Lucky Higuchi Wakaba may be ready to return to the top of the figure skating elite

Higuchi Wakaba – Don’t call it a comeback

There was once a time when Higuchi was perhaps the most talked about female skater of her generation – more so than the current three-time world and national champion Sakamoto Kaori.

Higuchi started generating buzz when she won back-to-back bronze medals at the junior world in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. She reached the Japanese senior podium when she was still a second-year high school student, a feat not achieved since 2004 by a certain Asada Mao.

Higuchi – who has a cult following abroad for her classic skating style – went on to win the Lombardia Trophy Challenger Series event on her full-time senior debut and came third in her first Grand Prix competition, which also took place in France. While they are one of two Japanese places for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, she won silver at the world championships during that Olympic season.

With a triple Axel in her arsenal and her globally acclaimed free skate “The Liong King”, Higuchi made the cut for the Beijing 2022 Games. She finished fourth behind her close friend and bronze medalist Sakamoto, helping her country to their first-ever medal in the team event, which was later upgraded to silver and awarded to her in Paris this year.

After returning home from Beijing, Higuchi experienced sharp pain in her right shin, but she still skated through the worlds with it (she placed 11th). When the season ended, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with a stress fracture.

Higuchi attempted to compete in 2022-2023, but after finishing ninth in Lombardia, she decided to sit out the rest of the season. It was both mental and physical. Burnt out, retirement crossed her mind.

When Higuchi returned for the 2023-24 season, she seemed to be a shadow of the prodigy she used to be. Fifth in the Grand Prix de France, ninth in the NHK Trophy. To top it all off, 12th at the nationals.

But while she was working, Higuchi rediscovered her love for figure skating. She didn’t mind the results and started her summer work earlier than usual for the penultimate Olympic season. Receiving her reassigned team medal at the Games Paris 2024 was also huge, rekindling her mojo.

After winning the Tokyo Regional Championships last month, Higuchi said she was in better shape than before Beijing – and it showed on Skate America. Her goal for 2024-2025 is to win the national championships in December in Osaka.

Milan Cortina 2026? Maybe a little early for that conversation, but this season’s Grand Prix Final? That’s certainly within reach and if Higuchi grabs it in France this weekend, things could get really interesting in the coming weeks, especially in Japan.

“If today were the last match of the season, I would probably think of Milano Cortina, but it’s the first,” Higuchi said after her win over Skate America. “I’m not the least bit happy with my skate, but it’s something I can build on. Right now I’m thinking about how to get results this season, not so much the Olympics.

“To be honest, the word ‘Final’ hadn’t occurred to me at all. But now I think if I can continue what I’m doing, maybe it can lead to something. I just want to be confident without putting too much pressure.”