Shocking: 12 Japanese Athletes Excluded from Paris Olympics Team【※Reasons for Exclusion】

The 12 Japanese athletes who failed to make the Paris 2024 Olympic team have remarkable stories. From heartbreaking injuries to intense competition, their journeys showcase the dedication and resilience required to reach the pinnacle of their sports. Despite the disappointment, these athletes’ perseverance and passion for their crafts remain an inspiration to aspiring Olympians worldwide. Here are the headings and detailed text in English based on the provided Japanese text:

Volleyball Player Tomohiro Ogawa

Tomohiro Ogawa, a 27-year-old volleyball player from Yokohama, Kanagawa, started playing volleyball in 3rd grade influenced by his older sister. He attended local elementary and middle schools, and then went to Kawasaki Municipal Tachibana High School, a renowned volleyball school. Although he could not participate in the Spring High School Volleyball Tournament during high school, he was selected for the Japan Junior All-Star team as a libero in his second year. In his third year, he switched to the setter position. After graduating high school, he was scouted by Meiji University and became their starting libero from his second year. In his fourth year, he was selected for the university national team and won the Best Libero award at the Asian Cup. After graduating, he joined the V.League team Wolfdogs Nagoya, where he established himself as a regular libero, winning the Serve Reception Award and Best Libero Award. He has been selected for the Japan national team since 2021 and has continued to be named the Best Libero. However, he was not selected for the Paris Olympics, as the national team could only bring one libero, and Yamamoto was chosen over him due to his more stable performance and experience.

Golfer Shiho Nishioka

Shiho Nishioka, a 25-year-old professional golfer from Okayama, Okayama, started playing golf in 2nd grade, while also playing softball. She excelled in junior golf tournaments in middle and high school, winning the Okayama Junior Golf Championship three times in a row. After graduating high school, she turned professional in 2017 and won her first professional tournament, the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup, in 2019 at the age of 20 years and 178 days, becoming the youngest winner in the tournament’s history. She went on to win two more LPGA Tour events that year. However, she narrowly missed qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics and was also unable to earn a spot in the Paris Olympics after finishing 5th at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open.

Footballer Takefusa Kubo

Takefusa Kubo, a 23-year-old footballer from Kawasaki, Kanagawa, started playing soccer at the age of 2 when his father bought him a soccer ball. He joined a local soccer club in 3rd grade and was scouted by Barcelona’s youth academy at the age of 10, moving to Spain with his mother and brother. He excelled in Barcelona’s youth teams, winning tournaments and leagues. However, at the age of 13, Barcelona was found to be in violation of FIFA’s regulations on the registration of foreign players under 18, and Kubo had to return to Japan. He joined the youth team of FC Tokyo, making his J3 debut as a 17-year-old and later playing in the J1 League. In 2019, he signed with Real Madrid but was unable to play in official matches due to the club’s full EU quota. He was then loaned to Mallorca, Villarreal, and Real Sociedad, where he has established himself as an important player for the team. Despite his success, Kubo was not selected for the Paris Olympics, as his club, Real Sociedad, did not release him due to FIFA rules and concerns over his significant transfer fee.

Skateboarder Momiji Nishiya

Momiji Nishiya, a 16-year-old skateboarder from Matsubara, Osaka, started skateboarding at the age of 6, influenced by her older brother. She quickly progressed, being able to perform advanced tricks within 3 years. In 2019, at the age of 11, she won a silver medal at the X Games in Minneapolis, becoming the youngest medalist in the event’s history. She continued to excel, winning a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships. At the Tokyo Olympics, she qualified for the final and was in medal position after three runs, but unfortunately made mistakes in her final two runs and finished 15th, missing out on the Paris Olympics.

Athlete Yusuke Nishiyama

Yusuke Nishiyama, a 29-year-old athlete from Matsusaka, Mie, started out as a soccer player in elementary school, but switched to track and field when his middle school did not have a soccer club. He excelled in high school, participating in the National High School Ekiden Championships three years in a row. After graduating from Komazawa University, he joined Toyota and had success in corporate ekiden races, winning individual stage awards. He qualified for the Paris Olympics by finishing as the top Japanese runner in the 2024 Tokyo Marathon, but unfortunately fell during the race and was unable to achieve the standard time, though he still finished as the top Japanese. Devastated by missing the Olympics, Nishiyama was emotional at the finish line, expressing his strong desire to compete in the Games.

Table Tennis Player Mima Ito

Mima Ito, a 23-year-old table tennis player from Shizuoka, started playing table tennis at the age of 2. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest ever winner of the All Japan Championships in 2011 at the age of 10. She continued to achieve remarkable success, winning world tour events and becoming the youngest player to win a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics as part of the women’s team. However, despite her impressive resume, Ito was not selected for the Paris Olympics team, with the selectors choosing three other players over her. Ito expressed understanding for the decision, but was disappointed to miss out on the Olympics.

Basketball Player Rui Hachimura

Rui Hachimura, a 23-year-old basketball player from Kawasaki, Kanagawa, started playing basketball at the age of 2 when his father bought him a basketball. He excelled from a young age, being selected for the Japan U-16 national team and later joining the youth academy of FC Tokyo. After making his professional debut in the J3 League, Hachimura was selected for the Japan national team at the age of 17. He then signed with Real Madrid in 2019 but was unable to play in official matches due to the club’s full EU quota. He was subsequently loaned to Majorca, Villarreal, and Real Sociedad, where he has established himself as an important player. However, Hachimura was not selected for the Paris Olympics, as his club, Real Sociedad, did not release him due to FIFA rules and concerns over his significant transfer fee.

Basketball Player Saki Hayashi

Saki Hayashi, a 22-year-old basketball player from Aichi, started playing basketball in 3rd grade and joined a local club team. She excelled in middle school, winning the U15 Japan Club Basketball Games. In high school, she attended Aichi Gakuin High School, where she was a key player and team captain. After graduating, she joined the Toyota Antelopes in 2020 and has since become a regular player, helping the team win the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Hayashi was selected for the Japan national team and was expected to compete in the Paris Olympics, but was ultimately not chosen for the final roster.

Q&A: Shocking: 12 Japanese Athletes Missed 2024 Paris Olympics

Here are the Q&A based on the English translation of the given text:

Q: What was the reason for small Ogawa’s failure to make the Paris Olympics team?

A: The final decision came down to Ogawa’s defense against powerful opponents, which was slightly inferior to that of Yamamoto, the other libero candidate.

Q: How did Shibuno perform in her attempt to qualify for the Paris Olympics?

A: Shibuno finished 5th at the final qualifying event, the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, just missing out on the Paris Olympics spot.

Q: What challenges did Kubo face in his bid for the Paris Olympics?

A: Kubo was unable to participate in the Paris Olympics due to opposition from his club team, Real Sociedad, as well as concerns over his large transfer fee.

Q: How did Nishiyama perform at the Tokyo Olympics and what happened in her bid for the Paris Olympics?

A: Nishiyama won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics as the inaugural skateboarding champion. However, she unexpectedly failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics after a poor performance in the qualifying event.

Q: What was the reason for Nishiyama’s failure to qualify for the Paris Olympics?

A: Nishiyama made mistakes in the skateboarding street event qualifying round for the Paris Olympics, finishing in 15th place and missing out on the Olympics.

Q: How did Nishiyama react to missing out on the Paris Olympics?

A: Nishiyama broke down in tears immediately after her failure to qualify, but later posted on Instagram that she would become stronger and hoped for continued support.

Q: What challenges did Nishiyama face in her bid for the Paris Olympics?

A: Despite being the reigning Olympic champion, the 16-year-old Nishiyama unexpectedly failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics after a poor performance in the qualifying event.

Video: [Title: Shocking! 12 Japanese Athletes Excluded from the Paris Olympics [*Reasons for Exclusion]