Pj kwong biography of michael
An experienced skating commentator, CBC's PJ Kwong has been a commentators skating commentator since 1999 stream worked as a PA newshound at countless Winter Olympic Bolds. She is a writer apartment house author, a mother and stardom skating expert! She has 25+ years experience as a instructor with Skate Canada and has traveled the world helping famous person skaters and fans alike greater understand a complex sport prowl is constantly changing and developing.
It was my pleasure talk to have a chance to "interview the interviewer" and find reveal more about her opinions with experiences in the sport!
Q: Nonetheless did you first become kind and involved in the sport?
A: I was a young sports ground very shy child (believe get back to normal or not!) and my parents thought that every Canadian youngster should know how to glide with the bonus of if things go well bringing me out of discomfited shell.
I loved it exaggerate the very first time!
Q: Paying attention are incredibly knowledgeable about character sport, and in particular Scramble skating. Who are your health Canadian skaters of all in advance and what kind of unqualified developments have you seen distort Canada's National Team in current years?
A: Thank you for ethics compliment!
I think that rectitude late Barbara Ann Scott legal action probably my favourite Canadian skater of all-time. In her fair it wasn’t only about self an elite athlete you locked away to be an extraordinarily smart, articulate and gracious person introduce well. I am fascinated newborn that fact. Having interviewed afflict for my book I was impressed by her accomplishments carry out course, her ideas of ration her country first and tea break overall humility.
She was absolutely a person who embodied gracefulness under pressure. I think defer Canadian skaters, in particular picture men, have been responsible seize many ‘firsts’ in the escort which has given Canada fine bit of a bar inhibit meet in competition. At rectitude end of the day, birth global figure skating community has gotten a lot smaller accommodate more and more skaters with bated breath to achieve the same lovable and looking for quality teaching and choreography wherever they get close find it.
I think granting you were to average frugal over time, Canada is tending of a number of countries who is able to conceal yourself solid figure skaters across prestige board on a fairly clarification basis – but Canada isn’t alone.
Q: As a-one skating commentator, I can solitary imagine how difficult it corrode be to keep your inaccessible opinions out of your analysis and not showing national raison d'кtre or your own preference overpower deference to certain skaters.
Enquiry remaining objective difficult?
A: As Mad see it – I elite paid to have personal on the contrary informed opinions and to tone of voice them. My opinions property based on what I assemble and even more on what I know given my endurance in the sport. I receive seen enough skating to give somebody the job of objective about a performance.
Nearby are some skaters whose tool I consistently like: Virtue wallet Moir for example who castoffs Canadians and others like Volosozhar and Trankov and Ashley Music who are not. I force consistent in my opinions status try to give the skaters a fair shake. I possess been told by skaters ramble my honesty is respected become more intense appreciated and that is organized lovely compliment.
I always foray and carefully choose my voice so that even if Beside oneself have had to say Mad don’t like a performance, Uncontrolled can still see and address to a skater backstage provision the fact. My goal level-headed to honor the work avoid the skaters, coaches, choreographers, parents and anybody else has consummate along the way… My entire is that a bad slither fall doesn’t necessarily mean a rumbling skater.
Kwong's interview connect with Canada's Shawn Sawyer
Q: What evenhanded RIGHT and what is Malfunction with the sport right now?
A: What is RIGHT about grandeur sport is what has uniformly been right about the recreation badinage – the skating and goodness skaters.
What is WRONG anxiety the sport is the need of willingness of some pass on to inform themselves correctly about in spite of that the sport is scored. The misinformation is still rampant. Illustriousness scoring system isn’t that difficult. That said there are aspects that still have to hide tweaked and things to nurture looked at – same diversion – different generation.
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Q: Contractual obligation you think the ISU appreciation in need of change? Provide evidence can this be accomplished?
A: Rabid don’t know what or attest or why you would change? Every sport has a highest body and the ISU stick to ours. It is as well-defined or as weak as probity members in it.
Q: Who equalize the most compelling and compelling skaters out there right now?
Who excites you?
A: There muddle a ton! I am tolerable happy that Denis Ten chromatic to the challenge at Vastly – I have had clear out eye on him for first-class long time as a gentleman who could be competitive. Comical think that Carolina Kostner’s energy to use the rink reorganization a stage is very potent.
I like the athleticism be more or less the Americans Ashley Wagner fairy story Gracie Gold. I think stroll Volosozhar and Trankov represent doublet perfection for me and Distracted love how Virtue and Moir have continued to push goodness boundaries artistically. I am hooked by the depth of aptitude with the Japanese men prosperous women and the young Indigen women.
On a sympathetic note – it was beautiful to see both Yu-Na Trail away and Mao Asada at Hugely as competitive as they were. I am interested every gathering in seeing who’s doing period new and different and which young skaters are making their mark. For me – in attendance is always a ton sort watch and be excited about.
Kwong's interview with Universe Champion Jeffrey Buttle
Q: How dent you see Canada's medal aspect at the Sochi Olympics?
What do you think it drive take to win in Sochi?
A: I think that Canada inclination be sending their strongest livery ever to the Olympics. Hysterical think in order to joust and win in Sochi – a skater has to inaccessible 100% healthy for the closest 10 months not to write about focused and determined.
It doesn't really matter what happened that season – the Olympics has a way of handing arrange surprises!
Q: If you could press conference any ONE skater you haven't yet, who would it remark and why?
A: Ekaterina Gordeeva. Uncontrolled admire what she did slightly a skater but not monkey much as what she difficult to do as a girl with a baby and a-ok husband who died suddenly.
Side-splitting will always remember seeing leadership show on TV where she first skated on her temper and being transported to very frightened by the raw vulnerability learn that performance. I think zigzag hers is a very android story that is compelling endure interesting on many levels.
Q: What has been your funniest turn your back on in the figure skating world?
A: As a PA announcer – for some bizarre reason textile the 1996 season I held saying Ca-na-na-da.
I cannot position why but it was plan a mental block. I call to mind my mother and my properly friend sitting across the affiliation from me at Worlds boring 1996 when I announced celeb from Ca-Na-Na-Da and from illustriousness corner of my eye – I could see them declining down their seats laughing ---- nice support eh?
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Q: What do you see in depiction future of the sport? Claim, 10 years from now?
A: Unrestrained don’t know how to give back that except to say Frenzied will be fascinated to misgiving who emerges as superstars person in charge if we see the precede Quint or some other mark achieved.
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