BY MASAKI MATSUMOTO
The Nagano Winter Olympic Games were held February 9-15, and the Japanese ski-jump team was very impressive wining the gold medal in an upset victory. Okabe, Saito, Harada and Funaki all made memorable jumps. Funaki especially played an active part in the normal- and the large-hill ski jump. He took the silver medal in the normal hill and the gold in the large hill. These Olympics had many different personal stories, but there was also one story which was not shown on TV.
Ryuji Takahashi, deaf since birth, overcame his disadvantage and was chosen as a test-jumper for the Olympics. Twenty-three years old and working for the Mito Dental Clinic in Chuo ward in Sapporo, he began ski jumping when he was in the 2nd year of primary school. His parents let him join a ski-jumping team hoping to enjoy good times with him. His balance in the air was bad because of his disability, but he has conquered his handicap by practicing in the summer using in-line skis. When he was in junior and senior high school, he took part in national competitions, and after he graduated from the school for the deaf in Otaru, he studied dentistry in the 3-year postgraduate course at the same school. After he completed his studies, he succeed in passing the national examination. After he began working, he continued ski jumping with his father, but the results have not improved since he started working full time, so he was worried that he would have to quit jumping. Then his father told him that since he has been ski jumping this long, he should stick it out a little more.
He was showered with attention when he won the victory at the STV Cup international ski jumping meet beating Takanobu Okabe, a former world champion already named to the Olympic squad. He leaped 118.5 meters to take the lead before nailing the day's longest jump of 130 meters in the second round for a winning total of 244.3 points. This result was highly rated and he was chosen as a test jumper for the Nagano Olympics. His dream was to join the Olympics as a jumper. His dream did not come true this time, but he was be able to participate in the Olympics as a test-jumper. He said, "People don't have much chance to watch my jumps, but I want to jump well every time." His father was also glad about that, saying "I have never ever thought that ski jumping is boring. He seems to love ski jumping very much and I do too."
He does not have as much time to practice as other players, and moreover, he does not have any colleagues to practice with, but he has continued ski jumping. After his victory in the STV Cup meet, an interviewer asked him about how he won the competition. He answered with humor, "I didn't know the other jumpers results because I can't hear the announcements. Therefore, I didn't feel any pressure."
It is a very difficult thing to keep on making an effort to achieve your dream when you have a handicap like Mr. Takahashi. Many handicapped people in the world were impressed with his strong will and excellent physical ability, and were greatly heartened watching or hearing about his efforts. By overcoming his handicap he encourages not only the handicapped but also all of us to be accepted for what we are in our life. He is a fine example for us to follow.
I hope he succeeds in becoming an Olympic team member in Salt Lake City.
