program, often done at high speed. And now that I think of it, her entrance to her double axle is bonified rocker done at breakneck speed (see for yourself: at 2:12). She reaches back on the outside edge like she's going to do a Lutz, and at the last minute turns around to a forward OUTSIDE edge catapulting herself into a stratospheric double axel that almost took Peggy Fleming's breath away. When Peggy's said: "beautiful" - well, that says it all. Doesn't it? I don't know any woman who could pull off that jump any better - and I mean from the take off to the landing. Midori's landings were a work of art. As Dick Button himself said: a bad landing is often indicative of a faulty takeoff. And here Midori produces landings that some skaters spend their entire career working to achieve. If they can achieve a few like this, they are grateful. Yet, this woman has produced program after program with exquisite and solid landings with smooth, deep, and rounded running edges. Hands down, this is one of the most memorable short programs in figure skating history. Thank you, Midori!

[@nicholasp1096]

Not to mention the attack and speed she shows in this program, its too bad she didnt skate like this in Albertville four years later when she was in contention for gold. She would have been unbeatable with a SP like this.

[@dpn1138]

最初反応の薄かった観客が、コンビネーション降りた瞬間に今自分が観ている選手のヤバさに気付いて絶叫するの好き

[@starhorse36]

神演技。特に2Lo-3Loは何度見ても惚れ惚れする。

[@松永理浩]

伊藤みどりさんの演技は女性らしい動き女性らしさ華麗さ優雅さダイナミックさ美しさが全て網羅されていて大変素晴らしい演技ですね!

[@lizainuk]

日本人の個性を活かした選曲も彼女のパフォーマンスも全てが素晴らしい。

[@星のカービィ-d5p]

スピードとジャンプの高さとスケーティングスキルが半端ない…

[@賽-v2c]

2Aの入り方が鬼畜すぎる。カウンターから腰に手当てて飛んでる。しかもめちゃくちゃ余裕ある。こんなのできるのみどりさんしかいない 当時の採点が今みたいだったらみどりさんは敵無しだっただろう

[@s3587]

伊藤みどりさんが…今の採点方法へとフィギュア界を改革させた立役者と言われてますものね。

[@stevebli]

That double axel was stunning....even 30 years later!

[@ryo__3212]

決めたらガッツポーズ入れてくる、堪らん。

[@kumikkopress]

すごいと思うの、とにかく。

[@slytherinnyc]

TO THIS DAY.. 2023.. she is still unmatched. She was / is a once every 70 year talent phenomenon.. if that. #mytop3favoritefigureskaterofalltime

[@WHATTHEBUCKSHOW]

By far the best skater at these Olympics! Not even close!

[@redbeardnc6684]

I'm obsessed with her jump combination at :57, timed PERFECTLY with the music!

[@ronbowman4437]

You got that right!!...Midori was way ahead of her time..she did the hardest jumps in these Olympics in ladies.

[@gk891]

@eren mori Her spins were far from mediocre. She had very good speed of rotation, she shows a variety of different positions, and they're well centred.

[@kikilee3241]

I love her

[@Parker528]

Perhaps you mean to say that she's the best skater by far in the two portions with actual skating programs- the OP and LP? clearly if you're factoring in her school figures, and the fact that those were still a part of the overall judged factored scoring system, then that statement is perhaps your opinion but you're ignoring the fact of HOW long she HAD been figure skating competitively leading up to THIS competition, yet still was down so far in her school figures. And if you're going for just original program and long program, I think the results I have from them based on how THOSE judges subjectively scored it, Manley would have won gold with Ito winning silver.

[@JarenMorris21]

Clearly the SP winner. Pres marks ridiculous. Intricate footwork, musicality, everything!!!

[@泡だらけのビール]

ほんと、最高〜 大好き！！ 技もそうだけど、表現力とか愛嬌だよね

[@andreguerin8522]

This is one of the all time great SP! No more then 4 cross cuts to get from one end to another with all kinds of connecting steps. The most difficult combo...better spins then anybody and the music suited her perfectly in this programme showcasing her strengths...she clearly should’ve won the sp imo

[@kenbou2273]

0:57からの連続ジャンプ凄え！！

[@jarenmorris4621]

Definitely the best short that night!

[@tomkroh2712]

Love this program! Midori was just the best.

[@miloandtock1]

Well this - even at the time - was 5.9/5.9 for me, I don't care about the wrapped leg, and her spins - No one at the time had the speed in her spins that Midori had, the footwork was outstanding and her stroking and speed around the rink is first rate, and love the double axel entrance! Ito wins the SP, Kadavy 2nd, Thomas 3rd, Witt 4th, toss up for 5/6 with Trenary and Manley since I still feel both had noticeable (to me) problems in their SP.

[@wrenna976]

She is so fun to watch! My favorite skater, even though she apparentely not "artistic". I really can't see the difference between a program that's artistic and one that isn't, but I can see the joy and fun that she projects through her exciting programs. I always have a smile watching her. Love her to bits! And she stills skates today, she's truly passionate about this sport!

[@brontewcat]

Totally agree. I also love that she often used Japanese music, at least at beginning of her career.

[@L_k08]

Her skating is indeed stunning, yes, but I can see why people might think she’s not artistic (comparing to some of the skaters who have beautiful artistry today). In my opinion, she has such beautiful jumps and fast spins, her speed and power is amazing! I would consider her as an artistic skater

[@nathanmdunbar]

There will just never be another skater like Midori. Ever.

[@mattg.812]

Never say never.

[@WHATTHEBUCKSHOW]

2 loop 3 loop! AWESOME COMBO!

[@mattg.812]

She did that combo 6 or 7 times in the warmup, and each one was picture-perfect. She was a machine.

[@johnlingtravels5041]

if these performances are scored today.. midori will win hands down by a mile

[@5thdimensionliving727]

Magnificent Ito!! One of my all time favourite figure skaters..if only she was better at the compulsory stage, should have won Gold..much better skater than Witt 😮

[@erivera4928]

wow, the best TechNician EVER in the sport!

[@akimbohr]

Results in the shorts should have been: 1. Ito 2. Thomas 3. Witt 4. Maneley 5. Kadavey

[@grantgoffin4774]

Kadavy should have been 2nd or 3rd in teh short.

[@redbeardnc6684]

:58 her jumps are PERFECTLY timed with the music!

[@mamarn_doll]

1:49 この振り付けは太鼓のバチを意識した。 とみどりちゃんが言っていました。 懐かしい。

[@bobbygrey5834]

I just viewed Debi Thomas’s short programme. A marvellous piece for certain. But still I don’t get it: artistic superiority aside, how and why the hell did Debi score even higher by technical merit than Midori?! The ISU has been so frigging biased and corrupt at those brilliant athletes’ expense.

[@kev7978]

The marks for presentation are beyond biased. Her jumps and her step sequence are in sync with the music. She only got low marks only because the judges were rooting for Witt, Manley and Thomas, and the artistry back then was only limited to "grace and beauty".

[@AllenMQuinn]

More Thomas and Witt. Manley was kind of a surprise.

[@mattg.812]

"the artistry back then was only limited to "grace and beauty". What does that mean?

[@gk891]

Matt G. I think what kev7978 is saying that at that time, artistry meant being graceful and balletic. But artistry in itself is very subjective. Yes, skating gracefully and balletically is one way of channeling artistry. But Ito's programs were excellently presented, charismatic, joyous, athletic, and energetic. I could be wrong about this but I vaguely recall Christopher Dean once saying that the excitement of Ito's skating should count towards her artistic marks, even if most of the judges didn't do so. But in general, Ito interpreted her music very well, everything she did was in sync with the music, and the performance level was very high. So in that way she actually was very artistic.

[@kev7978]

yes thank you for explaining. artistry should be judged based on the appropriateness of the music interpretation, not biased personal taste. grace and ballet is just one style of presentation.

[@ytyt3922]

Matt G. It means that Katarina Witt got 6.0s for wearing a pretty costume looking “flirtatious”. That was artistry in 80s figure skating. Thank god that awful joke of an era is long gone.

[@tally1604]

that triple loop triple loop combination was stupendous!

[@e2theeyepie]

It's actually a *double* loop / triple loop combo (double loop was the required jump in the combo for the 1987/1988 season), but it's still INSANE. :D

[@figureskating2724]

We think she did a triple-triple in the LP or FS though. If not, she definitely does one later. She seemed ahead of her time. Wasn't Tonya Harding and her the only women doing them in the 80s and probably 90s too? Not many more if not. Tara and Michelle weren't. Kimmie did it in 2006ish.

[@davidwakeham1964]

The IOC should hang their heads in shame for the treatment of this outstanding artist.

[@garysimmons1485]

She should have won the SP and the LP

[@troyaturner1979]

She is so good technically that she can do any triple-triple combination.

[@mattg.812]

Okay - triple lutz/triple axel.

[@Diemme_]

What a joy to watch! I wish they'd gotten rid of school figs earlier.

[@cyosiR31]

出口間違えた時の周りの笑顔いいね！

[@thildaklm]

a back counter 2a of that size with her hands on her hips is ridiculous even by todays standards

[@alanazarin7761]

Best. Double Axel. Ever.

[@村司香]

スピンが高速なのに全く軸ブレがない。

[@smoothALOE]

Somehow I missed out on Ito in those days. I was probably too young. That was laser-like speed on the jump combo and how about that arm technique in the earlier jump? I think I did a double-take, haha!

[@ericisave]

A double-triple loop combo! Under the points scoring used today, her base and GOE would be the highest of the women in that short program segment.

[@wip1664]

👍 technicals 😀 artistry Glad to have found this!

[@arz9163]

She was underscored.

[@Steve-il9pb]

2lo-3loのコンビネーションにしたのは当時は3回転はコンビネーションで1回までだったのかな？だから技術を見せるために2回目に3loという今でもあまり飛ばない高度なものにしたと推測してます

[@サムソン高橋-j6r]

当時のオリジナルプログラムは現在のショートよりも要素がきっちり決められていて、この年はダブルアクセル、ダブルフリップ、ダブルループを含めたコンビネーションが必須だったと思います。 みどりはカウンターエントランスに腰に手を当てたダブルアクセル、両手を上げたダブルフリップ、セカンドにトリプルループを加えたコンボ、と決められた各要素で最大限に難しい構成にしました。 コンボはほとんどの選手がセカンドに2Loをもってきていて、セカンドトリプルはデビ・トーマスが2Lo3Tやってたくらいかな？

[@rate2783]

@@サムソン高橋-j6r 2lo-3loのコンビネーション、みどりさんは84年の世界JrのSPで成功してましたね。

[@jmahrky]

i'm so happy the got rid of the damn compulsory figures

[@lflagr]

OK, seriously...why are her presentation artistic marks so low? She's actually quite an artistic and expressive skater...they can't all be Katarina Witt or Nancy Kerrigan clones!

[@bobbygrey5834]

Nancy Kerrigan?? Her skating is sooo stiff and robotic. The only iconic features about her presentation are the luxurious costumes, gigantic teeth and that Kerrigan spiral.

[@lflagr]

@@bobbygrey5834 I agree totally lol...it’s just that the judges always seemed to “save” Kerrigan’s blah technical skating with inflated, super high Artistic marks.

[@warren1564]

Even now...that double axel. is immaculate!!

[@matthewjameshall2145]

Massive short. Wow double axel WOW

[@mlc2005]

THIS is the short program of the night (and her free program was the free program of the night). Thank god the judging as evolved from this farce.

[@gk891]

What are you talking about, her spins are incredibly strong.

[@ericisave]

They should allow more than 3 single skaters in the men and women singles event. Tonya Harding was doing triple loops in the late 80s and would have been top 5 or 6 here overall at these Games.

[@mlc2005]

What a surprise: The judges who gave her 5.7 for technical were from: US (Thomas), E. Germany (Witt), and Canada (Manley). HMMMMM. A coincidence???

[@bjl301]

Should receive all 5.9s for technical merit, no matter in which group she skated

[@grantgoffin4774]

arguably some 6.0s too. The difficulty was far ahead what anyone else would be attempting, which the judges knew as they had seen practices all week. Adding that the quality and amplitude of everything, not just the jumps even, and should be all 5.9s and 6.0s for technical. The artistic were too low too, I would give 5.7s and 5.8s, only not higher due to not skating in the final flight.

[@yomihito_shirazu]

最近は安易に「レジェンド」だとか「天才」なんて大袈裟な言葉が使われ過ぎて、すっかり陳腐化してしまい、その本当の意味を見失いがちだ。 しかし伊藤みどりの殿堂入りの際に「伊藤は一人の力で女子フィギュアを21世紀へと導いた」と評されたのは、これは大袈裟ではなく、その通りだと思う。 例えばもし当時、ジャンプやスピンが “そこそこ凄い選手” が何人か出てきたとしても、競技が持つ根本的なスタイルや、それを見る人々の評価の基準や価値観が変わるもんじゃないだろう。 フィギュアスケートに限らないが、古い価値観をぶち破るのに必要なのは、 たった一人の “モンスター級にモノ凄い選手” が与える強烈で斬新なインパクト以外にない。 伊藤は自らの演技でそれを世界中の選手、指導者、関係者、そして観客に見せつけた。そして全てを変えたわけだ。 伊藤の演技を見て「今の選手ならこれくらいの要素をこなせるのは何人もいる」と思うかもしれない。 しかし忘れちゃいけない。 現在の様々な難しい要素をこなしている選手達はそれぞれに多種多様で個性的に見えても、実はみな伊藤が切り拓いた価値観の延長線上にいる。 たとえ何人もの選手が3Aを跳ぼうが、4回転を跳ぼうがその価値観は揺るがない。 今でも全世界の女子選手達は、この伊藤が作りあげた(と、言っていい)フィギュアスケートの価値観の枠の中で、各々の評価を競いあっているに過ぎないのだから。 その意味において、伊藤を越える選手はまだ地球上のどこにも存在していない。

[@caitlinoconnell9883]

Still trying to wrap my head around 5.7 for tech...smh. So glad the scoring system changed!

[@kh3205]

@metsdudenj Would you tell me which skaters were strong spinners in Calgary? Midori's spins were not as strong as her jumps, but better than the most other skaters, IMHO. As spirals were not required yet, with jumps, spins and steps, Midori had no technical holes. Kadavy's short was excellent, too. Both Midori or Caryn could be the top in the short, depending on the taste; power or grace.

[@ゆーだい-n3i]

トリプルアクセルの入りって 難しくて加点になるやつじゃなかった？ 男子はやってるのみたことあるけど

[@galileocan]

Ito - Most undermarked skater in history. Witt - Most overmarked skater in history

[@spartyutube2020]

Woah- double loop- triple loop! :)

[@gk891]

I would've put Midori ahead of Caryn as Midori had a harder combination, a much bigger double axel (with a really hard entrance), a much higher double jump, and better spins. Yes, Midori didn't skate generically pretty programs but the drama and excitement she is able to create counts towards artistry (even if the judges didn't want to reward her for it).

[@morlavader5454]

I would have had Caryn and Midori 1-2 in the short in either order. There are arguments to put either first. I would have given Caryn a 5.9 or 6.0 for presentation, and while her elements werent as dynamic or spectacular as Ito's they were still strong. Debi deserved 3rd in the short. Witt and Manley both would have been lucky to be top 5 in the short if everyone wore ski masks to skate.

[@gk891]

I thought Caryn's spins were a little slow and on one of her camel spins, she may have been a little short on the required number of rotations.

[@FemmaVanAntwerpen-mw6ey]

Why did she not won the third place ? Great jumps!

[@3Axel1996]

At that time, skaters had to perform 3 compulsory figures, each worth 10% of the overall score. She placed 10th after the figures. The Short Program was worth 20% of the score, and she placed 4th there. Going into the Long Program, she was in 8th Place overall. Placing 3rd in the LP moved her up to 5th overall.

[@nondescriptnyc]

@kh3205 I agree with you. Actually, Toller Cranston often commented on how amazing Ito's spins and steps were (w/ the exception of this one time around 1989, when he was a bit grumpy and said Ito's skating was mediocre). I love Kadavy, too, but her skating, though VERY graceful and balletic, looked "smooth yet labored"--a bit like she was gliding on the sand at times, and, when you saw them live, she was noticeably slower than most of the top women.

[@j_hsu]

3:07 😂😂😂

[@thomstephens]

well said. the only one in this competition who could match Ito with speed and athleticism was Manley, but she definitely had pretty programs prepared. I have seen her do 3-Axels in practice before.

[@akimbohr]

The lowest scores by CAN,DDR and USA judges. I wonder why?!

[@p51mustang_]

この時はまだコンパルがあったのかな😗

[@mimiwit1637]

ありました。コンパル廃止は1991年からです。

[@塩谷暁子]

出口間違えちゃったのね

[@寛永の三筆]

みどりさんは性格が可愛い🩷

[@HattieLovesCattie]

@Kevinsf I bet she can't do the triple axel anymore.Age takes a toll.I don't think Brian Boitano can do it anymore either.

[@АлександрСтепанов-о3ч]

5.9/5.9

[@s3587]

もうジャンプなんてステップの一部。助走なんか要りません。

[@YUMIN-o8r]

鳥肌立つ😱

[@natasharedwood8670]

What are you.doing here buck? -.-

[@abrahamlora329]

This program and Caryn Kadavy’s were so badly underscored; a damn travesty..

[@metsdudenj]

The marks were fair. She wasnt strong in the spins or lines, the judges were right on. Where the f ucked up were on Caryn Kadavy's marks which should have been 5.9s across the board for both sets

[@uxidckksi]

Japanese people, especially Ito's fans, are intentionally spreading lies and falsehoods for over 20 years

[@mattg.812]

ok

[@Shortlady82]

uxidckksi ??? Care to share

[@troyaturner1979]

She is so good technically that she can do any triple-triple combination.