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Keiju Okada (left) ecstatic as he passes the finish line with his partner, Miho Yoshioka, securing the silver medal. (Photo by Kyodo News)

Former Waseda University Sailing Team member Keiju Okada (School of Sport Sciences, 2018 graduate) competed with his partner Miho Yoshioka in the Paris 2024 Olympics Sailing Dinghy – Mixed 470 race. The Okada and Yoshioka pair finished third in the final medal race between the top 10 boats, resulting in a silver medal finish overall. This was the first medal in Olympic Sailing for Japan since the Athens 2004 Olympics, 20 years ago.

Okada said that he was overcome by a wave of happiness as he crossed the finish line. He also shared how receiving the medal and congratulatory messages from many supporters filled him with joy.

Okada (front) steering the boat in the medal race (Photo by Kyodo News)

The Mixed 470 sailing event took place for the first time at the Paris Olympics. In this event, two members race a small-sized boat with a total length of 4.7 meters around a course marked by buoys. Okada took on the role of the skippy on the boat.

With Confidence and Bravery, I Chose my Own Course

Okada (left) posing for a commemorative photo after receiving his silver medal (Photo by Kyodo News)

“We understood the direction of the wind, and I was confident that we were top class competitors” said Okada, who took a different path than the other competitors in the medal race. Even while falling behind during the race, he was able to calmly analyze the situation and remarked, “I have to race my way, giving it my all is the only way I can get a top finish.” “I trusted my own eyes, used my own wind, I had the confidence and bravery to choose my own course” said Okada, who helped pave the way to the silver medal along with his partner Yoshioka.

“I think sailing is full of excitement. When you see the city form the sea, surrounded by nature, it looks quite small in the distance. Being able to feel the four seasons, I feel free to go anywhere I want across the ocean. My dream lies in this feeling” shared Okada as he explained the beauty of sailing. “I want to get back on the boat as soon as possible. When I see an athlete wearing a gold medal it makes me strive to be like them. If I have the opportunity in four years, I want to try again and get a gold medal,” Okada stated, already looking forward towards the Los Angeles Olympics four years from now.

A Comment from Waseda President Aiji Tanaka

Waseda University alumnus Keiju Okada secured the silver medal in Sailing Dinghy – Mixed 470 at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Congratulations on obtaining the first medal in sailing for Japan since 2004, 20 years ago.

Last August, Okada also won the Sailing World Championships with his partner Miho Yoshioka and together they again displayed their talent at this year’s Olympics. I sincerely respect Okada’s mental strength and unwavering efforts. I would also like to express my deepest congratulations.

Okada is an alumnus of the Waseda University Sailing Team that has now won four consecutive intercollegiate championships. Okada says he is striving to win the gold four years from now at the Los Angeles Olympics. I hope to see him continuing his efforts at the upcoming Olympics and Sailing World Championships.

Waseda University President Aiji Tanaka

A Comment from Koji Sekiguchi, Coach of the Waseda University Sailing Team

Keiju Okada (left) and Miho Yoshioka (right) raising the Hinomaru flag after finishing the race at the Paris Olympics (Photo by Kyodo News)

I would like to congratulate Keiju Okada on obtaining the silver medal for Sailing Mixed Dinghy – 470 at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

I am truly happy to see that your hard, together with partner Miho Yoshioka, has paid off. I’m sure there was great difficulty along the way, but you were able to trust in each other and kept moving forward with a bright outlook which almost certainly led to you securing the silver medal.

At the final race, with the medal on the line, you were able to ascend to second place from your position in third. From the start of the race, in your usual style, you were able to find an aggressive course opening, allowing you to take the lead in the race from start to finish. In sailing, nature is constantly changing which affects the race, and you trusted in your ability to assess the situation, one of your greatest strengths, which surely was one of the major factors leading to your victory.

Waseda University Sailing Team has sent nine different members over the years to the Olympics; however, you were the first to win a medal. During training camp, the members of the sailing team watched your race, and everyone cheered in excitement and joy from start to finish.

I’m sure there is some disappointment considering your goal of obtaining the gold medal, which you have striven toward since your time as a student, but take pride in the fact that you were able to obtain a historic medal even through extreme nerves, and I want you to use this as the start of your effort to challenge yourself even further.

Lastly, you won the first medal in 20 years for Japanese sailing, and the world of sailing within Japan is ecstatic. I hope that the medal Okada and Yoshioka won will act as a catalyst for the further popularization and development of the sport.

Waseda University Sailing Team Coach Koji Sekiguchi