TOKYO, May 1 -- Japan's retired former world champion figure skater Shoma Uno said today that he was "ready to take gaming beyond being just a hobby" after joining a professional eSports team.

The 28-year-old, who won silver at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and bronze four years later in Beijing, was unveiled as the newest member of Japanese team Varrel.

Uno has long been known for his love of gaming, even playing long into the night while competing at the Olympics.

He retired from competitive skating in May 2024 and has since performed in professional ice shows.

Uno said that "until now, gaming had been my biggest hobby".

"Now that I've joined Varrel, I want to show that I'm ready to take gaming beyond being just a hobby and commit ...