Three-time Olympic ice dancer Chris Reed dies at 30

Updated
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 20:  Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed of Japan compete in the Figure Skating Ice Dance Free Dance on day eleven of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 20, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea.  (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Chris Reed's death was met with shock from the figure skating community. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Chris Reed, an ice dancer who represented Japan at three different Olympics, died Saturday of a heart attack in Detroit, the Japan Skating Federation announced Tuesday.

Reed’s sister also confirmed the news through Instagram on Monday.

Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to a Japanese mother and American father, Reed and both of his sisters would go onto become Olympic ice dancers.

From the Japan Times:

“Our mom loved the sport of ice skating,” Reed told The Japan Times in December 2007. “She never skated, but she loved watching it. We just kept skating for fun and entering local competitions.”

Reed chose to represent Japan on the world stage and initially competed alongside his older Cathy. The pair qualified for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

After his sister retired, Reed paired with Kana Muramoto and again reached the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. The pair would also become the first Asian ice dancers to medal in an International Skating Union Championship event, winning bronze at the 2018 Four Continents Championship.

Reed announced his retirement on Dec. 31, 2019.

More from Yahoo Sports:

Advertisement