This year Finland participated for the very first time in the European Naginata Championship. Our national team consisted of two members – Sasha Mäkilä and me, Satu Nieminen. We began our journey nervous, but also exited for this new kind of experience, because it is a great honour and privilege to be able to represent our country on European level.
On the morning of our competition we got butterflies in our stomachs, but after the line-up the invigorating atmosphere of the competition and the warm and welcoming spirit among our fellow competitors took our nervousness away. When it was our turn to begin, I suddenly realised that this is the moment we had practised for months – it is the moment when all our hard work will come together. And then it was over.
We didn’t have any pressure to have success in the competition. It was much more important for us to have a chance to participate in the competition, and most importantly to have a chance to meet great naginata practitioners from all over Europe. It was amazing to witness the skill of other practitioners. I wish to be as good myself one day.
I enjoyed watching shiai. I thought earlier that naginata is slower than shinai, but I was glad to be wrong. It was amazing to see how fast and versatile naginata can be in skilful hands. It really started a shiai-spark in my heart. I hope that we meet again after two years, but maybe that time in shiai-jo.
Satu Nieminen