Filling in the last piece with “beauty of landing ice
Kaori SAKAMOTO (25), Women’s Figure Skating: In her first local practice on March 3, she monopolized the rink for 30 minutes and was pleased with the “luxurious time” she had there.
Ami Nakai (17) Figure Skating Women
The “steel mentality” hidden behind her lovely smile
Ami Nakai (17) Figure Skating Women: The gap between her still innocent smile and her dynamic jumps is similar to the Asada of that time.
Yuma KAGIYAMA (22) Men’s Figure Skating
Aiming for the top with expression and perfection
Yuma KAGIYAMA (22), Men’s Figure Skating: Japan’s ace, burning for revenge. Will Japan’s men’s figure skating ace sing “Kimigayo” at the top of the podium, which he narrowly missed in Beijing?
The strongest duo who overturned the conventional wisdom of pairs competitions
Ryuichi Kihara (33) and Rira Miura (24), figure skating pair: With two World Championships, two Four Continents Championships, and two Grand Prix Finals gold medals to their credit, the Rikuryu pair is aiming for the top spot on the Olympic stage.
Miho TAKAGI (31) Speed Skating
First Japanese to win “11 medals in total
Miho Takagi (31) Speed Skating: 2 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze. If she wins the 500m and 1500m, she will have won gold in all the events she has competed in.
Ice Hockey Women
Teamwork of 3 pairs of sisters to defeat the powerhouses!
Ice Hockey Women: Many of the players, including the youngest defender Nana Akimoto (16), are small but have an appealing sense of speed
Fortius Curling Women
From the bottom to the first stage of longing for the gold medal!
FORTIUS Curling Women: Yoshimura, the team’s leader, will use the disappointment of her upset loss four years ago as a springboard to her first-round match against the powerful Swedes.
Sara Takanashi (29) Ski Jumping Women
“I have finally found my kick in the last few races.”
Sara Takanashi (29), Women’s Ski Jumping: “I finally found my breakthrough in the last few races,” said Sara Takanashi, 29, who won an individual bronze medal in her second Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Korea, in 2006.
MARUYAMA Nozomi (27) Women’s Ski Jumping
She is recovering from a serious ligament injury sustained in a heavy fall!
Nozomi Maruyama (27) Ski Jumping Women’s/Hailing from Nozawaonsen Village in Nagano Prefecture. She was plagued by injuries, but this season has been a great leap forward with six World Cup wins!
Tomoka Takeuchi (42) Snowboard Women
I will chew on the support I have received and take on the challenge of my last Olympics.
Tomoka Takeuchi (42), snowboarder, was born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, and has been familiar with snow since she was a child. She started snowboarding when she was 10 years old. She competed in the Winter Olympics for the seventh time, which is a record for the most number of women in the Winter Olympics.
Ayumu Hirano (27) Snowboard Men
The rock-solid champion aims for a second consecutive victory.
Ayumu Hirano (27), Men’s Snowboarding: He has stood on the podium at three consecutive Olympics since the Sochi Olympics, where he won the silver medal at age 15. Will he win consecutive gold medals following Beijing?
Kokomo Murase (21) Snowboard Women
Japan’s youngest female snowboard medalist!
She won a bronze medal in Big Air at Beijing Olympics, and became the youngest Japanese female medalist at 17 years old. She is now taking on her second Olympics, hoping to repeat her bronze in Beijing and win gold!
