Mao Asada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mao Asada
Mao Asada at the 2014 World Championships.
Personal information
Native name	浅田 真央
Country represented	Japan
Born	(1990-09-25) 25 September 1990 (age 34) Meitō-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Skating club	Chukyo University
Began skating	1995

Mao Asada (浅田 真央, Asada Mao, born 25 September 1990) is a famous Japanese former figure skater. She won a silver medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Mao is also a three-time World champion (2008, 2010, 2014). She won the Four Continents championship three times (2008, 2010, 2013). She also won the Grand Prix Final four times.

Mao Asada made history at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She was the first female skater to land three triple Axel jumps in one competition. She also won the World Junior title in 2005. She was the Junior Grand Prix Final champion in 2004–05. Mao also won the Japanese national championship six times.

She once held the world record for the ladies' short program score. She set this record at the 2014 World Championships. Mao was a very talented young skater. She was the fifth woman and the first junior girl to land a triple Axel. She achieved this at the 2004–05 Junior Grand Prix Final. She won her first Grand Prix Final when she was only 15 years old.

Many people thought Mao Asada was the best figure skater in the world at that time. However, she was too young to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics. She is the first singles skater from Asia to win multiple world championships. At the 2013 Skate America, she became the first singles skater to win all seven current events in the Grand Prix series. She has 15 Grand Prix series titles. This is the second-highest total for ladies.

Mao Asada won many titles from the ISU. This made her one of the most famous athletes in Japan. Many consider her one of the best ladies' figure skaters ever. She is known for combining amazing athleticism with beautiful artistry. Famous skaters like Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno look up to her as a role model.

About Mao Asada's Life

Mao Asada was born in Meitō-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. She was named after a Japanese actress, Mao Daichi. She went to Nagoya International School for a while. Later, she graduated from Takabari Elementary School and Takabaridai Junior High. She finished high school at Chukyo High School in 2009. After that, she studied at Chukyo University and graduated in 2015. When she was growing up, she admired Midori Ito, another famous skater. She practiced skating almost every day after school.

Her older sister, Mai Asada, is also a figure skater. Mai won two gold medals in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. She also placed 6th at the 2006 Four Continents Championships. Now, Mai works as a TV presenter and performs in ice shows.

Mao Asada had a miniature poodle named Aero. Aero was named after the chocolate candy by Nestlé. Mao even included Aero in some of her exhibition skating programs. She also had two other dogs named Tiara and Komachi.

On November 11, 2024, Mao Asada opened her own figure skating rink. It is in Tachikawa, Tokyo and is called "MAO RINK." At the opening, she said, "I think this is the best rink in the world. My next goal is to help skaters become world number one."

Mao Asada's Skating Career

Starting Out in Skating

Mao Asada first studied classical ballet from age three to nine. But she decided to follow her sister and switch to figure skating.

She won the Japanese novice national championships in the 2002–03 season. This allowed her to compete at the junior championships, where she placed 4th. She also competed in the senior national championships and finished 7th.

In the 2003–04 season, Mao had similar results at the novice and junior levels. She placed 8th at the senior nationals. She won her first international event, the Mladost Trophy.

Junior Success: 2004–05 Season

In the 2004–05 season, Mao was old enough for junior international events. She competed in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series and won both of her events. At the Junior Grand Prix Final, she won gold by a large margin. She became the first junior ladies' skater to land a triple axel in a competition. She was also the fifth woman overall to do so. Mao won the Japanese Junior National championships. This qualified her for the 2005 Junior Worlds.

Mao's win also earned her an invitation to the senior national championships, where she won the silver medal. She was too young for the 2005 World Championships. At the Junior World Championships, she won by a big lead. She also set junior-level ladies' records for the total score and the free skating score. These records lasted until 2011.

Moving to Senior Level: 2005–06 Season

Asada does a one-handed Biellmann spin during her free skating to The Nutcracker (2005–06 season).

After winning everything at the junior level, Mao moved to the senior level in the 2005–06 season. She competed in the Senior Grand Prix circuit. During this circuit, Mao beat future medalists from the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics. She won a silver medal at the 2005 Cup of China. Mao then won her second event, the 2005 Trophée Eric Bompard. Her medals qualified her for the 2005–06 Grand Prix Final. At her first Senior Grand Prix Final, Mao won the event at just 15 years old.

At the 2005–06 Japan Championships, Mao won the silver medal. She was not old enough for the Olympics that year. At the 2006 World Junior Championships, Mao won a silver medal. In this competition, she became the first lady to land a triple Axel in the short program at an ISU championship.

Training in the US: 2006–07 Season

Mao Asada moved from Japan to the United States in August 2006. She trained with Rafael Arutyunyan in Lake Arrowhead, California. This helped her avoid crowded Japanese rinks and media pressure.

At her first event, the 2006 Skate America, Mao won the bronze medal. She won her second event, the 2006 NHK Trophy, setting a new world record for the highest combined score in a ladies' competition. Mao went into the 2006–07 Grand Prix Final as the defending champion. She placed second.

Mao won the 2006–07 Japan Championships. At the 2007 Worlds Championships, she was fifth in the short program. Mao won the free skating with a new world record score. She won the silver medal at her first Senior World Championships.

First World Title: 2007–08 Season

Asada performs her free skate to Fantasie-Impromptu at the 2007–08 Grand Prix Final.

In summer 2007, Mao trained more in Russia with Tatiana Tarasova. At the 2007 Skate Canada International, Mao finished first. She won her second gold at the 2007 Trophée Eric Bompard.

Mao went to the 2007–08 Grand Prix Final in Turin. She placed 6th in the short program. The next day, she won the free skate. She won the silver medal overall.

As in the previous year, Mao won the 2007–08 Japan Championships. Before the Four Continents, she stopped working with Arutyunyan. She returned to Japan to practice at Chukyo University.

Mao competed at both ISU Championships without a coach. At the Four Continents Championships, she won both parts of the competition and took gold. In March 2008, at the Worlds Championships, Mao won her first World title.

Making History: 2008–09 Season

Asada performs a spiral during her free skate to Waltz from Masquerade at the 2008–09 Grand Prix Final.

In summer 2008, Mao was formally coached by Tarasova in Russia.

At the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard, Mao placed second. Mao won gold at the 2008 NHK Trophy. She qualified for the 2008–09 Grand Prix Final. Mao won the free skating and the competition overall. She made history by becoming the first woman to land two triple Axels in the same program.

At the 2008–09 Japan Championship, Mao won her third national title. At the 2009 Four Continents Championships, Mao placed third overall.

At the 2009 World Championships, Mao finished in fourth place. At the first 2009 World Team Trophy, she won both the short and free programs. The Japanese team finished third overall.

Olympic Silver: 2009–10 Season

Asada performing her free skating to Bells of Moscow at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Mao won the silver medal at 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard. At the 2009 Rostelecom Cup, she finished 5th.

At the 2009–10 Japan Championships, Mao won her fourth Japanese national title. At the 2010 Four Continents Championships, Mao won the gold medal.

Mao competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics. In the short program, she scored 73.78 points and placed second. In her free skate, she landed two triple Axels. Mao won the Olympic silver medal. She earned a Guinness World Record for the most triple Axels performed by a female skater in one competition. Mao was Japan's flag-bearer at the closing ceremonies.

At the 2010 World Championships, Mao won her second world title. She became the first singles figure skater from Asia to win multiple world championship titles.

Reworking Jumps: 2010–11 Season

Asada performing her free skate to Liebesträume at the 2011 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.

In September 2010, Nobuo Sato became Mao's new coach. After the Vancouver Olympics, Mao decided to relearn all of her jumps. This was to improve her technique. This led to a difficult period for her in the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons. She did not skip any competitions during this time.

At the 2010 NHK Trophy, Mao placed 8th. At the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard, she finished 5th.

At the 2010–11 Japan national championships, Mao placed second. At the 2011 Four Continents Championships, she won the silver medal. Her triple Axel jump in free skating was approved for the first time since the 2010 Worlds. At the 2011 World Championships, Mao finished 6th overall.

Challenges and Comeback: 2011–12 Season

Mao started the 2011–12 season at the 2011 NHK Trophy. She won the silver medal. At the 2011 Cup of Russia, Mao won the event and qualified for the 2011–12 Grand Prix Final. She had to withdraw from the Final because her mother was very ill. Her mother passed away while Mao was flying back to Japan.

Mao secured her fifth national title at the 2011–12 Japan Championships. She won the silver medal at the 2012 Four Continents Championships. At the 2012 World Championships, Mao finished sixth overall.

After a tough season and her mother's death, Mao thought about quitting. But after visiting her choreographer in May 2012, she realized she still loved skating. She decided to continue competing.

Winning Streak: 2012–13 Season

Asada performing her free skate to Swan Lake at the 2013 World Championships.

Mao started the 2012–13 season at the Japan Open, where she won gold. She won gold at her two Grand Prix events, the 2012 Cup of China and the 2012 NHK Trophy. This qualified her for the 2012–13 Grand Prix Final. Mao won her third title at the Grand Prix Final. She won her sixth national title at the 2012–13 Japan Championships.

At the 2013 Four Continents Championships, Mao won the gold medal. Her teammates also won silver and bronze. This was the second time Japan swept the podium at this event.

Mao returned to the World podium with a bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships. Mao placed fifth at the World Team Trophy, and team Japan placed third.

Third World Title: 2013–14 Season

Asada performing her short program to Chopin Nocturne Op. 9, No. 2 at the 2013 Skate America.

Mao began the 2013–14 season at the Japan Open, where she won gold. She won gold at her two Grand Prix events, the 2013 Skate America and the 2013 NHK Trophy. She became the first singles skater to win all seven current events on the Grand Prix series. She won her fourth Grand Prix Final title. Mao competed in the 2013–14 Japan Championships, finishing 3rd overall.

In the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Mao skated the ladies' short program. She placed third individually, and team Japan finished fifth. In the ladies' singles event, she placed 16th in the short program after some mistakes. Many people, including famous skaters, supported her for the free skate. She performed very well in the free skating, landing 8 triple jumps. This placed her third in the free skating and sixth overall. Her free skating was very difficult and impressive.

At the 2014 World Championships, she broke the world record for the short program. Mao went on to win her third world title. With this win, she became the third woman in 45 years to win three world championship titles.

After winning the World Championship, Mao said she might take a break. On May 19, 2014, she announced she would skip the next season. She said she was tired and wanted to focus on other parts of her life, like university.

Return to Skating: 2015–16 Season

On May 18, 2015, Mao announced she would return to competitive skating. She had been training with coach Nobuo Sato. Her first competition back was the 2015 Japan Open. She successfully landed her first triple Axel in over a year. Her first-place skate helped Team Japan win first place.

For the 2015–16 Grand Prix series, Mao competed at 2015 Cup of China and 2015 NHK Trophy. At the Cup of China, she landed her opening triple Axel. She won her first international competition after returning. This win extended her Grand Prix winning streak to eight, the longest for any lady. She then won bronze at the 2015 NHK Trophy. Mao's results qualified her for the 2015–16 Grand Prix Final, where she finished sixth.

Mao won bronze at the 2015–16 Japan Championships. She chose to skip the 2016 Four Continents Championships to focus on the 2016 World Championships. At her final World event, she finished seventh.

Final Season: 2016–17 Season

Mao began her final season with a silver medal at the 2016 CS Finlandia Trophy. Her first Grand Prix event was 2016 Skate America, where she placed 6th. Her second event was the 2016 Trophee de France, where she placed 9th overall.

On April 10, 2017, Mao Asada announced on her blog that she had retired from competitive skating.

Mao Asada's Skating Style

Asada performs a one-handed Biellmann spin at the 2006 Skate America practice.

Mao Asada is known for her amazing flexibility in spins and spirals. Early in her career, she became known for her special move, the cross-grab Biellmann position. She also performed the one-handed Biellmann spin. Mao is also famous for her complex footwork sequences.

Mao landed her first 3A (triple Axel) when she was 12 years old. She was the first lady to perform a triple-triple-triple combination in a national competition. When she was 14, Mao landed a 3A in her free skating at the 2004–05 Junior Grand Prix Final. This made her the first junior girl to do so in an international event. She became famous for her 3A jumps.

Starting in the 2007–08 season, judging rules for jumps became stricter. Mao was sometimes penalized for under-rotations and edge errors on her Lutz jump.

Mao did not include salchow jumps in her programs until 2008. She had said that the triple salchow was the first triple jump she landed. She felt comfortable with it but preferred not to use it in competitions. She added the triple salchow to her free skate in 2008.

Mao often used a 3Lo (triple loop) as her second jump in a combination. In the 2008–09 season, she performed the 3A-2T (triple Axel-double toe loop) combination. At the same competition, Mao became the first female skater to land two 3A in the same program. She was also the first lady to land three triple Axels in one competition. She holds a Guinness World Record for the most triple Axels performed by a female skater in competition.

After the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mao decided to change her jumps. She wanted a smoother jump technique. This meant adding speed to her approach and increasing jump height and spin speed. Mao also corrected a habit of moving her shoulders before jumping. This process took two seasons. During the 2012–13 season, her performance improved. By the 2013–14 season, Mao said, "every single one of my skating techniques had been changed." At the 2014 Winter Olympics, she performed all six triple jumps in her free skating.

Mao has practiced and landed quadruple jumps in training. She also improved her spins by training with Takahiko Kozuka. The number of rotations she could do with one kick increased a lot.

Mao Asada's Records and Achievements

Mao Asada holds many impressive records in figure skating:

• She was the world record holder for the ladies' short program score (78.66). She set this at the 2014 World Championships. This record was broken in 2016.
• She was the second woman to score over 200 points for the total score.
• She was the third woman to score over 140 points for the free skate score.
• She was the world record holder for the ladies' free skating score (133.13) in 2007.
• She was the world record holder for the ladies' combined total score (199.52) in 2006.
• She was the world record holder for the junior ladies' free skating score (119.13) in 2005.
• She was the world record holder for the junior ladies' combined total score (179.24) in 2005.

Triple Axel Achievements

• She is the oldest (26 years old) woman to land a triple Axel in international competition.
• She was the fifth woman to land the triple Axel jump in international competition (2004-2005 Junior Grand Prix).
• She was the first junior girl to land the triple Axel jump in international competition (2004-2005 Junior Grand Prix).
• She was the first woman to land the triple Axel jump at the World Junior Championships.
• She was the first woman to land three triple Axel jumps in one competition (Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Ladies' singles).
• She was the first woman to land a triple Axel in the short program at the Winter Olympics.
• She was the first woman to land the triple Axel in multiple Olympics.
• She was the second woman to land a triple Axel at the Winter Olympics.
• She was the first woman to land two triple Axel jumps in the same program (2008-2009 Grand Prix Final).
• She currently holds the record for most triple Axels landed in international competition by a woman.

Other Notable Achievements

• She is the first singles figure skater from Asia to win multiple world championships.
• She is the first Japanese figure skater in any discipline to win multiple world championships.
• She is the first singles figure skater to win all seven current events on the Grand Prix circuit.
• She is the first woman to complete two consecutive Grand Prix seasons undefeated.
• She is the first and only female figure skater to achieve triple Career Grand Slams.
• She is tied with Evgeni Plushenko for the most Career Grand Slams by single skaters.
• She is the first non-European woman to receive the Career Grand Slam.
• She is the first non-European woman to receive two Career Grand Slams.
• She is the youngest non-European woman to receive the Career Grand Slam, at age 17.
• She is the oldest non-European woman to receive the Career Grand Slam, at age 23.
• She holds 15 Grand Prix series titles, the third-most in history.
• She holds 8 consecutive Grand Prix circuit victories, the longest streak for any woman.
• She is tied with Irina Slutskaya for the most Grand Prix Final titles won by a woman.
• She is tied with Fumie Suguri for the most Four Continents Championships titles won by a woman.
• She is the only woman to have landed five Axel jumps in the same Olympic competition.

Mao Asada's World Record Scores

Mao Asada in Public Life

Rafael Arutyunyan, Tatiana Tarasova, and Mao Asada at the 2007–08 Grand Prix Final.

Mao Asada is very popular in Japan. She helped make figure skating more popular there. Since she was a junior skater, she has been a household name in Japan. People lovingly call her "Mao-chan." During the 2014 Winter Olympics, Mao was the most talked-about athlete on Twitter.

Mao Asada has her own ice show called "The Ice." It started in 2008 and features her sister Mai Asada. Music from her skating programs was released on two albums. The Asada sisters have also been goodwill ambassadors to Canada.

In 2011, Mao launched her own kimono brand called MaoMao. She has appeared in many TV shows and commercials. She and her dog Aero were even in chocolate commercials. Mao has been sponsored by many big companies like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Japan Airlines. On December 25, 2013, Japan Airlines even unveiled a special plane with Mao Asada's picture on it. This was to promote Japan's team at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

During the 2010 Winter Olympics, a food vendor in Vancouver named a hot dog after her, called the Mao Dog. A local sushi store also created a "Mao Roll." After she won her silver medal, a Japanese dollmaker created a Mao Asada hina doll to celebrate. In December 2013, flower farmers named a new type of chrysanthemum "Mao Orange" after her skating dress.

On April 8, 2014, Mao Asada's exhibition called "Smile" opened in Tokyo. It attracted over 10,000 visitors on its first day. In just nine days, it reached over 100,000 visitors. The exhibition showed 30 of her skating costumes and her medals, including her 2010 Olympic silver medal.

On July 5, 2014, Mao debuted as a reporter for a travel TV program. She traveled to Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary to learn about the history of figure skating. In March 2015, Mao started her own weekly radio show called "Mao Asada's Nippon Smile."

She is a big fan of Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki. French Olympic Medalist figure skater Philippe Candeloro is also a huge fan of Mao Asada. He even calls himself her godfather.

Mao Asada Thanks Tour

"Mao Thanks Tour" (浅田真央サンクスツアー) was created by Mao Asada in 2018. She started it after she retired to thank her fans for their support. Mao became the producer, director, and main star of the show. She called it "the second stage of my skating life."

It was a special 80-minute ice show. It featured Mao and her most memorable skating programs. The choreography and music were updated for many of them. Some programs were completely new but kept the original feeling.

The cast had 10 members, including Mao and her sister Mai Asada (in 2018). Other skaters included Takahito Mura and Haruka Imai. Mao chose six skaters who were not famous elite skaters. Some had retired years ago, and others were students with no show experience. Mao explained that she wanted to give a chance to those who loved skating but had to stop early.

Her approach was different from typical ice shows that rely on famous names. This meant more work for everyone. Mao herself skated 10 out of 18 programs. Other performers also had solo parts and appeared in many group numbers. This was a challenge, but it made everyone feel very involved.

Another goal was to make tickets more affordable. Mao and her team performed in smaller arenas with permanent ice. This helped lower costs and setup time. Visiting small towns as well as big cities made the show available across the country. They still made sure the lighting and costumes were high quality.

The tour began on May 3, 2018, in Niigata. It was planned for 10 shows. But the audience loved it so much that they added more and more locations. The tour's website had a map showing their journey. In the end, the Mao Thanks Tour visited all 47 prefectures of Japan. They held 202 performances over four years, ending on April 27, 2021, in Yokohama.

Mao Asada's Programs

Asada does an arabesque spiral during her exhibition program "Smile" at the 2013–14 Grand Prix Final.

Asada does a Y spiral during her exhibition program Caprice No. 24 at the 2010 World Championships.

Asada at the 2010 Winter Olympics medal ceremony.

Asada at the 2007–08 Grand Prix Final medal ceremony.

Mao Asada's Competition Results

• GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Detailed Competition Results

Asada (center) on the podium at the 2014 World Championships.

Asada (center) on the podium at the 2010 World Championships.

Asada (center) on the podium at the 2008 World Championships.

Small medals for short program and free skating are only given at ISU Championships. At team events, medals are only for the team results.

• – This is a team event; medals are awarded for the team results only.
  • – team result
  • – personal/individual result
• World records highlighted in bold and italic
• Personal bests highlighted in bold
• ISU seasons' bests highlighted in italic

Results from 2006 to Present

Results from 2003 to 2006

See also

In Spanish: Mao Asada para niños