Skaters We'll Miss, Part 2: Akiko Suzuki

Saitama, Japan, December 2013: A beautiful lady in a flowery dress lands a Triple Lutz in the roar of the crowd. This is her home country and she is loved here, but she's about to be even more famous and become everyone's sweetheart. The Lutz is only the first jump out of a perfect series that will eventually bring her the prize she's been looking for, for the last 14 years: the National title.

Skating on music by Bill Whelan.
Photograph: Jasper Juinen
/Getti Images North America

Akiko Suzuki became known worldwide years before being crowned Japan's national champion. She made her debut on a major international stage at the 2009 Cup of China, which she won. Immediately striking us as artistically brilliant, she skated the short on Andalucia and Fire Dance by Bill Whelan. She then went on to showcase her versatility by telling the story of modern-day Romeo and Juliet with West Side Story. This was the programme that would show us just how good she was at expressing all the little nuances of the music - with each rise and fall, she changed joy with sadness as if by the flick of a switch.

There has always been something fragile, but strong in her skating style and back then few people knew why. Since then, we've found out that her career was almost destroyed by her struggle with anorexia, which weakened her to such a point in her earlier years, that she could no longer land a single jump. It's that experience and the battle she won against her worse self that defined her attitude as a skater: no matter the results, she would keep fighting until the very end.

Her successes in 2009/2010 (silver at Four Continents and Nationals, gold in China and a bronze in the Grand Prix Final) overshadowed her 8th and 11th place in the Olympics and Worlds. She was just so good, we all knew we would see her again and couldn't wait to do so.

2011 NHK Trophy.
Photograph: Koki Nagahama/Getti Images Asia

2010/2011 was less of a fortunate season for both her and her fans. After a great start with two Grand Prix silver medals, she failed to make the Worlds team when she finished the Nationals in fourth place. Following a similar musical pattern to the previous season, she chose a tango and a musical to keep her company on ice. Tango Jalousie by Jacob Gade is often heard in ice rinks, so taking it on requires a lot of originality. Akiko put on the bold mask of a seductress for it, a mask that contrasted greatly with her sensitive, elegant personality, but showcased her acting skills. Her elegance was easily spotted in the dresses she wore, like the white frilled costume of The Fiddler on the Roof. This is an aspect she constantly grew in, until it became common knowledge that 'nothing she does is inelegant,' (Simon Reed, British sports commentator).

She was back in top form the following season, winning her only World medal, a bronze, and returning on the podium of every competition she skated in. She used Hungarian Rhapsody by Franz Liszt for the short programme, a mixture of classical music and folklore that is becoming more and more famous with skaters. A similar style was used for the long programme with Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus Overture. Alert and grand, this routine was reminiscent of the famous ballrooms of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire not only because of her grace, but also because of the beautiful dresses she wore.

O by Cirque du Soleil.
Photograph: Kyioshi Ota/Getti Images Asia

Her best season artistically though was without a doubt 2012/2013. Her rendition of Kill Bill exuded confidence and danger, which made it a delight to watch. From paso doble steps to acrobatic transitions to pulling punches, it was in perfect sync with the music and the story. But the real masterpiece was the free skate. The dress mimicking a peacock's plumage was exquisite, definitely the most beautiful of the season and the best she's ever worn on ice.  The music, O by Cirque du Soleil, took your breath away. Her interpretation of the majestic bird came to life through her arm movements. She took us on a journey to a faraway, mythical forest every time she skated, paying tribute to the beauty of nature with her routine. By now she was beginning to be known as 'the oldest female skater in competition', which is a praise to her determination and her talent. Despite the common conception that a female skater's career ends at 25, Akiko, at 28,  was better than ever.

Japan's National Champion
Photograph: Atsushi Tomura/Getti Images Asia

Her last competitive season might not have taken her on the World and Olympic podiums, as many of her fans hoped, but it brought her the supreme National medal. She retired from competition in style, with two superb programmes. She paid her respects to love with Marguerite Monnot's Hymne a l'Amour in the short. Always in character and often flawless technically, this routine turned out to be O's short counterpart in that it is the best she's ever had. Phantom of the Opera was a story we all looked forward to seeing her tell, as it's one of the most tragically beautiful ever written. As with every single free skate since 2010/2011, it was choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo. From the young love to the madness, she explored every emotion in the tale, adding her name to the long list of skaters who have lifted The Phantom to one of the most beautiful stories told on ice.

Despite not spending a lot of time on the major international ice scene, Akiko Suzuki left her mark on figure skating. Forever graceful and masterful in her interpretation, she knew how to bring a story to life through her body language and never had a single dull routine. Her best was when she portrayed fragility, a feeling she knew a lot of from her struggle with anorexia, but she had no problem adapting to tougher characters because above everything else, Akiko has always been and always will be a fighter. Now, at 29, she plans to take by storm the ice-show world, which she will undoubtedly fit perfectly in. She doesn't have plans to become one in the near future, but she is considering becoming a choreographer eventually.