The Japan Mogul Team, said to be "undoubtedly the strongest in history," is taking on the Beijing Olympics. What kind of skiing will they show on the Olympic stage? Let's introduce the Japanese men's and women's mogul skiers, who are considered very likely to win gold medals. Also, check out the 2021-2022 World Cup competition footage, which will give us a glimpse into the Olympic battle!
TOMITAKA
Hinako
Originally from Tokyo, she discovered moguls in her first year of elementary school and began competing seriously in the fourth grade. She achieved a high result of second place in the Junior Championships. At the 2021 World Championships, she was the only member of the Japanese women's team to place fifth. She is known for her small stature but her skiing that makes her appear larger, and her stable, high-quality turns. She has been steadily improving her performance, and there are high expectations for her competitive strength in the actual competition
☟By the way, this is Hinako Tomitaka's Instagram. She posted a happy comment after being selected as a representative for the Beijing Olympics.
@hinako1753
■ Profile
| date of birth | Born September 21, 2000 |
| Birthplace | Machida City, Tokyo |
| Affiliation | Tama University |
| Major battles in recent years | '21 World Championship Moguls 5th place '19 World Junior Championship Moguls, Dual Moguls 2nd place |
| Gear used | Skis: ID one |
| @hinako1753 |
■ Hinako Tomitaka - Skating video
A training session abroad. Even at high speeds, the stability of the turns is outstanding
■ Comments from the "Online Press Conference to Determine Representatives" just before the Beijing Olympics
With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, the All Japan Ski Association held an online press conference to determine the Japanese representatives. We present an excerpt from the video of Tomitaka Hinako's comments. "Q" is a question from a journalist
January 23rd (Sun) 19:00-19:30 From the online press conference to decide the representatives
Q. How do you honestly feel right now?
- It hasn't really hit me yet, but honestly, the biggest feeling I have is that I'm happy, and also, since this is my first time, I want to enjoy it to the fullest.
Q. What was your impression of the Olympics
? It's a stage I've always dreamed of watching on TV since I was little, so I'm really happy and it feels like a dream to be able to take part in it.
Q. If there is one area in which you feel you have grown the most over the past four years, please tell us
. I think the area in which I have grown the most over the past four years is that I have become stronger in terms of my skating. Before, I wasn't able to fully attack when it mattered, but now I can attack and skate properly, and I think that is the biggest area in which I have grown.
Q. Do you mean the accuracy of landing big tricks?
- This is true not only in terms of the difficulty of the air, but I think I've become able to skate more aggressively in terms of speed and turns.
Q. What is the most important point for placing highly on the Olympic stage
? I think that if I can perform at the best I can at the Olympic stage, the rankings will naturally follow.
Q. Please tell us about your specific goals and aspirations
. This will be my first Olympics, so I hope to enjoy it to the fullest and skate in my own style, to the best of my ability.
Q. Please tell us what kind of impact the current Japanese team has had on you, Tomioka-san
. The team, both men and women, are all really friendly with each other, and I think it's a really strong team. I'm happy when my teammates achieve good results, and that inspires me to try harder myself. I think it's a really great team where we can help each other improve.
Q. Looking back at this season's World Cup, in what areas did you feel you had a good feeling, and in what areas would you like to focus on improving in preparation for the Olympics?
- In this season's World Cup, I often struggled with my first air and the process afterwards, which was a bit frustrating for me, so I'd like to be able to work on that before the Olympics. First of all, it's important to land the first air well. I do a cork on the first air, and I need to land it well. Right now, there have been a few times where I struggled to get it in right before the first air and it just flew away, so I think if I can get on the board well and fly it through, the process after the first air will naturally go well.