26-year-old Japanese figure skater Shoma Uno is facing speculation about his future in the sport after failing to win his third consecutive world championship. At the recent world championships in Montreal, Uno finished in fourth place while American skater Ilia Malinin claimed the top spot, marking him as a rising star in the sport.
Uno has not made any official statements about his retirement plans, but he did express admiration for younger skaters and offered them words of encouragement. Some have interpreted these comments as a possible indication that Uno is considering retiring from competitive figure skating. However, Uno has not confirmed or denied any retirement plans.
Throughout his career, Uno has been overshadowed by his fellow Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who was both a friend and competitor on the ice. Despite winning two world championships after Hanyu and Nathan Chen took a step back from the sport, Uno admitted to facing challenges without his top rivals pushing him. He also noted that he did not feel as strong a desire to win in the face of new competition like Malinin.
Uno mentioned that he would discuss his future plans with his coach, Stephane Lambiel, once the dust has settled from the world championships. While he did not provide a timeline for any decisions, Uno’s comments suggest that his future in competitive figure skating may be uncertain. As fans wait for more information, Uno’s next steps remain a topic of speculation.
