Nobunari Oda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nobunari Oda
Oda at the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard
Personal information
Full name	織田 信成 (Oda Nobunari)
Country represented	Japan
Born	(1987-03-25) March 25, 1987 (age 38) Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan
Height	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)
Former coach	Lee Barkell, Noriko Oda, Nikolai Morozov
Former choreographer	Sébastien Britten, Lori Nichol, David Wilson, Nikolai Morozov
Skating club	Kansai University SC
Training locations	Osaka
Former training locations	Barrie (Canada)
Began skating	1990
Retired	December 24, 2013; December 22, 2024
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	262.98 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy
Short program	87.65 2009-2010 Grand Prix Final
Free skate	175.64 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy

Nobunari Oda, born on March 25, 1987, is a Japanese figure skater who has now retired from competitive skating. He is famous for winning the Four Continents title in 2006. He also earned four medals at the Grand Prix Final. These included silver medals in 2009 and 2010, and bronze medals in 2006 and 2013. Nobunari was also the World Junior champion in 2005 and the Japanese national champion in 2008.

About Nobunari Oda

Nobunari Oda says he is a direct descendant of Oda Nobunaga. This historical figure was a powerful leader during Japan's Sengoku period. Nobunaga was known for uniting much of Japan.

In April 2010, Nobunari married his girlfriend, Mayu. Their first son, Shintaro, was born on October 1, 2010. Their second son arrived on January 5, 2013. A third son was born in the autumn of 2016, and a daughter joined the family on October 22, 2019.

Nobunari's Skating Journey

Nobunari Oda trained in Osaka, Japan, with Noriko Oda. He also trained in Barrie, Ontario, Canada, with Lee Barkell. He would visit Canada several times a year for training. He also trained in Hackensack, New Jersey, with coach Nikolai Morozov. Nobunari was known for his amazing jumps and his smooth, flowing style on the ice.

Starting His Career

In the 2001–2002 season, Nobunari placed 4th at the Japan Junior Championships. He then competed at the senior Japan Championships, finishing 16th.

He made his debut in the Junior Grand Prix series in 2002–2003. He won a silver medal in Slovakia. He also earned a bronze medal at the Japan Junior Championships. He placed 4th at the senior Japan Championships.

In the 2003–2004 season, Nobunari won two medals in the Junior Grand Prix. He qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where he finished 8th. He placed 2nd at the Junior Championships. This earned him a spot at the 2004 World Junior Championships, where he placed 11th.

The 2004–2005 season was a big one for Nobunari. He won a bronze medal in the Junior Grand Prix in Ukraine. He then won the Japan Junior Championships. He also earned a bronze medal at the senior Japan Championships. He went on to win the 2005 World Junior Championships.

Becoming a Senior Skater

Nobunari became a senior skater for the 2005–2006 season. He quickly made an impact, winning a bronze medal at his first senior event. He then won the 2005 NHK Trophy. He qualified for the 2005–2006 Grand Prix Final and placed fourth.

At the Japan Championships, Nobunari was first announced as the winner. However, a computer error was found, and he moved to second place. The Japanese skating group decided to send Nobunari to the 2006 World Championships. He placed fourth at his first World Championships. This helped Japan earn two spots for the next World Championships.

In the 2006–2007 season, Nobunari won 2006 Skate America. He finished 2nd at the 2006 NHK Trophy. He qualified for the Grand Prix Final and won a bronze medal. He earned a silver medal at the Japan Championships. He also won silver at the 2007 Winter Universiade in Italy. At the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo, he placed 7th.

Return to Competition and the Olympics

After a break from competition, Nobunari switched coaches to Nikolai Morozov in 2008. He started the 2008–2009 season by winning the 2008 Nebelhorn Trophy and the 2008 Karl Schäfer Memorial. He also won the 2008 NHK Trophy.

Oda at the 2009 Grand Prix Final

Nobunari won the Japan Championships in December 2008. This allowed him to compete at the 2009 Four Continents (4th place) and the 2009 World Championships (7th place).

In the 2009–2010 Grand Prix season, Nobunari won both the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard and the 2009 Cup of China. He was the top qualifier for the Grand Prix Final, where he won a silver medal. At the 2010 Japanese National Championships, he won a silver medal. This earned him a spot at the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2010 World Championships.

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Nobunari placed 7th overall. He then competed at the 2010 World Championships. After this season, he returned to his former coach, Lee Barkell.

Later Career and Retirement

For the 2010–11 Grand Prix season, Nobunari won silver medals at 2010 Skate Canada International and 2010 Skate America. He qualified for the 2010–11 Grand Prix Final and won another silver medal. At the 2011 World Championships, he finished sixth.

In May 2011, Nobunari was diagnosed with a knee injury. He needed time to rest and heal. He started the next season by winning a silver medal at 2011 Cup of China. He later withdrew from his national championships due to his knee injury.

Nobunari began the 2012–2013 season by winning gold at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy. He also won a bronze medal at 2012 Skate America. He placed fourth at Nationals. He then won the Bavarian Open.

In 2013–2014, Nobunari won the Nebelhorn Trophy again. During the Grand Prix series, he took bronze at 2013 Skate Canada and silver at the 2013 NHK Trophy. He was called up to the Grand Prix Final and won a bronze medal.

Nobunari finished fourth at the 2014 Japanese Nationals. He was named to the 2014 Four Continents team. Soon after, Nobunari announced he was retiring from competitive skating.

Life After Competitive Skating

After retiring from competitive figure skating, Nobunari became a professional skater. He also became a TV personality. He even voiced himself in the 2016 figure skating anime series Yuri on Ice. He often performs at the annual ice show Fantasy on Ice. In 2016, he performed his "Storm" program with the Yoshida Brothers.

In October 2017, Nobunari said he wanted to retire from official competitions. He considered the 2017 Japan Open his last one. At that event, he performed impressive jumps.

Returning to the Ice and Final Retirement

In November 2022, Nobunari announced he would return to competition after nine years. He explained that he wanted to improve his physical strength and skills for ice shows. He made his official return in January 2023 at the 2023 Japan Winter Sports Festival, finishing ninth. He continued to compete in domestic events the following season.

In spring 2023, Nobunari was cast to play Usopp in the summer show, One Piece on Ice.

Nobunari announced his plan to officially retire after the 2024–25 figure skating season. In November 2024, he won the Japan Western Sectional Championships. This allowed him to qualify for the 2024–25 Japan Championships. He received standing ovations for his performances and finished fourth. After the event, Nobunari thanked his fans and confirmed his final retirement from competitive figure skating. He said he was glad he came back and had a "rich skating life."

Programs

Oda performs an Ina bauer during his exhibition at the 2008 NHK Trophy.

2022–2025 Programs

2014–2019 Programs

Programs Before 2014

Competition Results

Images for kids

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  Oda (center) with the other medalists at the 2009 Cup of China

See also

In Spanish: Nobunari Oda para niños