On January 19, the Ski Association of Japan announced their informal selection for those who will participate in the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and Waseda University Alumni Akito Watabe (affiliated with Kitano Construction corp. SC, graduated from the School of Sports Sciences in 2011), Ryota Yamamoto (affiliated with Nagano Hino Motors, Ltd. SC, graduated from the School of Sports Sciences in 2020), Yoshito Watabe (affiliated with Kitano Construction corp. SC, graduated from the School of Sports Sciences in 2014), and Hideaki Nagai (affiliated with Gifuhino-Sports SC, graduated from the School of Human Sciences in 2006), and third-year student Sora Yachi (School of Sports Sciences) have been chosen.
All five were informally selected after participating in the Overall Nordic Combined World Cup, which was held until January 16, and they all met the selection requirements set forth by the Ski Association of Japan. All the members of the Nordic Combined team will be from Waseda University.
This will be Akito Watabe’s fifth consecutive participation in the Winter Games, and this year he will be entrusted with carrying the flag of Japan during the opening ceremony. This will be Yoshito Watabe’s and Nagai’s third consecutive participation, and it will be the first time Yamamoto and Yachi have participated in the Winter Games.
Overall Nordic Combined World Cup Men’s Team, who placed third in the first round: (From left) Yoshito Watabe, Akito Watabe, Ryota Yamamoto and Sora Yachi (Kyodo News)
Hideaki Nagai’s jump in the Overall Nordic Combined World Cup Individuals second round
Profiles:
Akito Watabe
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1988. Graduated from the Waseda University School of Sports Sciences in 2011. Participated in the Turin 2006 Paralympic Winter Games while attending high school. Won two silver medals consecutively in the Individuals’ Normal Hill Ski Jump at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018.
Ryota Yamamoto
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1997. Graduated from the Waseda University School of Sports Sciences in 2020. Captained the Ski Club while enrolled at the University. Was a member of the 2021 World Cup team, which claimed fourth place in the Team’s Sprint event.
Yoshito Watabe
Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1991. Graduated from the Waseda University School of Sports Sciences in 2014. Took up the Nordic Combined in junior high school. Came in fifth in the team’s event at Sochi 2014 and fourth in the team’s event at PyeongChang 2018.
Hideaki Nagai
Born in Iwate Prefecture in 1983. Graduated from the Waseda University School of Human Sciences in 2006. Came in fifth in the team’s event at Sochi 2014 and fourth in the team’s event at PyeongChang 2018.
Sora Yachi
Born in Iwate Prefecture in 2000. Third year of Waseda University School of Sports Sciences. Came in sixth in the World Junior Cup in 2019.
