“Shoma wasn’t really fixated on the Olympics. It didn’t matter that the Olympics were just two more years away; he made his decision independently to conclude this chapter.” Shoma Uno’s former coach, Mihoko Higuchi, on his retirement.
Shoma Uno’s former coach, Mihoko Higuchi, about his retirement.
original source: jbpress.ismedia.jp dd. 18th July 2024 by Takaomi Matsubara
In the interview with JBpress, Mihoko Higuchi talks about Shoma Uno and his decision to retire from competitive sport. Here’s a translation of her comments.
Regarding the retirement itself, she knew about it ahead of the announcement. “It was about a month before the World Championships, I think. He informed me,’ Higuchi recalled. “It was Shoma’s decision, so rather than thinking anything of it, I accepted it very sincerely.”
Higuchi recalled that she had some kind of premonition about the announcement since 2022/23 Japanese Nationals when she unexpectedly met Uno, she asked him, “Are you having fun now?”
“I asked him because I was concerned after watching his performance,” she said.
Nevertheless, he completed that season, winning a consecutive title at World Championships and dashed through the 2023-2024 season. During this time, there were conversations that hinted at Uno’s decision.
“We had a chance to talk on the airplane and other occasions. It was after the NHK Trophy, so when I brought it up, he was saying things like, “I’m fine, but…”
And Uno had mentioned this: “I kind of want to take a break,” he said, “Taking a year off would make it quite difficult to compete in the Olympics,” Higuchi told him. “I know. I think this season is the end for me, and I’m planning to do my best for these remaining three months,” Uno answered her.
“He used to be more reckless, but I felt that his performance skills have developed depth. There are very talanted skaters indeed. But perhaps due to his age, when compared, Shoma’s performances had a certain depth,” she shared.
“Normally, challenging conflicts might make one feel unsettled. However, because he is the type to not think too far ahead and do his utmost in the present moment, perhaps that’s why his performance skills have deepened. His attitude of giving his all in the present hasn’t changed since the days I coached him.”
Regarding Shoma’s last cometitions, the World Championships 2024, she said, “Of course, I was watching on TV. The short program was impressive. The free program felt a bit disjointed though. He is skilled at self-analysis, so he probably knew it himself. Even so, as always, he did as much as he could, never giving up till the end, and that attitude came through clearly.”
Considering his retirement in light of the upcoming 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, some people felt it was a pity. However, Higuchi expressed, “Shoma wasn’t really fixated on the Olympics.”
She then recalled the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Uno’s first Olympics, where he won the silver medal. “When the medal was confirmed, I was extremely happy. But he wasn’t quite so. He was just swinging his legs in the kiss-and-cry. In his own view, it wasn’t his best performance, but since the coach was happy, that seemed good enough for him. I don’t think he had a strong passion like ‘because it’s the Olympics’. He wasn’t hung up on it being the Olympics, but rather, he seemed pleased because I was happy.”
She continued, “Even with this retirement, it didn’t matter that the Olympics were just two more years away; he made his decision independently to conclude this chapter.”
Related topics: Mihoko Higuchi, Shoma Uno
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