Japan female figure skating icon Mao Asada announced Monday on her blog that she is retiring.The 26-year-old, three-time world champion and silver medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics has been plagued by left-knee pain this season."I've made the decision to end my career as a figure skater," Asada wrote. "I've been able to skate this long and overcome so many obstacles thanks to the support and cheer I received from many people."Excelling particularly at the triple axel, Asada won her first Grand Prix Finals at the age of 15 in 2005. She missed out on the 2006 Torino Games due to her age…READ FULL ARTICLE