Wakaba Higuchi

is a Japanese retired figure skater. She is a 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, the 2018 World silver medalist, the 2024 Skate America champion, a three-time Grand Prix silver medalist (2017 Cup of China; 2020 NHK Trophy; 2024 Grand Prix de France), a three-time Grand Prix bronze medalist (2016 and 2021 Grand Prix de France; 2017 Rostelecom Cup), a three-time Challenger Series medalist, and a six-time Japanese national medalist (bronze in 2015 and 2025, silver in 2016, 2017, 2020, and 2022). On the junior level, she is a two-time World Junior bronze medalist (2015, 2016), the 2014–15 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and a two-time Japan Junior national champion (2015, 2016).

Career Early career Higuchi began skating at age three and has been coached by Koji Okajima since the age of five.

Days after the Olympics concluded, Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine, as a result of which the International Skating Union banned all Russian and Belarusian skaters from competing at the 2022 World Championships. This had a major impact on the women's field, which Russians dominated for most of the preceding eight years. As a result, Higuchi entered the championships considered a major medal contender.

In May 2023, Higuchi announced that she intended to return to competition the following season.

2024–2025: Grand Prix gold medal and Grand Prix Final

Beginning her season at 2024 Skate America, Higuchi placed fourth in the short program but won the free skate, unexpectedly taking the gold over expected favorite, Isabeau Levito. While the skater was not satisfied with the free skate, she was “super happy” and “surprised” with the outcome. “I felt the strongest back then at the beginning of my Grand Prix career,” said Higuchi. “Back then, I was aiming for golds and never won an event, so I really wasn't expecting to win this event." During the gala exhibition at the 2024 NHK Trophy, all members of the 2022 Olympic Team Event, including Higuchi, were invited to center stage, wearing their Olympic costumes and Olympic medals, in celebration of their achievement.

At the Final, Higuchi would place sixth in the short program after falling on an attempted triple lutz and failing to perform a jump combination. She would, however, deliver a solid free skate, placing fourth in that segment and moving up to fourth place overall.

Going on to compete at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in late February, Higuchi placed seventh in the short program after stepping out of a planned triple lutz and landing her triple toe at the end of her triple flip-triple toe combination on the quarter. During the free skate, Higuchi fell on her second triple lutz attempt but otherwise delivered a solid performance, placing fifth in that segment and moving up to fifth place overall, making her the highest ranked Japanese woman at the event. She also went on to deliver a solid free skate with her only major mistake being a slight step out on her second triple loop attempt. Placing sixth in that competition segment, Higuchi would also finish the event in sixth place overall.

2025–2026 season: Injury and retirement

In June, Higuchi announced that she planned to retire from competitive figure skating at the end of the season. During the process of creating her short program, choreographer, Jeffrey Buttle, presented Higuchi with the idea of skating to "My Way", a song that he had previously wanted to skate to during his final season as a competitive figure skater. Higuchi, feeling that the song's lyrics perfectly reflected her years as an elite figure skater and her desire to close out her figure skating career on a high note, agreed to it.

She began the season in September by competing at the 2025 CS Kinoshita Group Cup. Higuchi placed sixth in the short program after only performing a triple-double jump combination as opposed to a planned triple-triple, and taking an unexpected fall during her step sequence. thumb Higuchi performing her free skate at 2025 Skate America Prior to the free skate, Higuchi fell ill and as a result struggled throughout the performance, only placing eleventh overall.

The following month, during the 2025 NHK Trophy, Higuchi continued to experience pain and as such had to take painkillers as a means of coping. As such, Higuchi struggled with her jumps throughout the event and finished in ninth place overall. The following week, she finished eleventh at 2025 Skate America.

On March 9, 2026, Higuchi officially announced her retirement from competitive figure skating.

Programs Post-Competitive Career Programs SeasonExhibition2026–2027 A Hazy Shade of Winter

Competitive Programs