Narumi Takahashi: “Thanks to having Yuzuru Hanyu growing up by my side, I was able to reach places I never could have with just my own natural talent. It is absolutely his presence that broadened my world.”
Former Olympic pair skater Narumi Takahashi spoke on television about how Yuzuru Hanyu, her childhood friend and fellow skater, inspired her to broaden her horizons and achieve more than she thought possible.
original source: Hochi News dd. 11th April 2026
On the April 11 broadcast of Fuji TV’s “What Are You Doing on Saturday!?” Narumi Takahashi, who represented Japan in pairs at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and gained popularity as a commentator for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, appeared as a guest. Takahashi spoke about her childhood friend, Yuzuru Hanyu. Here’s a translation of her comments.
When another guest of the show mentioned Akashiya Sanma as someone who influenced him and asked Takahashi if she had anyone she admired or looked up to, she replied, “Rather than an ideal, I’d say Yuzuru Hanyu is like a ‘good luck charm’ for me.”
She continued, “He’s younger than me, but we went to the same elementary school and had the same skating coach. Back then, since he was younger, I could jump better than him, but then he suddenly started improving rapidly and we began to compete with each other.”
Takahashi reflected, “Thanks to having Yuzuru Hanyu growing up by my side, I was able to reach places I never could have with just my own natural talent. Because he showed me a broader world, I found myself achieving more than I thought possible. It is absolutely Yuzuru Hanyu’s presence that broadened my world,” She concluded with heartfelt words: “I’d love to skate together again someday.”
Related topics: Narumi Takahashi, Yuzuru Hanyu
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