Snow, smiles and show! Japan wins first gold medal of Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games

Under heavy snowfall at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Japanese cross-country skiers Ryo Hirose and Rin Sobue won the mixed team sprint classic today, securing the first gold medal of the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games.

American athletes Finn Sweet and Renae Anderson opened Team USA’s medal count with an impressive silver at the end of an intense battle with bronze medallist Norway.

“We could not be happier,” said Sobue, whose words really set the tone of the intense joy from the Japanese team.

The skiers from Waseda University controlled the sprint final from beginning to end, never letting a chance to their competitors. With the n°1 seed bib on their backs, Hirose and Sobue met the expectations put on their shoulders, finishing with a near 10-second lead over the USA. After finishing fourth in their semi-final, the Japanese favorites stood up during the final, using the experience they gained from their participation at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games.

The nippon team singularly took advantage of the intense weather conditions and the falling snow during the final, which made the tracks slower and the race even more tense than during the semi-finals.

“It’s very similar to what we know in Japan,” Sobue explained with a large smile on her face after the race.

But the surprise of this event came from Team USA’s second pair, which also managed to step up in these tough conditions as local fans were incredibly excited to see the American duo get the silver medal at the first event of these home Games.

“Our mindsets were in the right place for toughness,” said Anderson, a Bowdoin College senior, after an impressive finish that allowed her team to edge the Norwegian squad.

Cheering crowds also witnessed a glimpse of the fast-changing weather conditions in Lake Placid, from rain in the early morning to intense snow for the final.

This has been acknowledged as a critical topic by the Organizing Committee, as the Save Winter FISU World Conference takes place over the next three days while athletes are competing.

The Japanese team hopes these conditions will continue to help them, as they were not afraid to express their ambitions after the mascot ceremony.

“We want to win five medals in all five races,” they said jointly.

Written by Louis Gilles, FISU Young Reporter