Ando adds to Japan’s big week

HARTFORD, Conn. – Miki Ando needed to forget about the Olympics. She found the perfect tonic at Skate America.

With her far more heralded countrywoman, Mao Asada, having one of the worst performances of her young career, Ando gave Japan a sweep of the individual gold medals at the first Grand Prix event of the season Saturday night.

Eight months after she barely could stand up and finished 15th at the Turin Games, Ando is off to a sensational start to the new season.

“I couldn’t concentrate that much even though it was a big season,” she said through a translator. “It was not easy for me. … I wanted to perform this way, that I did tonight, in the Olympics. Last year … I didn’t have the attitude of a member of the Japanese team. This year, the image and attitude is very strong and that’s why I skated so well.”

It appeared American world champion Kimmie Meissner might grab the gold after a sensational free skate. Then Ando went her one better.

Actually, quite a few better, landing 10 jumps in the first 21/2 minutes and posting a personal-best 125.85 points for the free skate and 192.59 overall. That outdistanced Meissner and the disappointing Asada in a three-way battle of teenagers.

For Japan, which owns the women’s Olympic gold thanks to Shizuka Arakawa, it completed a dominant showing at the Hartford Civic Center – Nobunari Oda took the men’s title on Friday.

Later Saturday, two-time U.S. champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin won the pairs crown even though Poland’s Dorota and Mariuz Siudek took the free skate.

Inoue and Baldwin failed to land their trademark throw triple axel – she fell hard on it in the long program – but had a big enough lead after the short program to capture their first Grand Prix trophy.

Earlier, world champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski overcame a crash, a cut and a bloodied costume to win the ice dancing gold medal.