Horigome, the ace skateboarder of Japan, is the champion of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which was held in his hometown Koto Ward. This year, he had a sluggish start in the qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Games, but it did not take long for him to make his presence felt, as he bagged two gold medals at the X Games California in July. One month later, he won the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) Tokyo, the first time the series landed in Japan. Recently, he displayed a new trick dubbed “Yutornado,” which involves a rail slide on the back side of his board with 270-degree spins on both mount and dismount. The ever-evolving skateboarder seeks his second consecutive gold at the Paris Games as he turns 25. He belongs to MIXI.
After enjoying snowboarding, Oda hopped on a skateboard at 7. She narrowly missed the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but this year she has kept a stable performance at the qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Games, finishing 2nd once and 3rd twice. Oda has strong ankles that enable her to make tricks involving vertical rotation of the board. At a Street League Skateboarding (SLS) event last year, Oda garnered attention after nailing a big trick, kickflip front feeble grind. The female skateboarder belongs to Sanrio and loves its renowned character, Pochacco. As of Oct. 31, she was third in the Olympic world rankings.
Shirai is known for his unique performances, using tricks such as alley-oop and his original “Sora grind.” He developed his career steadily, finishing 3rd at the X Games Minneapolis in 2019 and 9th at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. This year, Shirai placed 2nd in the third qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Games. As of Oct. 31, he was fifth in the world Olympic rankings, the highest among Japanese male skateboarders. Shirai conducts his activities based in a skatepark in Samukawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, a facility in which he took part in designing. He belongs to Murasaki Sports.
Akama started skateboarding at 7. Her talent blossomed early, winning the Japan Championships five years later. This year, she notched back-to-back podium finishes at the X Games, finishing 3rd in Chiba and 2nd in California. She won the first qualifying event for the Paris Olympics, placing fourth in the Olympic world rankings as of Oct. 31. Currently, tricks that only spin the board is mainstream among skateboarders, but Akama utilizes tricks that spin her body along with the board, which is rare among female boarders. Her favorite tricks include Barley grind and 270 boardslide. Based in Sendai, northeast Japan, the third-year middle school student loves eating plain white rice.
Japanese Skater
根附 海龍
Kairi NETSUKE
東京五輪後に現れた成長著しい次代のスター候補。
7歳で競技を始め東京大会代表の青木勇貴斗と技を磨いた。
2019年にアマチュア最高峰のタンパアマを制覇し注目を集める。
今年はパリ五輪予選第4戦で4位、世界最高峰ツアー・ストリートリーグ(SLS)のシドニー大会では初めて決勝に進み6位と躍進した。
オリンピック世界ランキングは15位。ヒールフリップ系のトリックを得意にする。
トレードマークの金髪は、似ていると言われる堀米雄斗と海外の大会などで間違われないようにするためにという目的もある。
DC Shoes所属。静岡県島田市出身。
A star candidate who has emerged rapidly after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Netsuke started skateboarding at 7. The up-and-comer has honed his skills with Yukito Aoki, a Japan member at the Tokyo Games. Netsuke received spotlight in 2019 by winning the Tampa Am, a top amateur competition. This year, he finished 4th at the fourth qualifying competition for the 2024 Paris Games. Then he advanced to the finals of the Street League Skateboarding (SLS) for the first time, finishing sixth at the Sydney event of the top international series. Netsuke excels at heelflip-based tricks. As of Oct. 31, he placed 15th in the Olympic world rankings. His blond bleached hair, now his trademark, is aimed at distinguishing himself from Yuto Horigome at international tournaments. Native of Shimada, Shizuoka Prefecture, Netsuke belongs to DC Shoes.
Nishiya, who became Japan’s youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Games at age 13, enjoys a bright outlook for winning back-to-back titles at the Paris Games, as she sits atop the world rankings for the Olympic qualifier as of Oct. 31. Nishiya’s forte lies in her horizontal spins. The teenager has won an X Games event before, but her best record at the World championships is 2nd, so she is eager to claim her first world title in Tokyo. Nishiya’s credo is to enjoy skating with a smile from start to finish. She has put a sticker of “Hello Kitty,” a character of Sanrio in which she belongs to.
Huston is known for his illustrious career, bagging the Super Crown title of the prestigious Street League Skateboarding (SLS) series four times and winning 13 gold medals at the X Games. The skateboarding superstar has more than 5 million followers on Instagram. Huston is eager to vindicate his 7th-place finish at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and so far, he is in a good position to achieve it ― he has taken part in three qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics and won all of them. The American skateboarder is engaged in a wide range of activities, including launching his original brand “Disorder Skateboards” in 2021. He hails from California and has a Japanese grandmother.
A prospect who has emerged from Australia after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Covell finished 2nd at the X Games Chiba at age 12 last year. The teenager has built up momentum in 2023, bagging the gold medal at the X Games California and achieving back-to-back victories in Tokyo and Sydney at the prestigious Street League Skateboarding (SLS) tour. She usually skates in the regular stance, which places her left foot front, but can utilize the opposite switch stance at a high level. She was 2nd at the second and third events of the Paris Olympics qualifier, placing fifth in the Olympic world rankings as of Oct. 31.
It was age 7 when Leal went viral on SNS, as she executed a heelflip wearing a lovely costume with wings in a video clip. It helped her win popularity in Brazil in the nickname of “fairy.” The teen prodigy finished 2nd at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics at age 13, trailing her same-age rival Momiji Nishiya of Japan. This year, Leal won the World championships in February and the X Games Chiba in May, placing second in the Olympics world rankings. In an interview with the official Olympics site, she revealed that the help of a psychologist has played a key role in her development after the Tokyo Games.