1. Wakaba Higuchi is a 2022 Olympic team event silver medalist, the 2018 World silver medalist, the 2024 Skate America champion, a three-time Grand Prix silver medalist, a three-time Grand Prix bronze medalist, a three-time Challenger Series medalist, and a six-time Japanese national medalist.
Wakaba Higuchi was born January 2,2001, in Tokyo, Japan.
Wakaba Higuchi studied at Meiji University's School of Commerce and graduated in 2023.
Wakaba Higuchi began skating at age three and has been coached by Koji Okajima since the age of five.
Wakaba Higuchi won novice titles at the Gardena Spring Trophy, International Challenge Cup, and Asian Trophy.
Wakaba Higuchi then took the bronze medal in her senior national debut at the Japan Championships.
Wakaba Higuchi placed fifth in the individual event and first as a member of Team Japan in the team event.
Wakaba Higuchi placed fifth in the short program, third in the free skate, and third overall.
At her second Grand Prix event of the season, the 2016 NHK Trophy, Wakaba Higuchi placed fifth in the short program, fourth in the free skate, and fourth overall.
Wakaba Higuchi was assigned to compete at the 2017 Four Continents Championships and the 2017 World Championships.
Wakaba Higuchi placed ninth in the short program, twelfth in the free skate, and eleventh overall at the World Championships.
Wakaba Higuchi ended her season at the 2017 World Team Trophy.
Wakaba Higuchi earned three personal best scores at this competition, finishing fifth in the short program, third in the free skate, and third overall.
Wakaba Higuchi won the team event with Team Japan as well.
Wakaba Higuchi competed at the 2017 Lombardia Trophy and scored new personal bests for the short program and combined total to win the silver medal.
Wakaba Higuchi won the silver medal at the 2017 Cup of China.
Wakaba Higuchi was not named to the Japanese Olympic team, but based on her international results throughout the season she was named to the 2018 World Championships team.
At the 2018 World Championships in Milan, Italy, Wakaba Higuchi placed eighth in the short program and scored 65.89 points after falling on her combination.
Wakaba Higuchi was the only skater that evening who did not receive a single negative grade of execution mark from the judges.
Wakaba Higuchi won the silver medal overall, finishing behind Kaetlyn Osmond and ahead of her compatriot Satoko Miyahara.
Wakaba Higuchi finished fifth at her first event of the season, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic International.
Wakaba Higuchi then withdrew from the 2018 Rostelecom Cup, her second Grand Prix assignment for the year.
Wakaba Higuchi was sixth as well at the 2019 Internationaux de France.
Wakaba Higuchi placed fourth in the short program, narrowly behind third-place Kaori Sakamoto, after stepping out of the second part of her jump combination and receiving a flip edge call.
Wakaba Higuchi made a few other minor jump errors, placing fifth in the free segment for fourth place overall.
Wakaba Higuchi was then assigned to compete at the World Championships in Montreal, but these were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wakaba Higuchi competed at the 2020 Japan Open and finished second after Mako Yamashita with 123.01 points.
Wakaba Higuchi landed her triple Axel in the competition but stepped out on the landing edge.
Wakaba Higuchi came in second in the short program after she fell on her attempted triple Axel in the short program but landed all her other jumping passes.
Wakaba Higuchi was fourth in that segment of the competition but remained in second place behind Kaori Sakamoto.
Wakaba Higuchi began the season on the Grand Prix at the 2021 Skate Canada International, where she placed fifth in both programs and sixth overall.
Wakaba Higuchi struggled in the free skate, finishing fourth in that segment, but still won the gold medal, 5.36 points ahead of silver medalist Park Yeon-jeong.
Wakaba Higuchi rallied in the free skate to place third in that segment and rise to the bronze medal position.
Wakaba Higuchi said afterward that her next goal was to "aim for 145 points and a perfect performance at Nationals".
Wakaba Higuchi did not attempt a triple Axel in the short program and landed it with a step out at the beginning of the free skate.
Wakaba Higuchi was named to the Japanese Olympic team, four years after missing it by one placement.
Wakaba Higuchi began the 2022 Winter Olympics as the Japanese entry in the women's short program segment of the Olympic team event.
Wakaba Higuchi opted not to attempt a triple Axel and skated a clean short program, finishing second in the segment and securing nine points for Japan.
Wakaba Higuchi did not skate in the free segment, which was given to national champion Kaori Sakamoto.
Wakaba Higuchi sustained a stress fracture in her right shin in late April 2022.
In May 2023, Wakaba Higuchi announced that she intended to return to competition the following season.
Two weeks later, Wakaba Higuchi competed at the 2024 Grand Prix de France.
Wakaba Higuchi would deliver a solid free skate, placing fourth in that segment and moving up to fourth place overall.