Mother’s passion inspired daughter’s love for skiing

Shima Kawaoka and Marin Ito, both from Japan, respectively secured gold and bronze medals on Wednesday, 15 January at the freestyle skiing dual moguls events of the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games held in Bardonecchia.

Shima, the men’s gold medallist, hails from Sapporo, Hokkaido – a world-renowned skiing destination that has hosted numerous international winter sports competitions. Carrying the hopes of Hokkaido’s snowy peaks, Shima achieved his dream of victory on the slopes of Piedmont.

Even though Ito is also from the Land of the Rising Sun, her situation is quite the opposite.

Coming from a snowless town

Just 20 years old, Ito has already made a name for herself as an aspiring skier, but her story begins not with snow-covered slopes, but in her hometown of Shizuoka – a place that rarely sees snow.

“I come from Shizuoka, and there’s no snow there,” Marin Ito shared with a laugh. “So, I had to go to Nagano to practice every day.” Despite the challenges posed by her environment, Ito’s determination and dedication shine through. What inspired this journey? The answer is simple: her mother.

Like mother, like daughter

“My mother used to snowboard cross. She was a little bit of an athlete herself,” Marin Ito explained. Whenever the snow season arrived, her mother would take her to other parts of Japan to ski.

“She would take me to the slopes, and I would watch her. But I didn’t like snowboarding – I liked skiing.” Her mom’s passion built the foundation, but Ito found her own path to the slopes, choosing skis over a snowboard and blazing her own trail.

Top student from Waseda University

It’s worth mentioning that Ito is a sports science student at Waseda University in Tokyo. Waseda is one of the most prestigious and respected universities in Asia. So, how does she manage to balance her academic life with her athletic career?

“I practice skiing, then I study, then I do my university homework,” Ito shared. Handling her life as both student and athlete has been no small feat. Her days are long, but she credits her parents’ unwavering support and endless love for helping her succeed.

“My parents drive me to ski resorts and support me every step of the way,” Ito said. “They’ve always been there for me, and I’m really grateful for them.”

Looking ahead, Ito has her sights set on even bigger goals. “My next goal is the Olympics,” she revealed. With the 2026 Winter Games in Milano-Cortina on the horizon, she’s ready to take her dreams to the next level.

Whether she’s on the snow or in the classroom, Ito is a testament to hard work and perseverance – and a reminder of how a mother’s love for a sport can inspire the next generation.

A duo from Kazakhstan claimed both gold and silver in the women’s event. Anastassiya Gorodko came ahead of her teammate Ayaulym Amrenova. On the men’s side, Anton Bondarev – also from Kazakhstan – finished second while Jackson Crockett from the United States earned bronze.

Freestyle and freeski events continue on Friday, 17 January with the slopestyle competition.

The take place from 13-23 January. Watch all the competitions live on . Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Boyi Yang, FISU Young Reporter, China

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

We warmly thank FISU Official Partner Qiaodan Ltd. which provides remarkable uniforms to FISU Family and International Technical Officials since 2015. Qiaodan is a valuable partner for FISU as it continued to provide its support during the postponement of events due to the global pandemic, and recently extended the relationship with FISU up to and including 2025.