Figure Skating Faces a Star Exodus: Who Is Retiring After the 2026 Olympics

End of the 2022–2026 Olympic Cycle

According to Главком: The 2022–2026 Olympic cycle in figure skating has come to a close, prompting a wave of retirements among elite athletes. Among them is Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who earned a bronze medal at the 2022 Games. In the summer of 2025, she announced her intention to step away from competition after the Olympics in Italy. Sakamoto, a six-time Japanese national champion, posted a free skate score of 154.93 points during her title run. At the Olympic team event, she contributed 20 points to help Japan secure the silver medal. In the individual competition, she was edged out by Ami Nakai in the short program and fell to Alysa Liu in the free skate. She also claimed her third world championship in Prague, where she set a world record for component scores.

Athletes from Japan and China

Japan’s Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara gained prominence over the cycle. They won a Challenger Series event in September 2025 and took silver at the Nebelhorn Trophy. The pair also triumphed at the Grand Prix in France and at Skate America. After winning the Grand Prix Final, Miura suffered an injury at the Japanese national championships. Despite this, they were selected for Japan’s 2026 Olympic team, where they won both the short and free programs with personal bests in the team event, earning their country a silver medal. In the individual competition, they placed fifth but set a world record for total score in the free skate.

China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong returned in the summer of 2025 after a hiatus. Han had previously announced his retirement due to health issues. The duo earned bronze at the Cup of China and another bronze at the NHK Trophy. Sui and Han went on to win the Chinese national championships and took silver at the Four Continents Championships. However, at the 2026 Olympics, they finished sixth in the team event and fifth in the individual competition. The pair has confirmed their retirement following the Games.

Wakaba Higuchi, the 2022 Olympic vice-champion in the team event, also announced the end of her career after withdrawing from a tournament due to foot pain. In March 2026, she officially retired, leaving as one of only two female skaters to land clean triple axels at the Olympics. Yaroslav Paniot, who represented Ukraine until 2018, retired in July 2025 after competing at the 2018 PyeongChang Games.

Other skaters whose futures remain uncertain include:

• Matteo Rizzo, who planned to retire after his third Olympics;
• Loena Hendrickx, who returned from injury in 2025;
• Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Olympic vice-champions;
• Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Olympic bronze medalists;
• Deanna Stellato-Dudek, aged 42, who sustained an injury just before the Olympics.

'Non, je ne regrette rien' (No, I regret nothing) – Kaori Sakamoto

This Olympic cycle marked a defining era for many athletes who achieved remarkable success and are now stepping away from the sport.

The conclusion of the 2022–2026 Olympic cycle represents a pivotal moment for figure skating, as numerous athletes who reached the highest peaks have chosen to retire. This period highlights not only individual accomplishments but also shifts in team rosters that could reshape future competitions. The departure of stars like Sakamoto and Higuchi leaves a significant gap in Japanese figure skating, while others, such as Miura and Kihara, may emerge as new faces on the international stage. With the Olympics in Italy on the horizon, the changing lineup of competitors and their fresh ambitions promise to make the upcoming Games especially compelling.

The recent retirements in figure skating, including that of Japan's Kaori Sakamoto, have sparked discussions about the future of the sport. As top athletes step away, the question arises: who will fill the void left behind? Notably, the announcement of Olympic champion Tsugumi Sakurai's retirement at just 24 years old adds to the intrigue surrounding the upcoming Olympic cycle and the potential impact on competitive dynamics.