北京オリンピック2022/スキー＆スノボー競技
Ikuma Horishima wins Japan's first medal in Beijing with bronze in men's freestyle moguls
(Feb 5, 2022, the Japantimes/KYODO)
(2022/02/06, 読売新聞オンライン）
(February 7, 2022, JAPAN TODAY)
(Feb 11, 2022, Japn Today)
(Feb 11, 2022, the Japantimes)
(2022/02/11 読売新聞オンライン)
(Feb 17, 2022, the Japantimes)
(2022/2/18 産経新聞）
(Feb 17, 2022, the Japantimes)
（2022/02/17 読売新聞オンライン）
Spectrum News1/ Shaun White finishes 4th in Olympic farewell
Ikuma Horishima wins Japan's first medal in Beijing with bronze in men's freestyle moguls
(Feb 5, 2022, the Japantimes/KYODO)
ZHANGJIAKOU, CHINA – Moguls skier Ikuma Horishima won bronze at the Beijing Games on Saturday as Japan’s first medalist of the Winter Olympics in China.
Horishima scored 81.48 points to finish behind gold medalist Walter Wallberg of Sweden’s 83.23 points in the men’s event at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou.
Defending Olympic champion Mikael Kingsbury took silver for Canada with 82.18 points.
Horishima’s medal is Japan’s second in men’s freestyle skiing at the Olympics. Daichi Hara won bronze for Japan in the same event four years ago in Pyeongchang.
Earlier on Saturday, Hara finished seventh in what he said is to be his final Olympics, failing to qualify to the third final by just 0.10 point.
Fellow Japanese Kosuke Sugimoto also fell at the penultimate hurdle, a 75.73-point run leaving him ninth.
Horishima was forced to ski his way into the finals after bombing in his first qualification run on Thursday, but he made no mistake, a safe 76.19-point run putting him through earlier in the evening.
《Gold medalist Walter Wallberg of Sweden celebrates on the podium with
silver medalist Mikael Kingsbury of Canada and bronze medalist Horishima
Ikuma of Japan during the flower ceremony. | REUTERS》
男子モーグル 堀島「銅」…日本メダル１号
(2022/02/06, 読売新聞オンライン）
北京冬季五輪は第２日の５日、競技が本格的にスタートし、フリースタイルスキーの男子モーグルで堀島 行真いくま （２４）（トヨタ自動車）が８１・４８点をマークし、銅メダルに輝いた。日本選手では今大会初のメダル獲得で、男子モーグル勢としては２大会連続。スキージャンプ女子個人ノーマルヒル（ＨＳ１０６メートル、Ｋ点９５メートル）では、高梨沙羅（２５）（クラレ）が９８メートル５０と１００メートルを飛び、合計２２４・１点で４位だった。スピードスケート女子３０００メートルは、高木美帆（２７）（日体大職員）が４分１秒７７で６位に入った。
転倒から４年 努力結実
銅メダルを獲得し日の丸を手に喜ぶ堀島行真（５日、中国・張家口で）＝早坂洋祐撮影
決勝３回目。氷点下１５度の張り詰めた空気の中を、堀島が一直線に滑り降りた。ゴール後にメダルが確定すると、硬かった表情が一気に和らいだ。「最低限メダルという目標を掲げてきた。取り切れて良かった」。何度も両手を突き上げた。
２０歳で２０１８年 平昌ピョンチャン 五輪に初出場した。優勝候補と期待されたが、転倒し１１位に終わった。「結果を出そうと、自分の１１０％、１２０％の滑りを出そうとしていた。余裕がなかった」
体操の第一人者として活躍してきた内村航平さんを例に出し、「足先までびしっと伸びた完璧な演技」を理想に掲げる。ターンやエア（空中技）の細かな動きを高めようと、フィギュアスケートやスノーボードなどを練習に取り入れてきた。決勝３回目は途中で滑りが乱れたが、一瞬で立て直した。磨き上げてきた技術が、土壇場で自身を助けた。
今季はワールドカップ（Ｗ杯）で３勝。通算では１１勝に伸ばし、上村愛子さんの１０勝を上回り日本選手最多となった。満を持して臨んだ２度目の五輪だった。
悔しさを糧に、前に進んできた４年間。「あきらめずに滑り切れて良かった」。たゆまぬ努力がついに実を結んだ。（矢萩雅人）
Kobayashi wins ski jumping gold on the normal hill
(February 7, 2022, JAPAN TODAY)
Ryoyu Kobayashi of Japan won Olympic ski jumping gold on the normal hill on Sunday, becoming the first from his country to win the event since Yukio Kasaya in 1972.
“Nothing special I was thinking about before, but I am so happy right now," the 25-year-old Kobayashi said through an interpreter.
Kobayashi is only the third jumper from outside Europe to win gold in an individual ski jumping competition, an event that has been in the Winter Olympics since the first edition in 1924. The other two are Kasaya and another Japanese jumper, Kazuyoshi Funaki, who earned gold on the large hill at the 1998 Olympics.
Kobayashi jumped last and best, clearing 99.5 meters (326 feet) and had 129.6 points thanks to his graceful style from start to finish.
Manuel Fettner of Austria won silver and Dawid Kubacki of Poland earned bronze.
Four years ago in South Korea, Kobayashi finished seventh on the normal hill and sixth on the large hill. He entered the Beijing Games as one of the favorites as the second-ranked jumper in the world.
“I had only good feelings when I was performing," he said. “At the last Olympics, I realized many things that I was missing so this time I did what I had to do. This is why I got the victory.”
The 36-year-old Fettner medaled at the Olympics for the first time. He became the second oldest to earn a spot on the podium in ski jumping, trailing only Noriaki Kasai of Japan, who won two medals in 2014 when he was 41.
“I’m very sure that it means much more to me than if I had won it 10 years ago," Fettner said. “It was a long wait. Tough times. God times. But if you wait for something longer, then you can celebrate it.”
Kubacki joined three-time Olympic champion Kamil Stoch and Adam Malysz as Poles who have medaled on the normal hill.
“All of the hard work paid off, and that’s amazing," Kubacki said.
Two-time ski jumping gold medalist Andreas Wellinger is missing from the Beijing Games because he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
Karl Geiger of Germany came to China as the No. 1 jumper in the World Cup standings and finished 15th.
“I’m not quite sure what exactly happened and why," he said.
Stoch bounced back from an injured left leg and finished sixth, looking like he's in good enough shape to possibly defend his large hill title on Saturday.
A pair of previous champions finished further back. Forty-year-old Simon Ammann of Switzerland was 25th and Robert Johansson of Norway was 20th.
With so many former champions in the field, Fettner said it meant a lot to him to win silver.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t stand here and do this thing," he said.
After the first round, Turkish ski jumper Fatih Arda İpcioğlu refused to say if the crescent and star on his blue skis was a statement in support of China’s Uyghur community. The design on the skis used Saturday seemingly represented East Turkestan, the region home to Uyghurs.
“I don’t want to answer about those questions,” İpcioğlu said Sunday.
İpcioğlu finished 36th in the 50-jumper field.
Human rights groups say the Beijing government has oppressed members of the Uyghur Muslim minority on a massive scale.
For the first time at the Olympics, men and women will compete together in a mixed team event on Monday.
Hirano wins Olympic halfpipe gold
(Feb 11, 2022, Japn Today)
Shaun White had a front-row seat to what the next generation can do after he pushed the limits of snowboarding for more than a decade.
In White's farewell performance on Friday, Ayumu Hirano of Japan won an elusive Olympic gold in the halfpipe with a boundary-pushing final run of his own.
There was no doubt about the winner after Hirano's electric performance as the last rider to go. His run included an intricate and unprecedented series of flips and spins that elevated a sport obsessed with progression to new heights. Hirano's score of 96 reflected that, and the two-time Olympic silver medalist moved past Scotty James of Australia, whose top score in the three-run final was 92.50.
Jan Scherrer of Switzerland took bronze.
White finished in fourth place as he fell on the final run of a career that's seen the American star win three Olympic titles. He lifted up his goggles and waved to the crowd on his way down the halfpipe. He was in tears as the sparse crowd bid adieu to the 35-year-old and fellow riders lined up to hug him.
"It's just an emotional day for me," White said. "I wish I would've done better but I did what I could. I'm proud."
The stage was being set for some controversy after the second run. James took over the lead with his second attempt, which scored a 92.50. Hirano followed with a did-you-see-that run that included a triple cork, the newest and one of the most difficult tricks in the halfpipe at the moment. But the judges gave him a 91.75, which drew boos from the crowd and sent social media buzzing.
"I know when I've seen the best run that's ever been done in the halfpipe. ... It's a travesty to be completely honest with you. I'm irate," NBC snowboard analyst Todd Richards said. "What's the point of doing the triple cork, this most dangerous of dangerous tricks if you're not getting rewarded?"
The 23-year-old Hirano went out and did an even better version of his run. This time, it was rewarded.
"Justice," Richards said.
First-run leader Taylor Gold of the United States finished fifth.
The competition belonged to Hirano. But the moment also was a chance for White to say so long to a sport he's hovered over for so long. He said before the start of the Beijing Games this would be his final hurrah. White's resume speaks for itself: Olympic gold in '06 and defense of it four years later. He also won in '18, where he put down back-to-back 1440s for the first time in his life to hold off Hirano.
This has been a difficult lead-up for White, who was slowed by a positive test for COVID-19, injuries and training issues. But he looked back at his best - under pressure, too - when he qualified for the final on his last run Wednesday.
White carried it over to the final and on his second run executed his patented Double McTwist 1260 and then a frontside 1260 at the end.
"Shaun White's legacy kind of speaks for itself," said James, who wore his patented red boxing-glove mittens in the final (he views competitions as a boxing match). "He's an incredible competitor and I think he's just universally very respected as an athlete."
《From left silver medal winner Australia's Scotty James, gold medal winner Japan's Ayumu Hirano and bronze medal winner Switzerland's Jan Scherrer celebrate during the venue award ceremony for the men's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Zhangjiakou, China, on Friday. Photo: AP》
Ayumu Hirano makes history with Japan's first snowboard halfpipe gold
(Feb 11, 2022, the Japantimes)
Ayumu Hirano made Japanese sporting history on Friday when he won the country's first-ever snowboard Olympic gold medal, taking the men's halfpipe title at the Beijing Games.
Hirano scored 96.00 points in his third run with a spectacular display that included a triple cork 1440, enough to separate him from Australian Scotty James who finished in the silver position with 92.50 at Genting Snow Park.
Hirano won snowboard halfpipe silver at the 2014 and 2018 games, then switched to skateboard and qualified for the Tokyo Olympics before this triumphant return to his roots.
Ayumu's triple cork 1440 was the first landed in Olympic competition, and he did it on each run.
His perfect second trip down the halfpipe looked gold-worthy, but the judges thought it only deserved 91.75, which left Ayumu in second behind James. The score was met with loud boos from the spectators at the venue.
Ayumu took things into his own hands in his final run, putting down the triple cork 1440 perfectly again and throwing in two more 1440s and two 1220s.
Switzerland's Jan Scherrer took bronze while the other Japanese had a horror morning in China, with Hirano's brother, Kaishu, finishing ninth, Yuto Totsuka 10th and Ruka Hirano 12th.
American three-time gold medalist Shaun White missed the podium in his fifth and final Olympics.
White finished in fourth place after he clipped the lip of the halfpipe on his third run and slid down the wall feet-first.
Removing his helmet as he accepted the applause of the crowd one last time, White cruised slowly down to the finish to await his final score.
Tears filled his eyes as he hugged his fellow competitors, many of whom often cite him as a hero.
"It's been a journey. I can't wait to see where this sport goes," White said.
"You can't always get what you want," the boarder said, adding that he was incredibly happy for the medalists.
The stands at the Genting Snow Park were packed with local supporters and the area near the finish line was filled with American and Japanese teammates and other supporters waving their country's flags. The entire crowd roared when White finished his final run.
In the final, each boarder got three runs, with their ranking determined by their best score.
平野歩夢「２本目の点数に納得いかず、そういう怒りがうまく表現できた」…日本選手で冬季初の３大会連続メダル
(2022/02/11 読売新聞オンライン)
北京オリンピックのスノーボード男子ハーフパイプで１１日、逆転で金メダルを獲得した平野歩夢（２３）（ＴＯＫＩＯインカラミ）。日本スノーボード界に初の金メダルをもたらした。また２大会連続の銀に続く金で、３大会連続のメダル獲得となり、冬季の日本人選手では初の快挙となった。
金メダルに平野歩は「まだ実感があまりないが、ようやく小さい頃の夢が一つかなった。ここを取らずには終われないなと。今日はずっとやってきたことがすべて出し切れた。兄弟で一緒に出場できて、その場で自分が勝てたというのは、お互いにとってもすごく良かった」。
１回目こそ転倒があり９位だったが、２回目、自分の直前で９２・５０点を出し首位に浮上したスコット・ジェームズ（２７）（豪州）に負けじと９１・７５点を出し２位に浮上。そして、３回目、「クリーンに完璧に決められた」という演技で９６・００点を出し、伸び悩んだジェームズを逆転した。「２本目の点数に納得いかず、そういう怒りが自分の気持ちの中でうまく表現できた」という。得点が出た際にはボードを持った右手を高く突き上げ新王者の名乗りを上げた。
平野は１５歳で初出場した２０１４年ソチ大会で冬季オリンピックでの日本人最年少メダリストとなった。昨年の東京夏季オリンピックにスケートボードで出場し二刀流でも話題を呼んだ。そして、北京で再び歴史を作った。
Japan wins Nordic combined relay bronze at Beijing Olympics
Strong finish by athlete better known for jumping secures Japan's first podium finish since gold in 1994
(Feb 17, 2022, the Japantimes)
ZHANGJIAKOU, China – A strong finish by an athlete better known for jumping than skiing secured Japan third place in the Beijing Olympic Nordic combined relay
on Thursday in the nation’s first podium finish in the event since winning
gold in 1992 and 1994.
Japan’s anchor, 24-year-old jumping specialist Ryota Yamamoto, held on to third place after a blistering third leg in the 4×5-kilometer relay by large hill bronze medalist Akito Watabe, who bagged his fourth Olympic medal after normal hill individual silvers in Sochi and Pyeongchang.
Austria won in 50 minutes, 45.1 seconds with Germany taking silver in a
thrilling three-way final dash for the podium as normal hill champion Vinzenz
Geiger overcame a huge deficit to reach the podium.
Starting fourth, 12 seconds back of Austria, the winner of the ski jump portion, Yoshito Watabe, Akito’s younger brother, skied the first segment of the 4×5-kilometer relay in 12 minutes, 56 seconds to put Japan in second, 0.3 behind Germany. The Watabes became the first Japanese brothers to medal in a Winter Olympics.
Second skier Hideaki Nagai was unable to hold on to that position and left
Akito to start the third segment with a 4.6 deficit at the rear of a packed four-way leading group with Germany, Austria and Norway.
After a huge effort by the 33-year-old Akito, Yamamoto was sent off on
the final leg in second place.
“In my heart, I imagined this would turn into my most difficult race,” Yamamoto said. “Honestly, I didn’t imagine I’d be competing for that finishing position, but skied as I did because of my desire to lift my veteran teammates onto the podium.”
Germany finished the third leg fourth, 36.9 off the pace as three-time Olympic gold medalist Eric Frenzel had trouble keeping up having just emerged from isolation after testing positive for COVID upon his arrival in China.
The Norwegians saved their knockout combination for the final two legs with large hill silver medalist Jens Luraas Oftebro skiing the third leg and handing off to Joergen Graabak, the large hill champion and normal hill silver medalist.
Earlier in the Games, Yamamoto’s jumping prowess gave him a 38-second lead in the individual normal hill cross-country segment, but he still finished 14th, 1:46.6 off the pace. On Friday, however, his skiing carried Japan to a medal.
“Medaling in the team event was something every member of the team could celebrate,” Akito said.
“This is many times more enjoyable than winning an individual medal.”
* leg=(リレー競争などの）1区切り、行程 /the third leg=３走
* blistering=猛烈な、（スポーツのプレーが）力強い
渡部暁「個人より何倍もうれしい」 複合ニッポン２８年ぶり表彰台
(2022/2/18 産経新聞）
２８年ぶりとなる悲願のメダルにようやく手が届いた。１８日のノルディックスキー複合男子団体で、日本は金メダルを獲得した１９９４年リレハンメル五輪以来のメダルとなる３位。個人ラージヒルでも銅メダルを勝ち取った渡部暁は、「（チームでのメダルは）個人より何倍もうれしさがある。この瞬間をみんなで共有できてすごくうれしい」と喜びをかみしめた。
前半の飛躍は、渡部善、山本が１３０メートル台のジャンプを見せるなどしたが、合計４６６・６点で４位にとどまった。しかし、１位のオーストリアから１２秒差でスタートした後半の距離で、強豪に引けをとらなかった。
第１走者の渡部善は序盤は抑え気味の滑りだったが、後半に加速。ドイツに先行を許したものの、０・３秒差の２位で永井につないだ。永井はノルウェー、オーストリア、ドイツと先頭集団を形成。終盤まで粘ったが、1位オーストリアと４・６秒差の４位で渡部暁へ。渡部暁はエースらしく手堅いレースを展開。ノルウェー、オーストリアと先頭集団をつくり、最終盤に抜け出したノルウェーには先行されたものの、１０・４秒差の２位でアンカーの山本につなぎ、悲願のメダル獲得を託した。山本は慎重な滑りで、オーストリア、ドイツと第２集団を形成。最後はドイツと抜け出し、オーストリアを退けて３位に食い込んだ。
弱点の走力強化を進めてきた効果が出た。４年間で練習強度の配分を見直し、昨季の冬季シーズンでは隔離が必要となる帰国を避け、海外に長期滞在。最多の選手では年間約６００時間を距離の練習に充てた。「以前は５００時間にいく選手がなかなかいなかった」と河野ヘッドコーチ。前半の飛躍で作った貯金で粘りこむ従来の形だけでなく、後半の距離でも戦えるところを見せつけた。
長い間、日本の定位置は４位だった。ドイツ、ノルウェー、オーストリアが五輪は２大会連続、世界選手権は３大会連続で表彰台を独占。３強の壁を突き破ることができなかった。メンバー４人のうち団体でのメダルを知るのは、２００９年世界選手権で金メダルに輝いた渡部暁だけだった。
そのエース頼みといわれたチームが脱皮した。２４歳の山本は持ち味の飛躍だけでなく、距離でも地力を発揮。ノーマルヒル「金」のガイガー（ドイツ）に最後のスプリント勝負で劣らず、わずか０・３秒差まで迫った。「チームの未来に、本当にいいメダル。僕がいなくても大丈夫かな」と成長を喜び、渡部暁は笑った。
Miho Takagi wins women's 1,000 in record time to collect fourth medal of Beijing Olympics
(Feb 17, 2022, the Japantimes)
Beijing – After collecting three silver medals at the Beijing Olympics, Miho Takagi finally snagged a gold when she won the women's 1,000-meter event on Thursday.
Fresh off a heartbreaking team pursuit silver, Takagi set an Olympic record with a time of 1 minute, 13.19 seconds to beat Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands by 0.64. Brittany Bowe of the United States won bronze.
This is Takagi's seventh career Olympic medal, four more than any other Japanese athlete, and her second gold to equal the most won by an athlete from her nation.
"There were so many frustrations right from the start of these Olympics, and I was unable to achieve peak performance in the 3,000 and 1,500," Takagi said.
"In the midst of that really brutal struggle, I was able to make use of every ounce of my ability, so in the end, this was a race about which I had no regrets, regardless of whether I won the gold medal or not."
Takagi held her fist to the sky as she crossed the line at the National Speed Skating Oval in the Chinese capital. She made excellent ground on her final trip down the back straight in the slip-stream of Russian Angelina Golikova to put her in a gold medal-winning position.
Her time slashed 0.37 off the previous Olympic record set by Jorien ter Mors of the Netherlands in Pyeongchang four years ago.
After entering the Beijing Games as a gold medal favorite in the 1,500 and team pursuit, the 1,000 was Takagi's last chance at gold.
She was beaten in the 1,500 by Dutchwoman Ireen Wust and then had gold snatched from her in the team pursuit when her sister Nana fell in the last corner of the race with the team leading Canada.
"When I did get the gold medal, it was like my joy was doubled," said Takagi, who also won silver in the 500.
"Honestly, I think my body is at its limit, not fatigue so much, but I've developed a cough, so I think physically I'm borderline and am really thankful I could get through this without any serious issues."
Nao Kodaira, the other Japanese national in the event and the defending Olympic silver medalist over the distance, could only finish in 10th, 2.46 off the pace of her compatriot.
Kodaira had a disastrous 500 event when a stumble in the first few strides of her race cost her dearly. She was looking for redemption over the longer distance on Thursday but it was not to be.
"I didn't make any big mistakes the way I did in the 500," Kodaira reflected.
"From the start of the new year, I was on the verge of giving up, not knowing if I'd even be fit in time. But in the end, I was able to make it, although I wasn't able to deliver."
"I was, however, able to overcome the aches and pains, and for that I am filled with gratitude for everyone who helped me make it here."
高木美帆、女子１０００ｍで五輪新「金」…今大会４個目のメダル
（2022/02/17 読売新聞オンライン）
北京オリンピックは１７日、スピードスケート女子１０００メートルが行われ、前回 平昌ピョンチャン 大会銅メダリストの高木美帆（日体大職）が、１分１３秒１９のオリンピック新記録で優勝。個人種目では初の金メダルを獲得した。従来の記録を０秒３７更新した。
前回大会の団体追い抜きと合わせると通算２個目の金メダル。今大会は５００メートル、１５００メートル、団体追い抜きで銀を獲得していて、１大会の獲得メダル数としては、冬季日本勢単独最多の４個となった。自身が持つ夏冬合わせた日本女子通算最多メダル数は７個に伸ばした。既に史上最多となっている日本の獲得メダル数は１５となった。
小平奈緒（相沢病院）が１分１５秒６５で１０位。前回大会の銀に続く２大会連続メダルはならなかった。小平は５００メートルで１７位に沈んでいて、今大会はメダルなしに終わった。
銀メダルは、ユッタ・レールダム（オランダ）で高木美とは０秒６４差の１分１３秒８３。世界記録保持者のブリタニー・ボウ（米）が１分１４秒６１で銅メダルを獲得した。
