NEW YORK -- Adam Rippon said he will “probably not” compete again and is definitely sitting out the fall Grand Prix figure skating season.
“I’m still thinking about it [returning to competition at some point],” Rippon said on New York City Hall’s steps Friday afternoon, “but ehhh, I mean, probably not. We’ll see. There’s so many really amazing young people coming up. I think that it’s sort of like, their time is now. I don’t really know if I can see myself in too many more skating competitions as a competitor, but I still want to stay involved in any way I can. I don’t know if that necessarily means retirement right now. I have a lot going on, and I have a lot to think about.”
Rippon, 28 and the oldest U.S. Olympic rookie singles skater in 82 years, previously repeated this winter and spring that he will not compete in another Olympics but had not decided if he would compete next season. He finished 10th in PyeongChang and added a team event bronze medal.
Asked in May of his plans for the future by People magazine, Rippon sighed and said, “Hopefully a well-paying job,” after winning “Dancing with the Stars.”
“When I was at the Olympics, I had so many moments where I felt like skating had been so long an outlet for me to be a performer and for me to be an entertainer,” Rippon said Friday. “Right now, I have a lot of different possibilities and opportunities to explore further upon that. I want to kind of take advantage of those opportunities, but I’m always going to stay involved in skating. It’s always going to be a part of me. It’s a part of who I am for the past 20 years. It’s impossible to leave that.”
One of those new opportunities came Friday, when Rippon was honored with a proclamation recognizing his skating achievements, his work on behalf of numerous charities and the inspiration he provides to the LGBT community.
“It’s really amazing to speak with so many people whose lives feel changed and who felt like my presence at the Olympics really meant something to them, so this really ranks up there,” Rippon said.
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