【単独インタビュー】中井亜美選手「自分が最高に輝けた」新潟への思い、今後の夢は？【新潟】スーパーJにいがた6月11日OA

The 18-year-old medalist from Niigata was smiling again today. Four months after becoming the youngest medalist in Japanese figure skating history, we conducted an exclusive interview with Ami Nakai, a Niigata native who received the Niigata Prefectural Citizen's Honor Award on the 11th, immediately after the awards ceremony. We asked her about her feelings towards Niigata and her next goals. --- Announcer Oishi conducted an exclusive interview with Ms. Nakai, where she spoke at length about her feelings towards Niigata and her future dreams. --- Announcer Oishi spoke extensively with Ms. Nakai in front of the camera. --- ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Congratulations. Welcome back. I'm sure you've been congratulated by many people, but how does it feel to be back in Niigata?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "Even though a long time has passed since the Olympics ended, I'm really happy that so many people have congratulated me." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Were you able to relax?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I've been going around greeting people and giving interviews, and seeing the townscape makes me feel nostalgic." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Honestly, how does it feel now that time has passed?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "It still doesn't feel real, but it's been so nice to be back in Niigata and to have so many people congratulating me and saying all sorts of things." "Being called, I'm realizing again that I actually won a medal at the Olympics. It's been a while since I've been home, and there are feelings I don't get in Chiba, and I can relax, so it's a happy time." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Is the atmosphere in Niigata different before and after the Olympics?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "Even in the streets, people would call out, 'It's Ami-chan!', and when I looked around town, I saw my posters, and all sorts of things happened. It made me feel nostalgic and happy." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "If you could talk to your pre-Olympic self, what would you say?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I'd say, 'You're a celebrity now!'" ――――― We asked them to reflect on the Olympics, which changed their lives four months ago. ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Looking back, what kind of competition was it?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I think it was the most enjoyable competition I've ever participated in. Being able to perform to my heart's content on the dream stage was a wonderful experience, something that might only happen once in a lifetime, so I'm happy that I was able to shine my brightest there." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Did you imagine winning a medal?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I still couldn't quite believe that I was actually competing in the Olympics. I was just so happy to be on the dream stage, and I was determined to give it my all, regardless of whether I won a medal or not. So I was surprised when I actually won one." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "How did the support from Niigata reach you?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I watched the public viewing after my performance, and I saw that so many people were cheering me on, even though it was early in the morning. I want to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me." --- Four years ago, Nakai gave a remote interview to UX. Let's look back at the interview from that time. ■ Ami Nakai (at the time): "My dream is to compete in the Olympics and win a gold medal, but I haven't reached that level yet, so I want to build up my skills one important match at a time and work hard so that I can compete in the Olympics in four years." ■ Yuki Oishi (announcer): "You truly lived up to your word and competed in the Olympics." ■ Ami Nakai (18): "Four years ago, I never thought I could fulfill this dream. I felt I still had a lot to improve on and needed to work harder, so I'm really happy that I was able to overcome various challenges and come back with a medal." ■ Yuki Oishi (announcer): "Do you deliberately put your goals and aspirations into words?" ■ Ami Nakai (18): "By setting goals, I can understand what I need to do now. When I was little..." I've been doing it since I was little, deciding 'What will I do today?' and working hard until I achieve it. Looking back now, I'm glad I did it. I make sure to say what I'm going to do and see it through to the end." ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "Have you noticed an increase in people starting to skate after seeing you, Nakai?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "When my coach told me, 'There's a kid who started skating because they admire you, Ami,' I was so happy. I've also heard that a lot of people are visiting the skating rink, so I'm really happy, and I'm looking forward to seeing even more amazing skaters emerge." ――――― We asked her to write on a piece of paper what kind of person she wants to be in the next four years. "Discovering a New Me" ■Announcer Yuki Oishi "What is the reason for 'discovering a new me'?" ■Ami Nakai (18) "I think this season I was able to really show my true self, and I feel like I was able to deliver my bright side and smile to everyone. I hope to deliver a new version of myself next season. I want to re...