Shizuka Arakawa is an only child from Sendai in northeastern Japan. She graduated from Waseda University in 2004 with a degree in social sciences.
Shizuka Arakawa began skating when she was just 5 years old. The reason she started skating was because she "wanted to wear the pretty costumes." She landed her first triple jump, a Salchow, at the age of 8. Shizuka trains on the ice 2 and a half hours a day, six days a week.
She is so far the only skater in Japan who has won three consecutive junior national titles. She is only the third Lady from Japan to become World Champion after Midori Ito won in 1989 and Yuka Sato in 1994.
She made her Olymipic debut at the Nagano Winter Olympic Games when she was just 16. The Emperor and Empress of Japan were there to watch her skate. Shizuka finished in 13th place.
Shizuka was planning on retiring in 2004, but then came the 2004 World Championships. Her strong jumps and beautiful presentation skills won her the championship. This victory convinced her not to retire and to continue skating through the Torino Games.
In the Torino Olympic Games, Shizuka was in third place behind American Sasha Cohen and Russian Irina Slutskaya after the short program. However, Shizuka gave an amazing final performance that pushed her into first place. She won the gold and gave Japan its first and only medal of the Torino Olympics.
