Milano Cortina 2026: Japan’s Ayumu Hirano Advances to Halfpipe Final Despite Injury Last Month, Promises to ‘Show Everything He Worked For’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, February 12, 2026

MILAN — Ayumu Hirano finished seventh in the men’s snowboard halfpipe qualifiers on Wednesday, the sixth day of the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, securing a spot among the top 12 riders advancing to the final.

The 27-year-old Hirano, who is seeking his second consecutive Olympic title, posted a score of 85.50.

Japan dominated the qualifying session, sending all four of its athletes through to the final.

Yuto Totsuka, 24, secured second place, while Ryusei Yamada, 19, and Ruka Hirano, 23, followed closely in third and fifth, respectively.

Meanwhile, in the women’s moguls final, Hinako Tomitaka, 25, took fourth place in the second round with 78.00 points. A tiebreak on turn scores kept her off the podium after she finished level on points with the third-place athlete.

Hirano back on stage

The injured defending champion returned to the Olympic stage through sheer force of will. As Hirano began his first run, a roar that was part gasp and part cheer erupted from the spectators at the venue.

He delivered a graceful performance, successfully landing tricks that included two vertical and four horizontal rotations. “Considering the extent of my injury, I’d say I skied fairly well,” Hirano said, looking back on his run with the occasional smile.

On Jan. 17, Hirano slammed his face and knee into the snow after a botched landing at a World Cup event. “It’s over,” he thought. The diagnosis was a fractured ilium, one of the bones that form the pelvis.

The injury was severe enough to leave Hirano reliant on a wheelchair and crutches initially. Nevertheless, he made the trip to Italy with a single-minded focus, saying, “If there’s even a 1% chance I can return, I want to compete.”

With his physical condition far from ideal, he had no choice but to lower the technical difficulty of his tricks.

He lost his balance at one point during his second run. “It wasn’t the performance I wanted to give, but since it was based on the pain I’m in, it couldn’t be helped,” he said.

Hirano leaned on his experience to overcome the injury and guarantee his place in the medal round. With his usual composure, he reflected on his mindset: “I hope to show everything I’ve worked for. I’ll just keep it simple and do what needs to be done, without any regrets.” With his sights firmly set, he moves on to the final.