Interview: NEAO EFL Champion

KIDA TALKS INTERVIEW

NEAO EFL Champion

ICU 1: 

Naoko Arai and Marina Nakamura

How are you coping with after-tournament syndrome?

Actually, we don’t feel that after-tournament syndrome since we will soon have another debating tournament in Japan!

How does it feel like to be the EFL Champion?

Just unbelievable! And of course, we were very happy because we thought that our effort was rewarded finally.

How was the EFL Final Round? What were your thoughts and feelings before and after the round?

We felt excited the most in NEAO, before and during the round, because it was the first time for both of us to proceed to the grand final throughout our debating career. However, we were not so nervous, since three out of four teams were form Japan. We knew that they were distinguished debaters but, we were happy to debate with our friends.

What was the first thing that came to your mind when the CA announced the champion?

Sense of achievement and relief, at the same time. We thought “Finally! We are released by a kind of duty that we have to achieve something”. Before the tournament, we had a strong eager to set a record of champion.

How was NEAO for you in general? Share with us the good, bad, and the ugly.

What was good: Motions and Rounds of course!!! We really enjoyed every single round, considering arguments and debating with lots of international debaters.

What was bad: It was cold in Korea. And round rooms were a bit far from the debater room.

Who did you find the hottest at NEAO?

Yuki Oka, he’s so cool.

Who was the most inspiring speaker for you at NEAO?

Hyewon Lee. We debated with her in Round 3, and we found that it was a great pleasure to debate with such a splendid female debater.

Debate with which team was unforgettable to you?

Ewha 1(Hyewon Lee and Young Cho Lee)

Who was the most inspiring adjudicator?

Nam Chul Kim. He judged us for two times and gave us very helpful advice.

Any last words?

We’d like to thank everyone involved in NEAO especially adjudication cores and organizing committees. Thank you for such wonderful rounds, venues, foods, accommodations, and everything. We hope the NEAO 2013 also succeeds next year!

END.