Noriaki Kasai: The Legend Aiming for His Ninth Olympics with Confidence

The “Legend” appeared at the gym of the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium in Sapporo and effortlessly hopped onto a mere 5 cm-wide rope stretched across the gym, walking about 3 meters across it with ease.

“This is a training method called slacklining, which I primarily incorporate during training camps in Miyako Island, Okinawa. During the camps, I walk across ropes about 25 to 50 meters long.”

At times, he would come to a complete stop on the rope, showcasing his exceptional sense of balance. At 52, ski jumper Noriaki Kasai’s physique is so toned that he could easily be mistaken for a competitor in his twenties.

“When younger athletes greet me with ‘Good work today,’ I always reply, ‘I’m not tired at all!’ (laughs). I believe negative words like tired aren’t good for either myself or others, and more importantly, I genuinely don’t feel fatigued.”

Towards the Milan Olympics

The 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics will serve as the pre-season for this year’s competitions. However, Kasai initially struggled, missing out on the early stages of the World Cup. Despite this setback, he secured consecutive victories in domestic tournaments, including the TVh Cup and the Megmilk Snow Brand Cup in February, earning a spot in the World Cup Sapporo tournament. On February 16, the second day of the tournament, he extended his record for the most World Cup appearances to 579 matches.

“Winning back-to-back domestic tournaments gave me the confidence that my condition has returned to a level where I can aim for the Olympic team. Of course, I need to push myself even further, but right now, I feel more excitement than impatience.”

Kasai has competed in the Olympics eight times, holding the world record for the most Winter Olympic appearances. He still vividly remembers the disappointment of missing out on the 2022 Beijing Olympics at the age of 49.

“I really wanted to make my ninth Olympic appearance in Beijing. Even so, the desire to aim for the next Olympics never faded. My dream of winning a gold medal has always been there. I’ve come close many times, but I haven’t quite reached it yet.”

Kasai first represented Japan at 16, as a high school freshman competing in the World Cup. For nearly 40 years, he has remained at the top of the sport, thanks to his unparalleled dedication to self-discipline—something few can emulate.

The March 21 issue of FRIDAY (April 4 & 11 combined issue) and the premium FRIDAY GOLD edition delve deeper into Kasai’s remarkable conditioning techniques that keep him performing at his best even after turning 50. He also candidly shares his aspirations for the upcoming Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics.

For more details and multiple photos, click here↓↓

From the April 4/11, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”