Shoma Uno announces retirement

[YukiNieve]

Shoma's press conference about his retirement will be streamed live here (5/14/2024, EST 1AM)

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www.youtube.com

Shoma is scheduled to skate for:
Prince Ice World (PIW): 7/13-7/14 (2 shows each day), Kagoshima, Japan
The ice: 7/20-7/21 (3 shows) - Aichi; 7/27-7/28 (4 shows) - Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
L’APPRENTI SORCIER: 8/8-8/9 - Champery, Switzerland
One Piece on Ice: 9/7-9/8 Funabashi, Chiba, Japan

 

[overedge]

I'm really sorry to see this news, but he's had an incredible career that he can be very proud of.

 

[Frau Muller]

Flop after the first show...

Why? No women?

 

[Sylvia]

I remember seeing him when his height was barely above the board.

Nagoya TV News (the local TV channel) has been following him since he was 9 and you can see some footage when Shoma was very young here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfrMewZEWv0

Awww, so adorable! Thank you for sharing this link!

Lambiel’s message (with Uno’s previous coaches, Machiko Yamada and Mihoko Higuchi):

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[Marco]

I love his skating but this is probably for the best. With all these injuries and him struggling with the quad flips and loops, he is better off focusing on show skating and I strongly believe this is where he will shine even more.

Maybe one way or another he feels he is overtaken by Yuma and he can no longer reach the technical level of Ilia etc, but I would like to see it as there is finally a solid successor to lead the national team and so he can move on.

There will never be anyone who can do the arabian entry into combination spin better than he does.

 

[On My Own]

Why? No women?

If I saw the words "Blade Kings" and then watched these men, I'd want my money back.

Adam
Ilia
Donovan
Yun Wa (jun hwan)
Lukas B.
Keegan

 

[japanice]

Shoma Uno Retires From Competition After Illustrious Career | SportsLook

Two-time world champion Shoma Uno retires with three Olympic medals, a record-tying six Japan men's singles titles and a Grand Prix Final gold medal.

featured.japan-forward.com

 

[Frau Muller]

If I saw the words "Blade Kings" and then watched these men, I'd want my money back.

How about “The GAY Blades”? …as in the 1940s movie, I mean: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Blades

 

[paskatefan]

Shoma, thank you for all of your wonderful competitive skating & great sportsmanship through the years. It has been an honor to see you skate in person. May you enjoy a wonderful future & life in whatever you choose to do Hoping your future includes performing in ice shows!

 

[Dobre]

Thanks, Shoma, for being a part of the recent revolution in men's skating. To me, this generation of guys--Nathan, Shoma, and Jin--got us past the it's-OK-to-splat-on-everything trend and helped define a new era in which the difficult quadruple jumps were expected, the artistry--nonetheless-had to be there, and execution had to be completed. I don't think it would have happened the same without all of them.

Ironically, my favorite program of Shoma's is the short he had during his big learning year without a coach (as that program was so different for him). I'm sorry to see he won't continue to push the envelope for one more Olympiad. The experience, there, is something the other two guys won't have at the same level heading into 2026; and I wouldn't have counted him out, provided he was healthy. But I'm glad he stayed in past 2022 to win the world title and hold the bar high for the other guys preparing for that next Olympiad.

 

[On My Own]

Ironically, my favorite program of Shoma's is the short he had during his big learning year without a coach (as that program was so different for him).

That's actually my least favorite from him I thought it was obvious he hadn't figured out a "new" style yet without his old coaches and to start giving the judges something fresh, and this one turned out to be a failed experiment for me. The LP was a success to me, but then it was lyrical/contemporary and he'd done well with similar before.

 

[Sylvia]

From the ISU (May 10): Shoma Uno (JPN) opens the next chapter

The "talent of effort" inherited from Mao-chan Shoma Uno announced his retirement What pushed him to become a top skater - Chukyo TV news article (May 10) with 9 photos including the Junior men's podium in November 2009 with gold & silver medalists Hanyu and Kento Nakamura both towering over him :

真央ちゃんから受け継いだ「努力の才能」　引退表明の宇野昌磨選手　トップスケーターへ押し上げたもの｜中京テレビNEWS NNN

日本テレビのニュースサイト「日テレNEWS NNN」は政治、経済、国際、社会、スポーツ、カルチャー・エンタメ・芸能、ライフなど、ニュース速報のほか天気、地震、津波、台風など防災・気象情報を配信しています。

news.ntv.co.jp

Hanyu's statement was published in the Kyodo News article I posted yesterday:

Hanyu said in a statement that he felt "very lucky and happy" that he could compete with Uno on the global stage. "Going forward, I hope you can imagine many forms of happiness for your future, and that you're able to realize them," he said.

Kento Nakamura's Shoma tribute post yesterday: https://twitter.com/1016_kento/status/1788556553806922102
Machine translated excerpt:

He created many masterpieces with his rare expressiveness, and overcame his weakness in jumps with extraordinary effort. He was so cool. Thank you for all the wonderful figure skating
Good luck on the next stage!!

[Rare video] Shoma Uno, a second-year elementary school student (7 years old at the time), answered the question, "Do you want to be an Olympic athlete?" He grinned and raised his hand. (little Shoma shows up right before the 3-min. mark in this video):

【貴重映像】小学2年生の宇野昌磨選手（当時7）「オリンピック選手になりたいですか？」の質問に…ニヤっと笑って手を上げる | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)

突然のSNSでの発表でした。オリンピック2大会連続でメダルを獲得した、フィギュアスケート男子の宇野昌磨選手が、9日に現役引退を発表しました。（街の声）「（Ｑ宇野昌磨選手が現役引退を発表しましたが？）え、… (1ページ)

newsdig.tbs.co.jp

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

This makes me very sad.

 

[Allskate]

This makes me very sad.

Me, too. I absolutely love his skating. He's my favorite of all the men that have been competing recently. He has been dealing with injuries, and his announcement is not a surprise. It may be what is best for him. I'm just sad from my own selfish perspective.

It's times like this that I miss the pro competitions. I know that there are lots of opportunities for him to do exhibitions in Japan, but there won't be many chances for American fans to watch him.

 

[LilJen]

I have enjoyed tiny Shoma so much. Sad to see him retire.

 

[once_upon]

He is a beautiful skater - I love his interpretations of the music and skating skills.

I will miss him

 

[coppertop1]

Now it really feels the end of an era. He was my favorite since 2016/2017. There were so many highs and lows in his career. It's been difficult being a fan given how low his lows were. I thought he would never recover but I'm glad he did and went on to achieve many more victories. I'll miss him, and I'm sad but not too sad because I felt his heart wasn't in it anymore.

I feel like 2026 will be the end of an era. I can see many skaters who debuted in the senior ranks in 2016-2017 retiring

 

[YukiNieve]

Bumping this up since this will start in about 1 hour...

Shoma's press conference about his retirement will be streamed live here (5/14/2024, EST 1AM)

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www.youtube.com

 

[On My Own]

Bumping this up since this will start in about 1 hour...

What happened?

 

[On My Own]

(Machine translation)

https://twitter.com/livedoornews/status/1790261282152804458

[Shoma Uno's retirement press conference] Chairman Akio Toyoda is "really kind"

Q. Toyoda Akio of Toyota Motor Corporation (Uno's company) heard about my retirement and said something like, "Support for athletes should only be given when they are in their prime; that's not enough." I've met Akio three or four times...I've met him more than once, and I've been really rude to him a few times...

(MC: He describes himself as an ordinary man who likes cars.)
It's hard to say (laughs), but he's really that easy to talk to.But when my grades were really bad, he was always worried about me, and when my grades were good, he told me he was really happy for me. I had the opportunity to visit Akio's house for the first time, and when I was there to write my name, I wrote it in katakana. But he still forgave me.

(Host: The correct answer is "Toyoda" which is pronounced as "Toyoda")But still, he laughed and said, "These are the names, so remember them when you go home."
That's the kind of person he is, so he's really kind.

Q. Regarding a second career as an athlete: Up until now I've been living a pretty much same routine every day, so I feel like I need to have a lot of different experiences, including in the future.

(MC: Telling children about the appeal of figure skating, etc.)
I also started skating because I admired Mao, so when I was little, rather than being particularly attracted to skating or anything like that, I think it was mostly because I wanted to become like the skaters I admired, and therefore wanted to play the same sport.

But it's amazing. That I can be in that position. It's a very moving experience.

I'd like to ask the opposite question. I'd like to know what it is about me that the players and everyone who looks up to me admire.

https://twitter.com/livedoornews/status/1790263328012632156

[Shoma Uno's retirement press conference] The memory that remains vivid is "the sight of my coach Stephane Lambiel when I won my first World Championship"

Q. When did you decide to end your career at this season? I first started thinking about retirement about two years ago.

However, even though I couldn't really imagine myself retiring from that point on, I continued to dedicate myself to skating with all my might, and since then I've had a variety of experiences, which has brought me to where I am today.

The time when I decided clearly is gradually approaching...However, as for when I told my coach, after the All Japan Championships were over, I told Coach Stefan that I wanted to retire from active competition at the next tournament.


Q. What have you gained or felt from experiencing the big stage? I've never been someone who was good at standing in front of people and speaking like this, or performing on a big stage.

By experiencing a big stage once, I think it helps to make you feel less nervous about anything than you were before.

I've had a lot of experiences on big stages, but even when it's not a big stage, there are many times when I get nervous, even in my private life.

What I think most about it is that I will look back and think of it as a precious treasure, a valuable experience that I could only have now.

Q. I think that the scene or tournament that I can relive over and over is the sight of Stephane's joy after winning his first World Championship. It's a memory that remains very vivid in my memory.

https://twitter.com/livedoornews/status/1790264875861880954

[Shoma Uno's retirement press conference] "I felt left behind" by the retirements of Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan Chen

Q. What was the reason or trigger that made you start thinking about retiring? Originally, rather than being motivated by a strong desire to achieve great results, I had always wanted to do my best every day, and give it my all to make the best possible performance in the competition that was coming up.

After I won the World Championships once, of course my desire to continue working hard didn't change, but with the retirements of Yuzuru and Nathan, and the retirements of my teammates who I'd fought alongside for so long, I felt very lonely and like I'd been left behind, and I think that's when I started to think about it.

Q. Regarding any regrets about leaving the sport, to be honest I don't have any.

Personally, I'm really happy that I'll be able to skate freely again, but when I look back at old footage, I realize how hard I worked.I don't want to praise myself too much for being able to hone the same thing every day to this extent, but I do think I've accomplished something truly amazing.

Q. What was the most memorable match between you and Yuzuru Hanyu and Nathan? To me, they were two incredible skaters who were like gods to me. I always thought I would like to be able to compete on the same level as them someday.

I don't know if I would have been able to reach that point, but I do think I was able to live my life as a figure skater to the fullest in my own way.As for what will be memorable, rather than the tournament itself, I think what will stick in my memory is the truly wonderful humanity of the two of them.

https://twitter.com/livedoornews/status/1790267944834048235

[Shoma Uno's retirement press conference] "I look forward to seeing figure skating at an ever-increasingly high level"

Q. In the field of figure skating, you have been able to express yourself amongst athletes with larger statures, so have you ever felt at a disadvantage because of your short stature?

I'm really glad that I chose figure skating.

First of all, with my height of 157 cm, there aren't many other sports in which I can excel, so I feel truly blessed to have taken up figure skating.

I don't think I ever had any negative thoughts like that.

Q. What message would you like to give to the younger skaters who will be competing against rising skaters such as Marinin? (note: Malinin) I recently skated an old program at an ice show, so I had the chance to watch footage of my old competitions.

When I watch videos of myself, I realize that I have really evolved in terms of my expression compared to the past.

I'm looking forward to seeing figure skating get increasingly more advanced, and all the younger Japanese skaters are really nice. First of all, they all get along really well.

Of course, everyone wants to achieve good results, but I hope that as many skaters as possible will emerge who can have the most fun and embody the type of skating that I am aiming for.

Q. What are you thinking about when you are skating? When I was little, I was a very introverted person and couldn't speak in front of people.

I don't think my parents even thought that I would be able to stand on the ice alone and perform in front of that many people.

On the contrary, it is precisely because I am the only one there that they can properly see the world and expression that I create.

I'm very grateful that, here and elsewhere, people listen to what I have to say sincerely and report on it, and I think that's why it's a place where I can easily express my true colors.

I think that because I'm not the type of person who is very good at communicating, this was a sport and environment that suited me really well.

Also, regarding the skating I want to perform in the future, first of all I want to do is give it my all.

I want to create programs that I can enjoy every day, and show everyone programs that really express my emotions, and I'm excited to think that I'll be able to create great programs in the future that are born from the feeling that I want to do it, not that I have to do it.

Q. To be honest, I don’t know what motivates you to pursue skating.

I've loved video games since I was really little, so at first I just worked hard at skating because I really wanted to play games.

However, as I continued skating every day, I gradually became attracted to the appeal of skating and the idea of myself being able to compete at the world's top level.I also think that it's very important to have a place where I can give it my all, or to devote all my time to it, including my hobbies.

I realized that being able to give it your all no matter how depressed you are is an incredibly valuable thing.

Although sometimes it can be tiring.

However, I believe that the time I have spent facing this challenge single-mindedly will become an asset for me in the future, and I believe this experience will be something that I can make use of in my life going forward.

 

[YukiNieve]

Shoma was very articulate (I am really impressed by the ways in which he answered any questions thoughtfully yet interestingly). Shoma showed a very positive mind-set (no tears!) and is eager to pursue the world of professional skating that awaits him.

There are many interesting tidbits, especially in Q and A. Hopefully there will be a full translation.

One answer that really impressed me was:
Shoma was very introverted especially when he was young, and his parents never thought that he was able to skate alone in front of the huge audience.
But because he was the only person out there (in the rink), everyone was paying attention to what he was doing - the expressions he was creating (on the ice) - which made him feel happy.
And that's why he thinks skating is what he can truly express himself. Because he was not kind of person who was good at expressing himself eloquently otherwise, skating and its environment suited him well.

You can watch the entire press conference here:

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www.youtube.com

 

[On My Own]

sketchtastic fs-gossips seems to have blessed us with a partial translation.

Shoma Uno: “After 21 years in figure skating, I’ve become a skater who can finish his daily routine with a smile. I think I’ve come one step closer to being the skater that I wished to be when I was little.”

Shoma Uno held a retirement press conference.

fs-gossips.com

 

[On My Own]

(machine translation)

Asada commented on Uno's retirement: https://www.sankei.com/article/20240514-7TISDHTINJKNLHWMQ6RSZYSA44/

Mr./Ms. Asada, a 33-year-old former world figure skater, commented on Masama Uno (Toyota Motor Corporation), who announced her retirement at a press conference on the 14th, "Thank you for your long career as an active athlete, and I am looking forward to seeing what you will see on the new stage."

At a skating rink in Nagoya, he invited Uno, who was 5 years old at the time, to figure skating, and they belonged to the same club. "When I was a kid, I used to cry a lot, but I remember never giving up until I could do it, and I practiced at the rink longer than anyone else," he said. "I think I've devoted everything I've ever given to figure skating, so first of all, take a good rest both physically and mentally," he said.

A few days ago, Hanyu commented too: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/05/09/kiji/20240509s00079000280000c.html

Professional figure skater Mr./Ms. Hanyu (29) commented to the Sponichi newspaper on the 10th following the announcement of the retirement of Masama Uno (note: Shoma Uno) (26 = Toyota Motor Corporation), who won the men's figure skating 22 and 23 World Championships in 22 and 23 years.

[Full text of Mr./Ms.'s comment from Hanyu]

As someone who has fought and walked with Uno since I was in elementary school and junior high school, I know how much determination he has put into his efforts, but I will not say "thank you for your hard work" because he will continue to do his best even if the environment changes slightly.

I pray that you will be able Mr./Ms. envision happiness in Mr./Ms. future, and that it will come true.

I will continue to enjoy the ideal skating of "Masama Uno".

Let's have a casual conversation between normal, men who are only three years apart in age. I'm also really looking forward to the opportunity to be a skater and a rink where I can laugh and get serious, get hot, and spend time that only the two of us can do.

I was really fortunate to be able to compete with "Shoma" on the world stage as "Yuzu-kun", and it was fun. Thank you very much.
I hope that Mr./Ms. will continue to look forward to it "again" in the future.

Yuzuru

Hanyu Uno announced on SNS on the 9th, "I have decided to retire from active competition." "Thank you very much to everyone who has supported me as a competitor until today," he said. He will hold a retirement press conference on the 14th.

 

[Sylvia]

Kyodo News article (May 14):

Figure skating: Retiring Shoma Uno upbeat, excited by next chapter

Two-time world champion Shoma Uno emphasizes how much he is looking forward to the next chapter of his figure skating career after confirming his retirement from competition.

english.kyodonews.net

Photo retrospective:

IN PHOTOS: Shoma Uno, a sparkling career in review

Shoma Uno has ended a figure skating career in which he captured consecutive world championship titles and three Winter Olympic medals in one of the sport's most highly competitive eras.

english.kyodonews.net

ETA Shintaro Kano's Olympics.com article summarizing his presser: https://olympics.com/en/news/figure-skating-uno-shoma-retirement-press-conference-no-regrets
Excerpt from the end:

“I first started thinking about retirement around two years ago,” said Uno, who took up skating when he was five years old. “But from that point on I kept skating because I couldn’t see myself retiring.

“I went through a number of things and it’s led to where I am today. The decision was a gradual one but I told my coach, Stephane, after the nationals that I would stop competing following the next meet,” he said, referring to the worlds in Montreal in March when he missed the podium after placing fourth.

“I never skated for results or numbers. I gave it what I had each day, and tried to do the best I could at every competition.

“But after I won the worlds for the first time - and of course I wanted to continue to do well - Yuzu retired, then Nathan followed.

“To see the guys I competed with for so long call time on their careers, I felt sad, even stranded. I think that’s when I started to think about my own ending.”

Throughout the hour-long press conference, Uno never shed a tear or was somber at any point. He was, in fact, all smiles answering questions and talking about his other passion in life, gaming, which he plans to dive into more than ever now with time on his hands.

A self-described introvert as a child, Uno said figure skating molded him into the person he is today and thankful for the 21-year journey it has taken him on.

“I never expected to be the competitor I became nor be able to speak in front of a crowd like I’m doing right now. I am so grateful to have met skating; it’s been full of wonderful surprises.

“Who would have thought I would compete on the Olympic stage let alone do well there. I didn’t think I had a shot at a world championship three, four years ago.

“How figure skating came to cross my path is truly emotional and meaningful.”

"This is an older article, but it looks back with photos from the 2006 All Japan Novice Championships." [placed 4th] to Dec. 2019 [his 4th staright national title & 1st win over Hanyu] https://twitter.com/mai_hatsu/status/1788828229685641718
"... we will look back at Shoma Uno's All Japan Championships with photos taken by sports photographer Koichi Nakamura."

【写真特集】宇野昌磨の全日本選手権。2006年の全日本ノービスから写真でプレーバック！【全46枚】

2021年12月22日(水)から26日(日)まで、「第90回全日本フィギュアスケート選手権」が開催。日本のフィギュアスケートイベントにおいて最も権威があり、数々の名勝負の舞台となった大会です。そこで今回は、宇野昌磨選手の全日本選手権をスポーツ写真家の中村康一氏の写真で振り返ります。 2006年全日本ノービスでの演技 4位の宇野昌磨。表彰台に隠れていた彼は、こんなポーズで顔をのぞかせてくれた 2007年全日本ノービスでの演技 【次ページ：宇野昌磨の全日本選手権を2006年から振...

mainichigahakken.net

 

[Vash01]

He has been a wonderful artistic skater throughout his career. It took a while for him to reach the top. He was in Hanyu'sshadow for many years. I am happy that he won two world championships. He must feel good about it. I wish him well in his future endeavor.

 

[japanice]

[ICE TIME] An Unwavering Drive Lifted Shoma Uno to Great Heights as a Skater | SportsLook

Shoma Uno, who coped with frequent hospitalizations as a child, defied the odds to become a world-class athlete and a two-time world champion. What comes next?

featured.japan-forward.com