Nagano 15 February 1998, XVIII Olympic Winter Games. Ski jumping, 90m individual: Japanese athlete Kazuyoshi FUNAKI, 1st, in action. Credit: Getty Images/Hewitt MikeBorn: 27 April 1975
Birthplace: Hokkaido (Japan)
Nationality: Japan
Sport: Skiing
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Nagano 1998
Salt Lake City 2002
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 2
Silver: 1
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 1 (99)
Silver: 3 (97, 99, 03)
Jumping With Perfect Style
At 22 years of age, Kazuyoshi Funaki was the youngest member of the Japanese ski jump team in Nagano. He entered the 1998 Games under great pressure as a favourite performing in his own country. Funaki began his assault by winning the silver medal in the normal hill event. He was in fourth place after the first jump on the large hill, but his second jump was a spectacular 132.5m. More important, he earned perfect style points from all five judges - an unprecedented achievement - and won the gold medal. He then earned a second gold in the team event as a member of the victorious Japanese squad.
