JAPANESE SKI JUMPER SARA TAKANASHI HAS SEEN HER CAREER REACH INCREDIBLE HEIGHTS SINCE SHE WON THE FIRST GOLD MEDAL IN WOMEN’S SKI JUMPING AT AN OLYMPIC EVENT AT THE INNSBRUCK 2012 YOG.
Japan’s 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games champion Sara Takanashi has started the 2016/17 International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Jumping World Cup in perfect fashion by claiming victory in the opening two rounds of the season. The 20-year-old began the defence of her overall World Cup title by winning both events in Lillehammer – host city of the 1994 Olympic Winter Games and the 2016 Winter YOG – on 2 and 3 December.
In the first event, Takanashi led home a Japanese one-two, clinching top spot with jumps of 95m and 99.5m to finish in front of team-mate Yuki Ito, with a total score of 271.3 points. The following day, she leapt 95.5m and 98m to score 268.1 points, which again put her ahead of Ito, who finished in the silver medal position with 255.4.
"It is the start of a new season and I was able to perform very good jumps and achieve a great result," said Takanashi. "I am very happy about that. The level of ladies' ski jumping is getting higher and higher, so I also have to get better. We still have great events coming up this season, like the World Championships, and I need to stay focused."
Takanashi’s victories took her overall World Cup win tally to 46 at the age of just 20; and it seems the Japanese star has been destined for greatness ever since she first strapped on a pair of skis.
Having taken up the sport at the age of eight – “because my friends and my brother were also doing it” – Takanashi entered her first international competition as a 12-year-old, and was quickly hailed as a prodigy.
At 14, she finished sixth in the 2011 World Championships in Oslo before making her World Cup debut later that year, claiming fifth position in Lillehammer and then winning silver in her next event at Hinterzarten, Germany.
But it was at the 2012 Winter YOG in Innsbruck that Takanashi’s career really took off. The 15-year-old dominated the competition at the inaugural Winter YOG, as women’s ski jumping made its Olympic debut, leaping 76.5m in the opening round – five metres further than any other competitor – to give herself a 14-point lead going into the final jump.
She jumped the exact same distance in the final round, earning a further 54.5 points from the judges to give her a total of 269.3 – an incredible 26.8 points ahead of Germany’s Katharina Althaus, who jumped 71.0m and 72.5m to take second place. The bronze medal was won by Ursa Bogataj, of Slovenia, who twice jumped 71.5m to finish with 239.3 points.
“I’m so happy,” said Takanashi at the time. "I am very proud to win the first Youth Olympic gold medal for women's ski jumping here. It's an honour to come here and win this event."
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Flying high following her YOG victory, Takanashi went on to triumph in the Junior World Ski Championships in Turkey in February 2012, when she beat the hill record at Erzurum with a leap of 110.5m.
A first World Cup victory then followed in March 2012 in Zao, Japan, and she has not looked back since. In the subsequent 69 World Cup events, Takanashi has claimed a further 45 victories, making her by far the most dominant athlete in the sport.
She was widely expected to win gold at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, but ended up finishing fourth as she struggled to cope with her nerves.
"I came here wanting to do my best. I’m incredibly disappointed I couldn’t jump the way I wanted to on both attempts. I have realised my mental weakness,” she said at the time. “Clearly something was different tonight, but it was nice to be on the stage. My nerves cost me my medal.”
Despite the disappointment, Takanashi vowed to work even harder to achieve success at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
“The fighter in me will fight till the very end,” she said. “I want to come back to the Olympic Winter Games a much more polished ski jumper and do my country proud.”
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Her more immediate goal will be to win a first individual world title at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti, Finland, in February next year.
The 20-year-old will then begin targeting her Olympic redemption in PyeongChang, as she seeks to fulfil the promise she so ably demonstrated at the 2012 Winter YOG.
THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) REITERATED TODAY ITS RECOGNITION OF THE AUTONOMY OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) AND SPORT AS “AN IMPORTANT ENABLER OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”.
The Resolution on sport at the service of the promotion of education, health and development has been adopted by the 71st Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, and followed up on the resolution initially adopted in 2014. It obtained a consensus from all the Member States, transcending political divisions to uphold the values of sports.
This resulted in a resolution that highlights once again the main areas of sport’s contribution to social development and peace, while underlining certain challenges that the world of sport and governments have ahead of them and to which the IOC is determined to respond.
It affirmed “the invaluable contribution of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in establishing sport as a unique means for the promotion of peace and development, in particular through the ideal of the Olympic Truce, acknowledging the opportunities provided by past Olympic and Paralympic Games, including those held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2016, which, inter alia, inspired youth by the potential presented by sport for social inclusion, as well as the Youth Olympic Games, held in Lillehammer, Norway, in February 2016”.
In addition, the resolution calls “ upon future hosts of such Games and other Member States to include sport, as appropriate, in conflict-prevention activities and to ensure the effective implementation of the Olympic Truce during the Games.”
THE RESOLUTION IS ANOTHER EXPRESSION OF THE CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE IOC AND THE UN, BASED ON OUR SHARED VALUES OF CONTRIBUTING TO A BETTER AND MORE PEACEFUL WORLD THROUGH SPORT.Thomas BachIOC PRESIDENT
“The IOC welcomes the resolution and thanks the United Nations and all its Member States for the confidence in the power of sport to bring about social change,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The resolution is another expression of the close cooperation between the IOC and the UN, based on our shared values of contributing to a better and more peaceful world through sport.”
The IOC welcomes the renewed recognition of the independence and autonomy of sports organisations, and the role of the IOC and the Olympic Movement more generally. It also acknowledges the strengthening of the text regarding gender equality, an issue that the IOC is keen to see move forward. Its Executive Board recently decided to promote a minimum target of 30 per cent female representation on governing bodies within the Olympic Movement – one measure among numerous IOC initiatives in this area.
The sports movement is undergoing a period of major challenges, which calls for closer cooperation between all entitles concerned, as well as governments, international institutions and civil society as a whole. This new resolution of the General Assembly is fully in line with this approach.
The IOC has enjoyed UN Observer Status since 2009.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS ORGANISING COMMITTEE, LEE HEE-BEOM HAILED THE GANGNEUNG ICE ARENA TEST EVENT A TOTAL SUCCESS FOLLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION (ISU) SHORT TRACK WORLD CUP EVENT ON 16-18 DECEMBER.
Over the course of the three days, over 29,000 spectators came to see the action at the arena which will host the short track and figure skating competitions at PyeongChang 2018.
On the ice, there was joy for Great Britain’s Elise Christie who completed her second double golden weekend in a row as she topped the podium again in both of the women’s 1,000 metres competitions.
Christie’s second win of the weekend saw her move into second place in the overall women’s 1,000m rankings on 21,678 points, with the gap between her and leader Choi Min-jeong standing at 6,322.
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Choi gave her home crowd something to celebrate as she won the women’s 500m ahead of China’s Kexin Fan and Poland’s Natalia Maliszewska. Fan’s second place finish saw her close in on the World Cup top spot, which is still held by Christie, who chose not to take part in this weekend’s 500m race.
Choi was also part of the victorious Korean women’s 3,000m relay team, who maintained their perfect record in this season, beating the Netherlands and Canada into second and third respectively.
The men’s 5,000m relay was won by Hungary, with Canada and the USA completing the podium. In the overall World Cup standings, Hungary are now top of the table on 27,741, with China moving into second ahead of The Netherlands.
Canadian Charles Hamelin claimed the men’s 1,000m gold, with Semem Elistratov of Russia getting silver. Bronze went to Hamelin’s compatriot Charles Cournoyer.
China’s Wu Dajing put behind him the disappointment of being penalised in the men’s 1,000m heats on Friday by winning the 500m gold to increase his overall World Cup lead. Russia’s Denis Nikisha took silver while the Republic of Korea’s Han Seung-soo, got the bronze.
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“There are 418 days left until the Pyeongchang Games, but as far as we’re concerned, the Olympics has already begun with this test event," said Lee Hee-beom. “We’ve identified some areas that need improvements, but the ISU has told us our overall preparation has been perfect.”
“We’ll listen carefully to all suggestions and make sure the actual Olympics will be absolutely flawless," Lee added. “Next week, the Organising Committee, international officials and volunteers will meet to go over what we did well and what we could have done better at this event.”
MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORT AND TOURISM, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
During the test event, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg met with the Acting President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Hwang Kyo-ahn.
FROM THE INTERNATIONAL DEBUT OF 3X3 BASKETBALL TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SPORTS LAB, WE PICK OUT SIX EXAMPLES OF HOW THE YOG ARE LEADING THE WAY IN SPORTING INNOVATION.
MIXED EVENTS
The first YOG in Singapore in 2010 made their mark in numerous ways, most notably with the introduction of events featuring mixed-gender and mixed-NOC teams. These included triathlon and swimming relays, and archery, table tennis and fencing events, to name but a few, adding a completely new element to the sporting competitions, which proved particularly popular with athletes.
IOC / ARNAUD MEYLAN
SPORTS LAB
As if the 28 sports on the Youth Olympic programme didn’t provide enough entertainment, visitors to the 2014 YOG in Nanjing were also given the opportunity to enjoy world-class displays of roller sports, skateboarding, sports climbing and wushu, at the innovative Sports Lab. Throughout the Games, large crowds flocked to the facility to view the two-hour showcases that were held for each sport, with top Chinese and international athletes displaying their skills before offering fans the chance to try out the sports for themselves. The concept proved so popular that it was further developed during the 2016 Winter YOG in Lillehammer, where fans were given the opportunity to have a go at all 15 Winter Olympic disciplines when visiting the YOG venues during the Games.
IOC / UBALD RUTAR
THE OLYMPIC RETURN OF GOLF AND RUGBY
Golf and rugby returned to the Olympic Games for the first time in 112 and 92 years respectively during Rio 2016, but both sports actually made their Olympic comebacks during the 2014 YOG in Nanjing. The rugby sevens competition provided plenty of highlights, with Australia winning the girls’ competition, and France beating Argentina in an epic final to secure gold in the boys’ event. The golf competitions, meanwhile, saw Italy’s Renato Paratore and Korea’s Lee Soyoung celebrate gold medals in the men’s and women’s events respectively, with Sweden’s Marcus Kinhult and Linnea Strom combining to win the mixed team event.
IOC / UBALD RUTAR
3X3 BASKETBALL
All eyes were on the basketball courts in Singapore during the 2010 YOG, with the action-packed 3x3 format making its international debut. The fast-paced games saw two teams of just three players compete on half a court. Games were played over two five-minute periods, although teams could win sooner by being the first to reach 33 points. Serbia won the boys’ event while China took gold in the girls’ competition. The successful debut of 3x3 basketball was followed by an innovative dunk contest for boys and shootout event for girls at the 2014 YOG in Nanjing.
IOC / IAN JONES
HOCKEY 5S
The Nanjing 2014 YOG also featured an exciting new hockey format, with matches reduced to high-intensity five-a-side games of three 12-minute periods played on half-pitches. The faster games proved a hit with fans, featuring more shots on goal and less play in midfield, with Australia winning gold in the men’s event and China claiming the women’s title.
IOC / IAN JONES
MONOBOB
A unique new bobsleigh format guaranteed exciting and closely contested competitions at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter YOG, with the introduction of the monobob event. By featuring one-athlete teams, the event created the opportunity for more countries to participate. The new format ensured that the outcome of both the women’s and the men’s competitions were decided only when the last competitors crossed the line at the end of their second and final runs, with Germany’s Laura Nolte and Jonas Jannusch topping the podiums respectively.
IOC / UBALD RUTAR
GENDER EQUALITY
The 2018 YOG in Buenos Aires are also set to break new ground when, for the first time in Olympic history, there will be complete gender equality on the Olympic sports programme. In total, 1,893 women and 1,893 men are set to compete in the YOG, which will also include new youth-oriented events such as BMX freestyle, kiteboarding, beach handball and cross-country running.
IN RIO, CONTEMPORARY FRENCH ARTIST JR LEFT HIS MARK WITH TWO PROJECTS: THE GIANTS, GIGANTIC IMAGES OF ATHLETES MOUNTED ON SCAFFOLDING IN THE HEART OF THE CITY; AND INSIDE OUT, A PHOTO TRUCK WHICH CAPTURED THE FACES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE, WHOSE PHOTOS WERE THEN DISPLAYED AROUND THE CITY. HERE ARE HIS IMPRESSIONS FROM HIS EXPERIENCE AS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WHAT YOU DID IN RIO?
The Rio project was a key moment in my artistic career, as I’ve been working there for more than 10 years, in the favelas, in the city, with museums; and I was always scared of going back with a large work which could link all the different worlds in which I’ve worked. These Giants were an ideal way to return, as they combined all these worlds, museum installations taking pride of place in the heart of the city, visible to everyone. The important thing for me in a city like that, and in the current context, was to make these works as non-elitist as possible, and as they were in the public domain, everyone had the same chance to see them.
DO YOU THINK THE OLYMPIC GAMES PROVIDE INTERESTING SUBJECT MATTER FOR ARTISTS?
For me, the subject matter was amazing. I had never imagined that, and I hope to be back there again in the future! There are so many layers in human terms, not just sporting, with everything that happens behind the scenes. And there are links to my work, which is to place the human being at the forefront, regardless of background or colour.
DO YOU THINK THERE IS A PLACE FOR ART AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES?
Of course, there is always a place for art when there is room to express yourself, and the framework has not already been invaded by brands and sponsors. In my case, I chose the city in order to be totally free.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY OF THE GAMES? YOUR BEST IMAGE FROM THE GAMES?
My best memory is of the Maracanãzinho, the little stadium next to the famous Maracanã, where my team and I sat to watch the whole world’s athletes arrive, without photographers or cameras, before going into the Opening Ceremony. I had the impression of seeing a human map of the world.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THESE THREE GIANTS?
The majority of my works are ephemeral; they make an impact on people and continue to exist through photographs that people share, or which I myself do. But the physical object gradually disappears. I imagine that the scaffolding is now being used to build the Brazil of tomorrow, at least I hope so.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY FEEDBACK FROM THE ATHLETES WHO WERE PHOTOGRAPHED, EITHER FOR THE GIANTS PROJECT OR FOR INSIDEOUT, AT THE VILLAGE IN PARTICULAR?
I had feedback from three athletes who weren’t able to compete at the Games this time, but who were very proud to be represented there symbolically. I have stayed in touch with many of the athletes who took part in Inside Out or followed the project. It was great to meet them and discover a world I previously knew only from watching television.
WHAT ABOUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC’S PARTICIPATION IN THE INSIDE OUT RIO PROJECT?
The participation was amazing everywhere, whether in the city centre or the favelas or the Olympic Village. The truck was operating all the time. For years, I had dreamed of taking this project to Brazil, on this scale; and I hope it will carry on, as the truck is still there.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
I’m finishing a film with director Agnès Varda and starting a new project that I look forward to unveiling next year. And perhaps lots of other Giants? The best way to follow my projects is via social media.
Recommendation 26 of Olympic Agenda 2020, the strategic roadmap for the Olympic Movement, calls on the IOC to “further strengthen the blending of sport and culture at the Olympic Games and in-between.” The implementation of an artists-in-residence programme during the Games was one of the first measures linked to this recommendation.
KALYAN KUMAR MAHATA
The true appellation of Apu. A Creative Commons license.
IOC / ARNAUD MEYLAN
LAST YEAR, THE IOC ANNOUNCED A GROUND-BREAKING GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP WITH TOYOTA TO PROVIDE INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT IN LINE WITH OLYMPIC AGENDA 2020, THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE OF THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT, WHICH HAS SUSTAINABILITY AS ONE OF ITS THREE KEY PILLARS.
Beginning in 2017, Toyota will work with the IOC, organisers of the Olympic Games, and National Olympic Committees around the world to deliver sustainable mobility solutions.
Today, the newest Worldwide TOP Partner delivered a new fleet of hybrid cars for the IOC administration. The vehicles use Toyota’s latest hybrid technology, combining the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors to provide sustainable mobility solutions.
IOC President Thomas Bach received the cars from Mr Philippe Rhomberg, CEO of Toyota Switzerland AG, at the IOC’s Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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After receiving the cars IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This is another step in this exciting partnership, and I am particularly delighted about the new hybrid cars, which is another clear demonstration of the IOC’s commitment towards sustainability. I would like to thank Mr Akio Toyoda for his great personal commitment and Mr Rhomberg and his team here in Switzerland, as well as the fleet team in Toyota Motor Europe based in Brussels, for their support in implementing this programme.”
THIS IS ANOTHER STEP IN THIS EXCITING PARTNERSHIP, AND I AM PARTICULARLY DELIGHTED ABOUT THE NEW HYBRID CARS, WHICH IS ANOTHER CLEAR DEMONSTRATION OF THE IOC’S COMMITMENT TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY.Thomas BachIOC PRESIDENT
Toyota Switzerland’s CEO Mr Philippe Rhomberg confirmed: “We are very proud of the partnership with the IOC, and I would personally like to thank IOC President Thomas Bach and his team in bringing the start of this journey to life. Their vision of creating a better world through sport is a perfect match for Toyota's philosophy. Every day, we make every effort to provide even better mobility solutions for society through respect, teamwork and the pursuit of continuous improvement - in the true spirit of the Toyota Way.”
Toyota also wants to use the partnership to truly embrace the spirit of the Games in its day-to-day business. When announcing the partnership in March 2015, Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda said: "We will do everything possible to fulfil our new role in The Olympic Partner (TOP) Programme, and justify the trust the IOC has placed in us. The addition of a mobility category to the TOP Partner field is an important recognition for our entire industry. Under this Olympic flag, let us today reaffirm the power of sport to bring people together. And let us dedicate ourselves to creating a better world by promoting sport in the Olympic spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play."
Toyota will support the entire Olympic Movement in the mobility category, which includes vehicles, mobility services and mobility solutions. It will provide sustainable mobility solutions for the Olympic Games to help with low-emission, safer, more efficient mobility, including intelligent transport systems, urban traffic systems and vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems.
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Toyota will also support the entire Olympic Movement through funding and a global promotional reach. Under the IOC’s management, the TOP Programme supports the National Olympic Committees and the Organising Committees, helping ensure that the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement are truly global. The IOC redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.
