Sara Takanashi is among the most embellished ski jumpers of all time, however Olympic gold has eluded her and he or she admits to being “swallowed up” at previous Winter Video games.
Now the 25-year-old Japanese star hopes the third time would be the allure at Beijing in February, the place she will lastly lay her Olympic demons to relaxation.
“I have already got an Olympic medal, however my intention is to win gold,” Takanashi mentioned, including that she has rebuilt her leaping method from scratch since settling for bronze on the 2018 Video games.
“My most important goal is to point out folks how a lot I’ve developed. If I can try this, I believe the outcomes will comply with.”
Takanashi has 60 World Cup victories and 109 particular person podium finishes to her title — each world information. She can also be a four-time world champion.
However agonizingly, she has did not reside as much as prime billing on the Olympic stage and admits she feels “pissed off” about it.
Takanashi seemed nailed-on for the title when girls’s ski leap made its Olympic debut on the 2014 Sochi Video games, however as an alternative completed fourth in a shock upset.
She was third in Pyeongchang 4 years later regardless of holding the all-time girls’s file for World Cup wins.
She says she was “fully swallowed up by the Olympic ambiance” in Sochi and was not at her greatest in Pyeongchang. She felt extra “relieved” than pleased to win a medal.
“My leaping fashion had one thing to do with it, however I don’t suppose I used to be fully immersed in it,” she mentioned, reflecting on 2018.
“In Pyeongchang I gave every part I had and that was the consequence, however I don’t suppose I used to be in a position to focus totally on my jumps.”
Battling Takanashi for gold in Beijing are prone to be reigning world champion Nika Kriznar of Slovenia and Austria’s Marita Kramer.
Takanashi says one characteristic of girls’s ski leaping is that “anybody can win,” however she is concentrating extra on herself than her rivals.
“Successful relies on how a lot confidence you may have within the stuff you’ve carried out as much as that time,” she mentioned.
“In my case, I’ve modified my leaping fashion over the previous 4 years. I need to decide up extra confidence any longer by way of my coaching and the World Cup occasions.”
Takanashi could should do with out an skilled teammate in Beijing.
Noriaki Kasai, who grew to become the primary athlete to look at eight Winter Olympics on the Pyeongchang Video games, seems unlikely to make Japan’s workforce on the age of 49.
Undaunted by age, nonetheless, Kasai has mentioned he desires to compete on the 2030 Video games ought to his hometown Sapporo win its bid to host them.
Takanashi calls Kasai a “legendary determine” and doesn’t doubt he’s critical about carrying on.
“I don’t know whether or not the Olympics might be held in Sapporo or not, however Kasai will take it to the restrict of his talents,” she mentioned.
“His bodily potential and leaping method are wonderful. So many ski jumpers look as much as him.”
Takanashi is now making ready to start her closing preparations for the Feb. 4-20 Olympics, having gained three home competitions in Japan in current weeks.
“I need to categorical my gratitude to everybody who’s supported me up so far, and the simplest means to do this is get outcomes,” she mentioned.
“However I additionally consider it as a reward to myself for placing within the work to get right here.”
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