Beijing Winter Olympics: 10 sets of Japanese siblings chase glory and gold at Games

The Tomitas and the Takagis are among the 124-strong contingent facing the unique challenge of having both national and family pride on the line

‘I’m really happy to compete in the Olympics with my sister, but she’s just another competitor I want to beat,’ says half-pipe snowboarder Ruki Tomita

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Japanese half-pipe snowboarders Ruki Tomita (left) and Sena Tomita. File photo: Getty Images/AFP

Published: 3:31pm, 4 Feb 2022Updated: 3:56pm, 4 Feb 2022

The 10 sets of siblings representing Japan at the Beijing Winter Olympics will use their family links to bring out the best in each other, with some tapping into long-standing rivalries while others work together for a common goal.

At the Tokyo Games, there were 11 sets of Japanese siblings, but also a much larger team of 583 total athletes. This time the percentage is higher, with one-sixth of the team made up of siblings.

Of the 124 athletes on Japan’s Winter Games team, 20 are competing with or against their brother or sister and all are facing the unique challenge of having both national and family pride on the line.

“I’m really happy to compete in the Olympics with my sister,” half-pipe snowboarder and medal hope Ruki Tomita said in an online press conference held ahead of the Games. “But we’re rivals competing on the same stage and she’s just another competitor I want to beat.”

It’s a valuable experience to compete at the Olympics as brothers

Ayumu Hirano, snowboarder

With Ruki and Sena Tomita both eyeing a medal in the half-pipe, the Niigata prefecture-born sisters could find themselves standing in the way of each other’s Olympic dream.

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