Nordic combined skier Akito Watabe, who has collected four Olympic medals in his illustrious career, said Friday he plans to retire after the 2025-26 season.
Nordic combined skier Akito Watabe gives an interview in the Nagano Prefecture town of Kiso, central Japan, on April 28, 2023. (Kyodo)
"I'm thinking about quitting after the next Olympics," the 34-year-old Japanese said in an interview with Kyodo News, referring to what would be his sixth Olympic appearance in 2026 at Italy's Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
"Every flow must have its ebb. That has come to me as well."
Watabe took silver in the normal hill event at both the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.
Last year in Beijing, he claimed Olympic bronze in the large hill and team events.
The Nagano Prefecture native was the 2017-18 World Cup season points leader and has won 19 World Cup events in his career.
