Ski jumper Takanashi recieves world record certificates
(April 17, 2021/ The Japan News/ The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Women’s Nordic ski jumper Sara Takanashi, who set a Guinness World Record for the most World Cup podium finishes with 109, received her official certificate on Friday. She also broke her own Guinness World Record for most individual wins with 60.

Happy that she was able to set both records, Takanashi said, “I think it’s a reward for all the hard work I’ve put in,” at an online press conference.

In the 2020-21 season, she scored nine top-three finishes, including three World Cup titles, and finished second in the overall standings.

“I want to keep improving my record, but I feel like I have to develop my skills even more to deserve that,” she said.



Japanese medalist set to swap snowboard for skateboard in Olympics
(May 23, 2021/ The Japan News/ The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Ayumu Hirano, a snowboarder who soared to silver in the halfpipe event at two successive Winter Olympic Games, is set to represent Japan in the new men’s skateboarding competition at the Tokyo Olympics after clinching a spot at the Dew Tour qualifying event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday.

The event was the 22-year-old's last chance to earn the world ranking points needed to secure his berth on the inaugural skateboard team at the Olympics. Despite a lukewarm performance in the park event qualifying round, Hirano managed to stay atop the Japanese rankings and secure the spot allotted to Japan as the Games' host nation.

Already a two-time silver medalist in the snowboard halfpipe event at the 2014 Sochi and 2006 Pyeongchang Games, Hirano aims to win a medal as a double-threat Olympian. After competing at the Tokyo Summer Games, he hopes to hop back on the snowboard at the Beijing Winter Games next year.

The short list of Japanese athletes who have participated in both the Summer and Winter Olympics includes Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, who competed for Japan in cycling and speed skating.