Masahiko Harada

A two time World Champion (1993, 1997), Masahiko Harada is best remembered for his performances in team competitions at the 1994 and 1998 Olympics. At Lillehammer, the Japanese team was leading the competition with just one jump to go. Harada, the team’s best jumper, only needed a sub-par jump to grab the gold. Having jumped 122.0 m in the first round, he landed after only 97.5 m, and Japan moved down to second place. Four years later, competing before a home crowd at Nagano, Harada again flunked in his first attempt, dragging his team down from first to fourth place. But he redeemed himself in the second round with a massive 137 m jump, enough for the gold, Japan’s first in the sport since 1972. Masahiko Harada continued his career until 2006, although he spent his last years on the minor Continental and Grand Prix circuit. He retired after his last Olympic appearance ended during qualification, and became a trainer for the factory team he represented throughout his career, Snow Brand Milk.