 |
Daisuke TakahashiJapanese figure skater performing in singles skating
Date of Birth: 16.03.1986
Country:  Japan |
Content:
- Biography of Daisuke Takahashi
- Early Career
- Transition to Senior Level
- International Success
- Setbacks and Comeback
Biography of Daisuke Takahashi
Daisuke Takahashi is a Japanese figure skater who competes in men's singles. He was born on March 16, 1986, in Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. Currently, he lives and trains in Osaka. Standing at 165 cm tall, Takahashi's coach is Utako Nagamitsu, and his choreographers are Kenji Miyamoto and Pasquale Camerlengo. He previously worked with Nikolai Morozov as his coach and choreographer.
Early Career
Takahashi started figure skating at the age of 8. He initially went to the ice rink with his mother to watch speed skaters, but he ended up joining the figure skating section, despite his mother's preference for hockey. His junior career was successful, as he won the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2002, becoming the first and only Japanese skater to achieve this feat.
Transition to Senior Level
In the following year, Takahashi moved up to the senior level, but his success declined. He participated in the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships but finished second behind his teammate Takeshi Honda. Due to Honda's injury, Takahashi had to qualify for the 2006 Olympics in Turin in his place. He placed 15th, which allowed Japan to send only one skater to the Olympics.
International Success
In the 2006-2007 season, Takahashi won silver at the Canadian Grand Prix and gold at the NHK Trophy. Despite being ill, he secured a spot in the Grand Prix Final and finished second. He also won the Japanese national championship and became the gold medalist at the Winter Universiade in Turin, surpassing Nobunari Oda. At the 2007 World Championships, Takahashi won the silver medal, trailing behind Brian Joubert.
In the 2007-2008 season, Takahashi achieved victories at the Grand Prix events and placed second in the Grand Prix Final. He won his third national championship and went on to win the Four Continents Championships in 2008, setting a new record in the ISU judging system. Despite being a favorite at the World Championships, Takahashi missed the podium due to a fall during his quadruple jump attempt.
Setbacks and Comeback
In the following season, Takahashi had to withdraw from the Cup of China and NHK Trophy due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery and rehabilitation, missing the entire season. After recovering from his operation, Takahashi placed second at the second Grand Prix event, fourth at the NHK Trophy in 2009, and fifth in the Grand Prix Final. Winning his fourth national championship, Takahashi qualified for the 2010 Olympics, where he earned the bronze medal, and subsequently won the 2010 World Championships.
In 2014, Takahashi finished in 6th place overall. Later that year, he announced his retirement from competitive skating and moved to Long Island, USA. He studied English at a local university, worked as a television reporter, and participated in ice shows. However, on July 1, 2018, Takahashi announced his return to competitive skating. In the same year, he won the silver medal at the Japanese Championships. In September 2019, he decided to transition to ice dance and began competing with Japanese figure skater Kana Muramoto in January 2020.
Today, Daisuke Takahashi continues his competitive career in ice dance.
