Marin Honda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marin Honda
Honda at the 2018 Internationaux de France
Personal information
Native name	本田 真凜
Country represented	Japan
Born	(2001-08-21) August 21, 2001 (age 23) Kyoto, Japan
Home town	Kyoto
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Former coach	Nobuo Satō Kumiko Sato Reiko Kobayashi Rafael Arutyunyan Takeshi Honda Mie Hamada Yamato Tamura
Former choreographer	Lori Nichol Kenji Miyamoto Shae-Lynn Bourne Stéphane Lambiel Marina Zueva Jeffrey Buttle Tom Dickson David Wilson
Skating club	Japan Airlines
Former skating club	Kansai University SC
Former training locations	Toyota, Shin-Yokohama Irvine, California Lakewood, California Takatsuki, Osaka
Began skating	2003
Retired	January 5, 2024
World standing	20 (2017–18) 29 (2016–17) 60 (2015–16)
Season's bests	19 (2017–18) 12 (2016–17) 14 (2015–16)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	201.61 2017 World Junior
Short program	68.35 2017 World Junior
Free skate	133.26 2017 World Junior
Medal record Representing  Japan Figure skating: Ladies' singles World Junior Championships Gold 2016 Debrecen Ladies' singles Silver 2017 Taipei Ladies' singles Junior Grand Prix Final Bronze 2015–16 Barcelona Ladies' singles

Marin Honda (born August 21, 2001) is a Japanese figure skater who recently retired from competitive skating. She is famous for winning the World Junior title in 2016. She also earned a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in 2017. Marin won a bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final in 2015–16. She once held the junior world record for the free skate program.

About Marin Honda

Marin Honda was born in Kyoto, Japan, on August 21, 2001. She is the third of five children in her family. Marin has an older brother named Taichi and an older sister named Maho. She also has two younger sisters, Miyu and Sara.

Almost all of her siblings are figure skaters. Her younger sister Miyu is also a well-known child actress in Japan. Marin studied and trained at Kansai University Middle School, which had its own ice rink. She looks up to Shizuka Arakawa, who won an Olympic gold medal in 2006. In 2020, Marin started studying at Meiji University.

In September 2022, it was shared that Marin was in a relationship with fellow skater Shoma Uno.

Marin's Skating Journey

Starting Young

Marin Honda began her figure skating journey very early, at just two years old. She followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Taichi, who was already involved in the sport.

Marin showed great talent from a young age. She won medals at four Japanese Novice Championships in a row. In 2012–13, she even won a gold medal. She was invited to perform in a special show at the World Team Trophy in 2013.

Becoming a Junior Champion

Marin Honda at the 2016 World Junior Championships

Marin started competing in the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in the 2015–16 season. She won a silver medal at the JGP event in Colorado Springs. Then, she earned a gold medal at her second JGP event in Zagreb, Croatia. These results helped her qualify for the 2015–16 JGP Final in Barcelona.

At the JGP Final in Barcelona, Marin won the bronze medal. Later, she made her debut at the senior-level Japan Championships, finishing ninth. She was then chosen to be part of Japan's team for the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen. There, she won the gold medal, becoming the World Junior Champion!

Continued Success as a Junior

Marin Honda on the podium at the 2017 World Junior Championships

In the 2016–17 season, Marin started by winning a gold medal at the 2016 Asian Trophy. She competed in two more JGP events. At JGP Yokohama, she won the free skate with a junior world record score of 128.64 points, earning a silver medal overall. She won another silver medal at JGP Ljubljana.

Marin qualified for her second JGP Final but had to withdraw due to illness. She later won a bronze medal at the Japan Junior National Championships. She placed fourth at the senior Japan National Championships. Marin then competed at the 2017 World Junior Championships in Taipei, where she won the silver medal.

Moving to Senior Level

Marin Honda at the 2017 Skate Canada International

Marin began her senior career in the 2017–18 season. She won a gold medal at the 2017 US Classic. She also helped her team win a silver medal at the Japan Open.

Marin made her senior Grand Prix debut at the 2017 Skate Canada, finishing fifth. She also placed fifth at the 2017 Cup of China. At the 2017-18 Japan Nationals, she finished seventh. In March 2018, she announced she would move to the US to train with a new coach, Rafael Arutyunyan.

Later Seasons and Retirement

Marin continued to compete in Grand Prix events and national championships in the following seasons. In 2019, she was involved in a car crash before the 2019 Skate Canada International but still chose to compete. She showed great determination.

In the 2020–21 season, Marin faced some challenges, including a dislocated shoulder and withdrawing from the Japan Championships due to dizziness. She continued to compete in 2021–22 and 2022–23.

In the summer of 2023, Marin and her sister Miyu starred in an ice show called One Piece on Ice. Marin played the character Nefeltari Vivi.

Marin competed at the 2023–24 Japan Championships despite a pelvis injury. On January 5, 2024, Marin announced that she would retire from competitive figure skating. She shared that she still loves skating and hopes to continue performing if people want to watch her.

Records and Achievements

• Marin set a junior-level ladies' record for the free program with 128.64 points at the 2016 JGP Japan on September 11, 2016. This record was later broken by another skater.

Skating Programs

Marin Honda performing at a gala in 2018.

Marin Honda performed many different programs throughout her career. Here are some of her most memorable ones:

Images for kids

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  Marin Honda (left) with teammate, bronze medalist Kaori Sakamoto, at the 2017 World Junior Championships podium

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  Marin Honda (center) with Maria Sotskova (left) and Wakaba Higuchi (right) at the 2016 World Junior Championships podium

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  Marin Honda (right) with Maria Sotskova (left) and Polina Tsurskaya (center) at the 2015–16 JGP Final podium

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  Marin Honda at the 2018 Internationaux de France

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  Marin Honda at the 2017 Cup of China

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  Marin Honda at the 2017 Skate Canada International

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  Marin Honda at the 2017 World Junior Championships

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  Marin Honda at the 2016 World Junior Championships

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  Marin Honda at the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final

See also

In Spanish: Marin Honda para niños