Tsutomu Sekido

Tsutomu Sekido’s first achievements came in 1933 while attending the Otaru Commercial School. He won the boys’ division in the Nordic combined and the crosscountry 18 km of the All Japan Ski Championships. After graduating, Sekido joined the Sapporo Railroad Administration Bureau. At the 1935 national championships, he placed second in both the Nordic combined and crosscountry 17 km, which earned him a place in the Japanese team for the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Sekido competed in Nordic combined, cross country skiing and alpine skiing, which was contested for the first time at the Winter Olympics. Later, he focused on cross country skiing, winning his only national title in the 50 km cross country at the 1939 All Japan Ski Championships. He escaped the service in World War II after having been graded to the notorious “Class A” in the physical examination.

After retiring, Sekido managed the Japanese ski team at the 1976 Winter Olympics, and also served as director of the Ski Association of Japan and a vice chairman of the Hokkaido Ski Association. His younger brother Suehiro was also a cross country skier and became a ski and track and field coach.