At the age of 26, Shoma Uno has announced his retirement from figure skating. A decorated athlete with three Olympic medals and two world championship titles, Uno expressed his gratitude for having been able to compete for 21 years and achieve success in the sport. He will hold a press conference next Tuesday to provide more details about his decision.
Uno’s career began when he started skating at the age of 5. Over the years, he became one of Japan’s top figure skaters, consistently placing in the top four at major events. In 2018, he won Olympic silver and bronze in 2022, as well as an Olympic team event silver in 2022. However, Uno admitted to feeling uncertain about his competitive future in his last season, stating that he lacked the strong desire to win that he once had. His performance at the world championships was not up to par with his previous achievements, finishing fourth behind American Ilia Malinin.
Despite this setback, Uno remained a formidable competitor throughout his career. Known for his mastery of difficult jumps, Uno became the first skater to land a quad flip in competition at the age of 18. He was coached by Stéphane Lambiel of Switzerland since 2019 and was considered one of the best skaters in the world following Hanyu’s retirement and Chen’s break from competition.
In conclusion, Shoma Uno’s retirement marks the end of a successful career that spanned over two decades and brought him numerous accolades on both national and international stages. As he looks back on his journey, Uno likely feels a sense of pride knowing that he gave everything he had to give in pursuit of excellence in this demanding sport.
NBC Sports research provided additional insights into Shoma Uno’s storied career after his retirement announcement.