Akiko Suzuki

Akiko Suzuki
Akiko Suzuki at the 2012 World Championships in Nice, France
Native name鈴木明子
Born (1985-03-28) March 28, 1985 (age 39)
Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country Japan
CoachHiroshi Nagakubo, Yoriko Naruse
Skating clubHowa Sports Land
Began skating1992
Retired2014
Event Gold medal – first place Silver medal – second place Bronze medal – third place
World Championships 0 0 1
Four Continents Championships 0 2 0
Grand Prix Final 0 1 2
Japan Championships 1 2 0
World Team Trophy 1 0 1
Junior Grand Prix Final 0 0 1
Medal list
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Nice Singles
Four Continents Championships
Silver medal – second place 2010 Jeonju Singles
Silver medal – second place 2013 Osaka Singles
Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 2011–12 Quebec Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2009–10 Tokyo Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2012–13 Sochi Singles
Japan Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013–14 Saitama Singles
Silver medal – second place 2009–10 Osaka Singles
Silver medal – second place 2011–12 Osaka Singles
World Team Trophy
Gold medal – first place 2012 Tokyo Team
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Tokyo Team
Junior Grand Prix Final
Bronze medal – third place 2001–02 Bled Singles

Akiko Suzuki (鈴木 明子, Suzuki Akiko) (born March 28, 1985) is a Japanese figure skating choreographer and retired competitive figure skater. She is the 2012 World Championships bronze medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final medalist (2011 silver, 2009 & 2012 bronze), a two-time Four Continents silver medalist (2010, 2013), the 2007 Winter Universiade champion, and the 2013 Japanese national champion. She placed eighth at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Personal life

Suzuki was born on March 28, 1985, in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture.[8] She became engaged to a former classmate in June 2016[9] and married him on February 1, 2017.[10] They divorced in 2018.[11]

Career

Suzuki with coach Hiroshi Nagakubo

Suzuki trained in Nagoya, Japan.[12] At the same time, she worked for Toho Real Estate, which has its own skating rink.[13]

Early career

Suzuki won the bronze medal at the 2001–02 Junior Grand Prix Final. After a successful junior career, she was hampered by her struggles with anorexia nervosa which began at age 18 when she left home for university.[14][13] Her weight having fallen to 32 kg, she was unable to jump and missed the entire 2003–2004 season.[14] It took her a year to gain back the weight she had lost.[14]

2004–2005 to 2008–2009

Suzuki returned to competitive skating in the 2004–2005 season after being inspired by Shizuka Arakawa's victory at the 2004 World Championships.[15] She began working with coach Hiroshi Nagakubo in the early 2000s.[13]

She had a breakthrough in 2007–2008, winning several events, and achieving her highest finish at Japanese nationals since 2002. She consequently received her first senior Grand Prix assignment in 2008–2009, and won the silver medal at the 2008 NHK Trophy. That same season, she also won the 2008 Finlandia Trophy and finished 8th at the 2009 Four Continents Championships.

2009–2010 season

Suzuki appeared at two Grand Prix events, winning the 2009 Cup of China and finishing 5th at the 2009 Skate Canada International. She qualified to the 2009–10 Grand Prix Final, where she won the bronze medal. She was awarded a place on the Japanese Olympic team after she placed second at the 2009–10 Japan Championships. She was also assigned to compete at the 2010 Four Continents Championships, where she won the silver medal. At the Olympics, she finished 8th, and was later 11th at the 2010 World Championships – her first senior Worlds.

2010–2011 season

Suzuki opened her season with gold at the 2010 Finlandia Trophy. She received silver at both of her Grand Prix events, the 2010 Cup of Russia and the 2010 Cup of China. She qualified for her second consecutive Grand Prix Final, this time finishing fourth. A fourth-place finish at the national championships left her off the Worlds team, but she was selected to go to the 2011 Four Continents Championships, where she finished 7th.

2011–2012 season

Akiko at 2012 World Championships

Competing again on the Grand Prix series, Suzuki won the silver medal at the 2011 Skate Canada International and the gold medal at the 2011 NHK Trophy. Her placements qualified her for the 2011 Grand Prix Final where she won the silver medal. She won the silver behind Mao Asada at the 2011–12 Japan Championships.[16] At the 2012 World Championships, Suzuki won the bronze medal,[17] becoming the oldest ladies' single skater to medal at the event since Maria Butyrskaya. At the 2012 ISU World Team Trophy, she won the ladies' event, defeating World champion Carolina Kostner. Team Japan also won the event overall.

2012–2013 season

Suzuki received the same Grand Prix assignments as the previous season. She won the silver medal at the 2012 Skate Canada International and the 2012 NHK Trophy, qualifying her for the 2012–13 Grand Prix Final. At the final, she placed third in the short program. She fell twice in the free skating, finishing third overall.[18] In December 2012, Suzuki said that the 2013–14 season would be her last.[19] She finished fourth at the 2012–13 Japan Championships behind Satoko Miyahara.

Suzuki won the silver medal at the 2013 Four Continents Championships, as part of a Japanese sweep of the ladies' event with teammates Mao Asada and Kanako Murakami taking the gold and bronze medal respectively. She placed twelfth at the 2013 World Championships. At the 2013 World Team Trophy, Suzuki placed first; Team Japan placed third overall. Her free skating score of 133.02 and her combined total score of 199.58 are her personal best scores.

2013–2014 season

Suzuki began her season at the 2013 Finlandia Trophy, where she won the silver medal behind Yulia Lipnitskaya. She won another silver at the 2013 Skate Canada International, again behind Lipnitskaya. At the 2013 NHK Trophy, she earned the bronze medal after placing second in the short and fourth in the free skating.

Suzuki won gold at the 2013–14 Japan Championships, ahead of Kanako Murakami and Mao Asada. She placed second in the short program behind Asada, but rebounded to first place after winning the free skating. She skated two clean programs and earned the highest free skating and total score to date in the ladies' event at the Japan Figure Skating Championships.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Suzuki competed in the free skating portion of the figure skating team event, placing fourth in that segment; Japan finished fifth overall. She went on to place eighth in the ladies' singles competition. At the 2014 World Championships, she placed fourth in the short program with a personal best score, eighth in the free skating, and sixth overall. Following the World Championships, Suzuki announced her retirement from competitive skating.

Post-competitive career

Following her retirement in 2014, Suzuki began working as a choreographer and teaching with her longtime coach, Hiroshi Nagakubo, at the Howa Sports Land Skating Club in the Aichi Prefecture. She credited figure skating choreographers Shae-Lynn Bourne and Pasquale Camerlengo for inspiring her to start working as a choreographer.[20] Suzuki was also a main cast member of the annual touring ice show Fantasy on Ice, having participated in all editions from 2010 to 2019. In 2022 she did the commentary for the live broadcast at the tour stop in Nagoya amongst others.[21]

Suzuki has choreographed for:

Programs

Suzuki at the 2010 Olympics
Suzuki at the 2012 World Championships

Post-2014

Season Exhibition
2017–2018

Pre-2014

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2013–2014
[8]
2012–2013
[46]
2011–2012
[47]
  • Ladies in Lavender
    by Nigel Hess
    choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto
2010–2011
[48]
  • Ice Queen
    by Paul Dinletir
  • Prophecy
    by Harem
    choreo. by Miki Sakagami and JANSU
2009–2010
[49]
2008–2009
[50]
2007–2008
  • Titanic
    by James Horner
2006–2007
2005–2006
2004–2005
2003–2004
2002–2003
2001–2002
[51]
2000–2001

Competitive highlights

International[52]
Event 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Olympics 8th 8th
Worlds 11th 3rd 12th 6th
Four Continents 8th 8th 2nd 7th 2nd
GP Final 3rd 4th 2nd 3rd
GP Cup of China 1st 2nd
GP Cup of Russia 2nd
GP NHK Trophy 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd
GP Skate Canada 5th 2nd 2nd 2nd
Finlandia Trophy 1st 1st 2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd
Challenge Cup 1st
Golden Spin 7th 1st
Triglav Trophy 1st
Universiade 8th 1st
New Zealand WG 1st
International: Junior
Junior Worlds 7th
JGP Final 3rd
JGP China 5th
JGP Czech Republic 3rd
JGP Japan 1st
JGP Norway 8th
JGP Sweden 7th
JGP Ukraine 6th
JGP United States 1st
Triglav Trophy 2nd
National[53]
Japan Champ. 4th 4th 9th 12th 12th 10th 5th 4th 2nd 4th 2nd 4th 1st
Japan Junior 3rd 5th 2nd 5th 5th
Team events
Olympics 5th T
World Team
Trophy 		1st T
1st P		 3rd T
1st P
Japan Open 3rd T
3rd P		 1st T
3rd P

Detailed results

Suzuki at the medal ceremony of the 2013 Four Continents Championships
Suzuki at the medal ceremony of the 2012 World Championships

Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.

  • ^team event – This is a team event; medals are awarded for the team results only.
    • ^T – team result
    • ^P – personal/individual result
2013–14 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 24–30, 2014 2014 World Championships 4
71.02 		8
122.70 		6
193.72
February 19–20, 2014 2014 Winter Olympics 8
60.97 		8
125.35 		8
186.32
February 6–9, 2014 2014 Winter Olympics team event – 4
112.33 		5T
December 20–23, 2013 2013–14 Japan Championships 2
70.19 		1
144.99 		1
215.18
November 8–10, 2013 2013 NHK Trophy 2
66.03 		4
113.29 		3
179.32
October 25–27, 2013 2013 Skate Canada International 2
65.76 		2
127.99 		2
193.75
October 4–6, 2013 2013 Finlandia Trophy 2
64.57 		3
115.97 		2
180.54
2012–13 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 11–14, 2013 2013 World Team Trophy 2
66.56 		1
133.02 		3T / 1P
199.58P
March 10–17, 2013 2013 World Championships 7
61.17 		13
103.42 		12
164.59
February 8–11, 2013 2013 Four Continents Championships 2
65.65 		2
124.43 		2
190.08
December 20–23, 2012 2012–13 Japan Championships 1
65.09 		5
114.94 		4
180.03
December 6–9, 2012 2012–13 Grand Prix Final 3
65.00 		3
115.77 		3
180.77
November 23–25, 2012 2012 NHK Trophy 5
58.60 		1
126.62 		2
185.22
October 26–28, 2012 2012 Skate Canada International 5
55.12 		1
120.04 		2
175.16
October 6, 2012 2012 Japan Open – 3
110.07 		1T
2011–12 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 18–22, 2012 2012 World Team Trophy 2
67.51 		2
120.28 		1T / 1P
187.79P
March 26 – April 1, 2012 2012 World Championships 5
59.38 		2
121.30 		3
180.68
December 23–25, 2011 2011–12 Japan Championships 3
59.60 		1
119.67 		2
179.27
December 8–11, 2011 2011–12 Grand Prix Final 2
61.30 		3
118.46 		2
179.76
November 11–13, 2011 2011 NHK Trophy 1
66.55 		2
119.43 		1
185.98
October 27–30, 2011 2011 Skate Canada International 4
52.82 		1
119.44 		2
172.26
October 1, 2011 2011 Japan Open – 3
112.46 		3T
2010–11 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 7–10, 2011 2011 Triglav Trophy 1
57.15 		2
90.83 		1
147.98
February 15–20, 2011 2011 Four Continents Championships 6
57.64 		7
104.95 		7
162.59
December 23–26, 2010 2010–11 Japan Championships 7
56.86 		4
119.10 		4
175.96
December 9–12, 2010 2010–11 Grand Prix Final 4
58.26 		5
115.46 		4
173.72
November 19–21, 2010 2010 Cup of Russia 1
57.43 		2
115.31 		2
172.74
November 5–7, 2010 2010 Cup of China 2
57.97 		2
104.89 		2
162.86
October 8–10, 2010 2010 Finlandia Trophy 2
57.74 		1
108.83 		1
166.57
2009–10 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 22–28, 2010 2010 World Championships 20
48.36 		7
111.68 		11
160.04
February 12–28, 2010 2010 Winter Olympics 11
61.02 		7
120.42 		8
181.44
January 25–31, 2010 2010 Four Continents Championships 1
58.88 		2
114.84 		2
173.72
December 25–27, 2009 2009–10 Japan Championships 4
67.84 		2
128.06 		2
195.90
December 3–6, 2009 2009–10 Grand Prix Final 5
57.54 		3
116.46 		3
174.00
November 19–22, 2009 2009 Skate Canada International 8
53.10 		5
94.62 		5
147.72
October 29 – November 1, 2009 2009 Cup of China 4
59.52 		1
117.14 		1
176.66
2008–09 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 2–8, 2009 2009 Four Continents Championships 9
55.40 		8
104.96 		8
160.36
December 25–27, 2008 2008–09 Japan Championships 6
57.02 		3
116.96 		4
173.98
November 27–30, 2008 2008 NHK Trophy 4
55.56 		2
112.08 		2
167.64
October 9–12, 2008 2008 Finlandia Trophy 1
58.40 		1
112.28 		1
170.68
September 25–28, 2008 2008 Nebelhorn Trophy 3
55.02 		3
91.91 		3
146.93
2007–08 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 6–9, 2008 2008 Challenge Cup 1
53.70 		1
98.32 		1
152.02
December 26–28, 2007 2007–08 Japan Championships 5
58.66 		5
101.27 		5
159.93
November 8–11, 2007 2007 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1
55.62 		1
101.28 		1
156.90
2006–07 season
Date Event SP FS Total
January 17–27, 2007 2007 Winter Universiade 1
50.40 		1
97.84 		1
148.24
December 27–29, 2006 2006–07 Japan Championships 11
48.72 		9
96.50 		10
145.22

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