Photo: David W. Carmichael / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, the triple axel. That's where my whole heart lives with Mao Asada. Barely anyone in women's skating could land it, and she kept throwing it down on the biggest stages, year after year, like she had something to prove to nobody but herself. That contrast gets me every time: she looks soft and gentle, but inside there's pure steel. The Sochi story is the one I can't shake, the rough day, the tears, and then a free skate the next morning that was just transcendent, the kind of performance that makes winning feel beside the point. To me she was never about medals, she was about believing in your own program right to the final note. And honestly, the fact that she stuck around skating after retiring, producing her own ice shows, tells you all you need to know about how much she loves it.
Story
Steel Beneath the Grace: How Mao Asada Bet Her Life on the Triple Axel
Overview
Mao Asada is a Japanese figure skater born on September 25, 1990, in Meito Ward, Nagoya, Aichi. She made her senior debut in 2005 and went on to win the World Figure Skating Championships three times (2008, 2010, 2014), earning a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Renowned for her mastery of the triple axel at the highest level of women's skating, she retired from competition in April 2017 and has since produced and starred in her own professional ice shows.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mao Asada
- Name (Japanese)
- 浅田真央
- Reading
- あさだまお
- Born
- September 25, 1990 (age 35)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Libra / Horse
- Origin
- Meito Ward, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Blood type
- B
- Height
- 163 cm
- Agency
- IMG Japan
- Agency history
- Kinoshita Group (Sponsor)
Chukyo TV Broadcasting (Associated) - Active years
- 2005–2017 (Competitive), 2017–present (Professional)
- Occupation
- Figure Skater / Professional Skater / Ice Show Producer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Nagoya Municipal Takabari Elementary School
- Junior high
- Nagoya Municipal Takabaridai Junior High School
- High school
- Chukyo University Attached Chukyo High School
- University
- Chukyo University, Faculty of Physical Education, Department of Physical Education (graduated 2015)
- Debut
- Senior debut in 2005; won the Grand Prix Final, defeating reigning world champion Irina Slutskaya at age 15
Awards & achievements
- 2005 Grand Prix Final Champion
- 2006 Japan Figure Skating Championships Champion (first title; six titles total)
- 2008 World Figure Skating Championships Champion (1st title)
- 2008 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Champion (three titles total)
- 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics Silver Medal
- 2010 World Figure Skating Championships Champion (2nd title)
- 2013 Grand Prix Final Champion (4th career title)
- 2014 World Figure Skating Championships Champion (3rd title; first Japanese skater to win three times)
Timeline
- 1995Started figure skating at age 5
- 2005Senior debut; won the Grand Prix Final at age 15
- 2008Won the World Championships for the first time, becoming World Champion
- 2010Won the silver medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics; became the first woman in history to land three triple axels at a single Olympic Games
- 2010Won the World Championships for the second time
- 2014Finished 6th overall at the Sochi Winter Olympics; delivered a career-best free skate performance
- 2014Won the World Championships for the third time; set a world-record short program score, recognised by Guinness World Records
- 2017Announced retirement from competitive skating on April 10
- 2018Launched the Mao Asada Thanks Tour ice show
- 2022Produced and starred in the ice show BEYOND
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Unmarried
- Siblings
- Mai Asada (older sister; former figure skater and television personality)
4. Personality
Hobbies
- Jigsaw puzzles
- LEGO
- Cooking
Specialties
- Triple axel (at the highest level in women's skating)
- Artistic expression
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Show | Mao Asada Thanks Tour | Star & Producer | 2018 |
| Ice Show | BEYOND | Star & Producer | 2022 |
| Book | My Love for Skating (私のスケート愛) | Author | 2021 |
| Television | NHK Trophy and World Championships Special Programmes / Commentary | Performer / Commentator | 2018 |
| Ice Show | NHK Trophy Ice Show and others | Performer | 2017 |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://mao-asada.jp/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/maoasada2509/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B5%85%E7%94%B0%E7%9C%9F%E5%A4%AE
Frequently asked questions
When was Mao Asada born?
Born September 25, 1990 (age 35).
Where is Mao Asada from?
Mao Asada is from Meito Ward, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan.
What does Mao Asada do?
Mao Asada works as Figure Skater, Professional Skater, Ice Show Producer.
How tall is Mao Asada?
Mao Asada is 163 cm.
What is Mao Asada's blood type?
B.
What agency is Mao Asada with?
Mao Asada is with IMG Japan.
How long has Mao Asada been active?
2005–2017 (Competitive), 2017–present (Professional).
What is Mao Asada known for?
Notable works include Mao Asada Thanks Tour, BEYOND, My Love for Skating (私のスケート愛).
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.