Two-time world figure skating champion Shoma Uno from Japan announced his retirement at the age of 26, describing his years on the ice as "wonderful." Uno made the announcement on Thursday, following his fourth-place finish at the world championships in Montreal in March, where he aimed for his third consecutive title.

In a Japanese Instagram post, Uno expressed gratitude for his 21-year skating journey since starting at the age of five, stating, "I'm grateful to have had a wonderful time competing." He plans to elaborate on his decision at a news conference on May 14.

Despite notable achievements such as winning silver at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018 and bronze in both the men's singles and team event at Beijing 2022, Uno faced challenges in matching his previous successes. He experienced runner-up finishes in the Grand Prix series and suffered a loss to 19-year-old American Ilia Malinin at the Grand Prix Final, who notably landed a quadruple Axel in competition.