Japan's Kobayashi Eyes More Olympic Ski Jump Gold

Japan's reigning Olympic ski jumping champion Ryoyu Kobayashi isn't feeling the weight of expectations as he prepares for next month's Milano-Cortina Winter Games. Instead, he's focused on what he does best: flying.

The 29-year-old won gold in the normal hill event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and added silver in the large hill, becoming only the third Japanese man to claim individual Olympic ski jumping gold. Now he's heading back with momentum, fresh off two World Cup victories in Switzerland and Norway.

"My biggest rival is myself," Kobayashi told reporters in Tokyo this week. His approach is refreshingly simple: execute his own performance well, and the medals will follow.

That mindset has served him well throughout a stellar career. Kobayashi has won 37 World Cup individual competitions and claimed the overall title twice, in 2019 and 2022. He secured his spot on Japan's Olympic team with a second-place finish in Sunday's World Cup event in Sapporo.

The competition in Italy will be fierce. Austria's Daniel Tschofenig dominated last season with eight World Cup wins, while Slovenia's Domen Prevc just captured gold at the 2025 Nordic World Ski Championships. But Kobayashi isn't dwelling on his rivals.

Why This Inspires

Kobayashi carries the hopes of a nation that fell in love with ski jumping during the 1998 Nagano Olympics. That year, Japan's team won dramatic gold in front of home crowds, with anchor Masahiko Harada redeeming himself after a heartbreaking loss four years earlier in Lillehammer.

Kobayashi was only two years old when that historic moment happened, but he's watched the replay countless times. "Not just me but many people saw that and were inspired," he said.

Now he's the one inspiring the next generation. His calm under pressure and focus on personal excellence rather than external factors offers a masterclass in championship mindset. When Kobayashi steps onto the hill in Predazzo for the February 7-16 competition, he won't be thinking about defending anything—he'll be thinking about soaring.

Japan's ski jumping legacy continues to lift off.