Noriaki Kasai says it plainly: thoughts of retirement amid push for a ninth Olympics

Japanese ski jumping icon Noriaki Kasai, who debuted in the World Cup on 17 December 1988, says he is still pursuing an appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. Now 53, Kasai told Japan’s Aktio Note that although he is not in his best form, he “feels he can still fly quite well” and is training hard to reach peak condition.

Kasai acknowledged that qualifying for the Olympics will be extremely difficult. He is currently not part of Japan’s World Cup travel squad and is limited to lower-tier events. He stated that to have any realistic chance of making the Olympic team, he needs to compete on the World Cup circuit.

Reflecting on the disappointment of missing the Beijing 2022 Games, Kasai admitted his motivation dipped and he even considered retirement. “Various thoughts were going through my head, even that I might have to retire, but in the end I believed in myself again. I thought: I can still make long jumps,” he said.

His immediate plan is to compete in the Continental Cup to fight for World Cup starts. In his view, earning a start at the Sapporo World Cup in January would open a pathway toward Olympic selection.

Kasai’s pursuit continues nearly 37 years after his World Cup debut, underscoring his longevity and determination to extend one of the most remarkable careers in ski jumping history.