Marin Honda: “No matter which moment I look back on, skating is a part of all my memories. And I believe I can retire while still loving skating.”
Japanese single skater Marin Honda announced her retirement from competitive sports.
original source: sportiva.shueisha.co.jp dd. 12th January 2024 by Komiya Yoshiyuki
On January 11th, in Tokyo, Marin Honda’s retirement press conference took place. Her final performance was at the Japanese Nationals in December. Here’s translation of some of Marin’s comments posted in the article on Web Sportiva.
“No matter which moment I look back on, skating is a part of all my memories. Throughout my long competitive career, both the good times and the challenging ones, I was fortunate to have the support of many people, and I am grateful for that,” said Honda.
“When I was a child, it was just one of my hobbies, and I thought I could quit at any time. But when I turned 16, during a tough season, there was a time at the end of the year when I voluntarily took a break from training. However, I couldn’t imagine a life without skating, so in the end, I resumed training after only a four-day break.”
“The year my older brother Taichi retired, he was the same age as I am now, and he looked so accomplished. So, I wanted to finish my career with that same sense of accomplishment. That’s why I decided to continue participating and competing in the Japanese Nationals.”
“My fellow skating buddies are like childhood friends from elementary school. They knew this season would be my last. Even though my condition wasn’t great in the final competition, I feel I could push through, and it’s because we supported each other. I believe I can retire while still loving skating.”
Answering the question from a reporter about the words spoken upon her retirement, Marin said, “I received many kind words from various people, but the most impactful came from Mao Asada-san. She’s not only someone I admire but also a skater I look up to. I had the opportunity to talk with her, where I mentioned, ‘It seems to be my last season.’ At a time when I felt struggling, she sensed it and shared some wonderful words that deeply resonated with me.
And after my final performance at Nationals, she sent me a message, and I remember every word. While I’d like to keep it a secret if possible, so I’ll just say, ‘Marin, from a young age until the end, you never ran away. You’ve worked hard to come this far. That’s truly admirable! For your new start, hold your head high and move forward.'”
In the future, Honda intends to continue skating as a professional skater. “Even if I’m not in the public eye, I’ll probably keep skating somewhere.”
“When I started skating at the age of two, I couldn’t have imagined announcing my retirement. If I could convey this view to my two-year-old self, I think I’d be incredibly surprised!”
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