It's a story that few know, but is fascinating nonetheless, one that may have changed the course of recent skating history.
Five years ago, shortly after he led Shizuka Arakawa to the gold medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics, Russian coach Nikolai Morozov was approached by the Japan Skating Federation with a proposal: Take a look at its two most promising young female skaters—Miki Ando and Mao Asada—and decide which one he would like to work with.
Both were world junior champions and filled with the potential for even greater success.