“It resonated deeply with me – it felt just right for closing out my skating career. The program is both fitting and meaningful.” Wakaba Higuchi about skating to “My Way” in her last competitive season
Wakaba Higuchi announces retirement after the Milano-Cortina Olympic season.
original source: Nikkansports dd. June 27th 2025 by Daisuke Fujitsuka
Wakaba Higuchi (24), an Olympic silver medalist in the team event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, has announced her decision to retire from competitive figure skating at the end of the upcoming 2025–26 season. Speaking after her performance at the ice show “Dream on Ice” (DOI) on June 27 at the KOSE Shin-Yokohama Skating Center, Higuchi explained her motivations and goals for her farewell season. Here’s a translation of her comments.
Q: You debuted your new short program, “My Way.” What is its theme?
Wakaba Higuchi: This program expresses my skating career. It’s designed to showcase the breadth of my past expression, incorporating every jump, spin, element, and transition. I hope people will also focus on the artistry I’m conveying.
Q: Why did you choose “My Way” for your final short program?
Wakaba Higuchi: When working on choreography, I struggled to decide on a piece, but around the third day, my choreographer Jeffrey Buttle brought me this song, telling me, ‘This is the song I wanted to use for my own retirement.’ It resonated deeply with me – it felt just right for closing out my skating career. The program is both fitting and meaningful.
Q: How do you view this upcoming season?
Wakaba Higuchi: I want to aim for the Olympics, but I’m approaching each competition with the mindset that it could be my last. I want to deliver performances I can be proud of and finish each event knowing I’ve given my all, validating everything I’ve worked for up until now.
Q: You mentioned this will be your final season. Is it true that you plan to retire after this season?
Wakaba Higuchi: Yes, I’ve decided to retire after this season. My goal is the Olympics, but I’ll treat each competition as my last and approach it with utmost focus.
Q: What led you to decide this will be your last season?
Wakaba Higuchi: Initially, I intended to retire at the end of this current season (2024–25), which helped me push harder and deliver strong performances. At the World Championships in March, I earned an Olympic qualification spot for Japan’s team, and I realized I wanted to use it myself. This made me decide to extend my career for one more season. My experience at the Beijing Olympics also fueled my desire – I thought, ‘I want to skate at the Olympics one more time.’ Knowing my mental struggles, I felt setting a clear end date for my competitive career and giving my all during this final season would allow me to leave with no regrets.
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