After suffering a knee injury, she found herself discouraged from the sport, mentally and physically, and struggled to get back on the ice.
But Misaki (16) was determined not to let her injury set her back and worked through a strict recovery programme, alongside her support network, to return to the national championship earlier this year.
It paid off when Misaki won gold in the junior women’s grade, leading to her selection for the international A New Zealand representative team and qualification for the Asia Open Figure Skating Trophy in Jakarta next week.
"The results I’ve produced feel amazing, especially after a knee injury, as the recovery was so time-consuming and difficult,’’ Misaki said.
She will compete against more than 100 skaters from across the world and looks forward to testing herself in the international arena again, after competing in Melbourne in 2019.
"I’m looking forward to displaying all the skills I’ve learnt and mastered over these past years at the competition, as well as watching the other skaters and getting to experience a vastly different environment.
"It’ll also be amazing to skate with and compete against so many high level skaters from numerous countries.’’
Misaki joined the Dunedin Ice Figure Skating Club after her first lesson at 9 and the rink has been her "second home’’ since.
It had not been an easy road to the national selection, balancing training twice a day, six days a week with her studies at Bayfield High School.
"As you could imagine, it’s a pretty full-on schedule managing trainings on the ice and off the ice, time with family and friends, school and, of course, sleep.’’
