<figure id="attachment_456680" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456680" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="073d2b6f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/146fd6aff888904c775917fcf05e412c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456680" class="wp-caption-text">Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, she has been familiar with snow since she was a child. She started snowboarding when she was 10 years old.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Tomoka Takeuchi (42) Snowboard Women</h2>
<p> February 8, 17:00 Parallel giant slalom</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Tomoka Takeuchi, 42, snowboarded her first time at the Olympics at the age of 10, and she is very familiar with snowboarding since then. It is not easy to skate without being pressured by it. That is why I have a chance.</span></p>
<p> Tomoka Takeuchi, who competed in the Winter Olympics for the seventh time, the record for the most number of women in the Winter Olympics, said, &#8220;I have been suffering from severe back pain for the past few years. In the past few years, she had been suffering from severe back pain and other wounds. In an interview last summer (August 1, 2013 issue), she said the following</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> In January 2013, when my symptoms had improved a little, I was lucky enough to place third at the World Cup in Switzerland. This cleared the criteria for selection to be sent to the Milano Olympics. Until then, I had seriously thought, &#8220;I can&#8217;t do this anymore,&#8221; but I decided to retire after winning a gold medal, which I had longed for, on the stage of my dreams again.</span></p>
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<p> Takeuchi also spoke this time.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Athletes cannot continue to compete simply because they want to. The reason I have been able to continue up to this point is because so many people have supported and endorsed my activities. I will chew the value of that and take on the challenge of competing in the Olympics one last time.</span></p>
<p> On her last big stage, Takeuchi will be aiming for her first podium finish in 12 years, since the Sochi Olympics in 2002.</p>
<figure id="attachment_456681" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456681" style="width: 1733px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3e4428f7"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/f6b9961d3ccb3a6934da3fdec88a0187.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456681" class="wp-caption-text"> The rock-solid champion aims for a second consecutive victory.</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Ayumu Hirano (27) Snowboard Men</h2>
<p> February 12, 3:30 Halfpipe</p>
<p> Snowboarder Ayumu Hirano has stood on the podium at three consecutive events since the Sochi Olympics, where he won a silver medal at the age of 15. He was also a dominant winner in the opening round of the World Cup at the end of last year. Hirano&#8217;s quadruple &#8220;Triple Cork 1440,&#8221; which is said to be the most difficult quad in human history, is centered on a combination of highly difficult rotations in all directions. Will she win her second gold medal in a row, following Beijing?</p>
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<figure id="attachment_456682" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-456682" style="width: 1674px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="2b82032b"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2026/02/b1797bef8004e0df960449c2579da7ca.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-456682" class="wp-caption-text"> Japan&#8217;s youngest female medalist descends!</figcaption></figure>
<h2> Shinwa Murase (21) Snowboard Women</h2>
<p> Feb. 9th, 3:30 Big Air <br>
February 16th 18:30 Slopestyle</p>
<p> At the age of 17, Kokomo Murase won a bronze medal in Big Air at Beijing Olympics and became the youngest female medalist in Japan. Her biggest weapons are low center of gravity landing and precise axis control. In both Big Air and Slopestyle, she boasts of her technique to perfectly use 3.5 RPM and 4 RPM in both left and right directions, and her skating is highly original. He will be competing in his second Olympics, hoping to improve on his bronze in Beijing and win gold.</p>
<p> From the February 20/27, 2026 issue of &#8220;FRIDAY</p>


 Hiroyuki Komatsu Kyodo News Yohei Nagata/Afro Sports Reuters/Afro

 Chika Takeuchi says she wants to retire after winning her long-cherished gold medal... Ayumu Hirano, who stood on the podium for 3 consecutive events, is aiming for consecutive gold medals following Beijing... Japan's youngest female medalist, Kokan Murase, will challenge her second Olympics to change her bronze in Beijing to gold.

 Milan Cortina Olympics Special -- "Athletes of the Japanese flag" shine in a world of white and silver

The Last Olympics for the Most Number of Women to Compete&#8230;Snowboarding Women&#8217;s Chika Takeuchi Says, &#8220;That&#8217;s Why I Have a Chance&#8221;.

The Last Olympics for the Most Number of Women to Compete…Snowboarding Women’s Chika Takeuchi Says, “That’s Why I Have a Chance”.

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