Playback ’04] Wearing an Afro Wig…The Day Megumi Kurihara, Women’s Volleyball Player, Had a Big Day

What did “FRIDAY” report 10, 20, or 30 years ago? In “Playback Friday,” we take a look back at the topics that were hot at the time. This time, we will look back at “Super Relaxed at Fan Appreciation Day,” which appeared in the October 8, 2004 issue 20 years ago!　 Megumi Kurihara’s “Smile and Happiness” Live Report” from the October 8, 2004 issue.

Megumi Kurihara (then 20), known as Meg Meg, a member of the Japanese women’s volleyball team that created the “Megukana” boom with Kana Oyama (then 20), went 2-0-3 in the preliminary league at the Athens Olympics, her first appearance in two games, but lost to China 3-0 in the quarterfinals. -In the Athens Olympics, her first appearance in two games, she went through the qualifying league with two wins and three losses.

Although Kurihara led the team with her performance at the Olympics, she showed a mischievous side befitting her age at a fan appreciation event held in Tokyo after returning to Japan. The following is an article on Kurihara’s appearance at the fan appreciation event (descriptions in parentheses are taken from past articles).

Asking a lot of dirty questions

On September 19, 2004, “Fan Appreciation Day” for the Japanese women’s volleyball team was held at Yoyogi Gymnasium in Tokyo. The venue was filled with the cheers of about 10,000 fans who had rushed to the event. This magazine reported the event as if it were a “live report” at the time.

Unlike before the Olympics, the players were relaxed and smiling. When a fan who participated in a game of “hit the target” for the serve succeeded, the entire team lifted her up in high spirits.

Megumi Kurihara (20), aka PRINCESS PRINCESS Meg, also had a great time, wearing an afro wig that was worn by the hostess and taking commemorative photos with her good friend Sasaki. The game was over, and it was time to ask the players some questions.

What is the secret of your youth? No, I am dodging them with a smile.

The last time the V-League was held in eastern Japan, the team was selected to play in the V-League for the last time. The final game, a special match against the V-League East Japan Team, ended in a draw, but it was an unforgettable moment for both the team members and their fans.

Three days later, a shocking announcement of his departure.

However, just before the start of the V-League season, there was a shock among fans. On September 22, just three days after the event, it was announced that Kurihara would be leaving her company, NEC. Before this announcement, Kurihara had already expressed her desire to leave the company, saying that the volleyball style of the NEC Red Rockets did not necessarily match her, and that she wanted to take some time off to think about her future, including a move overseas.

When his resignation was first announced, a move to Italy’s Serie A was also discussed. However, he ended up joining the Pioneer Red Wings on December 29. In an interview later that year, Kurihara said that he went to Pioneer because he had admired Pioneer coach Allie Selinger since his high school days.

I wanted to play under a foreign coach. Maybe it was because I played volleyball in junior high and high school at a rather strict, Japanese-style school” (“Number Web,” June 19, 2007).

However, according to the V-League rules at the time, players who transferred after the season started were not allowed to participate in league matches, so Kurihara was forced to sit out the season. Fans did not see her again until the following year.

Kurihara continued to play in the V-League until she announced her retirement in June ’19. In September of this year, her marriage to photographer and model Mitsutaka Okoshi and her announcement that she is pregnant made headlines.