Legend Noriaki Kasai Just Misses Out on World Cup Team

Noriaki Kasai, even at 52 years old, is still passionate about ski jumping. At the Japanese Championships held at the Hakuba ski jump, he shocked much younger competitors with jumps of 136.5 and 131.5 meters. While his performance earned him a commendable fourth place, it was not enough to secure a spot in the World Cup team. Kasai expressed his disappointment, saying, "I really wanted to compete in the World Cup, but I can't change that." Nevertheless, he remains enthusiastic about continuing his career and expressed his hopes of improving as he prepares for the World Championships and the Olympics. He has been competing since December 1988 and had his last individual World Cup victory at the age of 42 in November 2014, showing that his spirit remains undiminished. Kasai's statement highlights his intent to keep giving his best in every competition, especially in the Continental Cup, as he aims to fulfill his Olympic dreams once more.