From Struggle to Spotlight — Fortius Eyes First Medal at the Big Stage

All photos (1 total) – Fortius Women’s Curling

Schedule:

February 12, 17:05 – Sweden

February 13, 3:05 – Denmark

February 14, 17:05 – Switzerland

February 15, 3:05 – USA

Four winters ago, Fortius, at rock bottom, finally reached the Olympic stage for the first time.

In September 2021, they suffered a comeback defeat to Loco Solare in the Japanese Olympic qualifying match, and by December the same year their main sponsor contract had ended. At one point, the team had zero sponsors, forcing members to dip into personal savings and fund activities via crowdfunding. It was a difficult period.

“The turning point came in 2023 when skip Sayaka Yoshimura (34) left the team for maternity leave, and second Yuna Kotani (27) gained experience as skip. This expanded shot options and tactical depth, raising the team’s level significantly. After Yoshimura returned, the team evolved into one with enough depth that every member could be a leading player,” said curling writer Soichiro Takeda.

Takeda describes Yoshimura as a relentless competitor, and that determination helped the team prevail in the Japanese national qualifying tournament in September 2025. They also cleared the December world final qualifiers, securing their Olympic berth. The number of sponsors has grown to 26, and the team now publicly declares its aim for a gold medal.

“Anna Omiya (36), whose shot consistency is top-level even compared to the world, will be key. The first match is against Sweden, who won bronze at the Beijing Olympics, but a victory there would greatly increase the team’s medal hopes,” Takeda added.

We look forward to the moment when these athletes, having overcome adversity, stand atop the ice.

From the February 20–27, 2026 combined issue of “FRIDAY”