Miho Takagi, Record-Breaking Japanese Speed Skater and Olympic Medalist, Announces Retirement

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, April 7, 2026

Speed skating athlete Miho Takagi, who has won a record 10 medals for Japan at the Winter Olympics, has announced her retirement from competitive skating.

Takagi, 31, held a press conference in Tokyo on Monday to make the announcement. “I have no regrets and wouldn’t want to go back,” she said with a smile. “I’ve had a happy skating career.”

Takagi has won in 38 World Cup individual events – the most by any Japanese skater – and holds the world record in the 1,500 meter competition. She has competed in four Olympic Games, starting at the 2010 Vancouver Games with the national team at age 15. Including the Milano Cortina Gams in February, Takagi now has 10 Olympic medals.

Takagi reflected on the Games, saying: “It was the Olympics that made me as strong as I am today.”

Takagi revealed her reasons for retiring, saying she felt that she wasn’t being the athlete she wanted to be and that her passion was gradually fading. “Rather than making a decision, I have accepted [retirement].”

Regarding her future plans, she said, “It’s like a blank sheet of paper spread out before me. I want to unfurl my sails as wide as possible and move forward as I please.”