On the 20th, Nippon Life Insurance Company held a Team Nissei report meeting at their Marunouchi building in Tokyo, featuring athletes who participated in the Paris Olympics. Among those in attendance were table tennis player Hina Hayata, track and field athlete Yoshihide Kiryu, and judo sisters Krista and Kelly Deguchi.
More than 300 employees attended the briefing at Nippon Life Insurance Company’s Marunouchi building, where four athletes who participated in the Paris Olympics shared their experiences. Hina Hayata, who made her Olympic debut, won a bronze medal in women’s table tennis singles and a silver medal in the team competition, despite an injury to her left arm. Reflecting on her journey, Hayata expressed, “Participating in the Olympics in the 20th year since I began playing table tennis at the age of 4 was incredibly meaningful. Even though I was injured during the singles quarterfinals, just being on the court brought tears to my eyes. Although I didn’t win, I’m proud I could play until the end. This medal is the result of everyone’s support during my treatment. I’m determined to push myself further to win the gold medal.”
After returning to Japan, Hayata remained in Tokyo to receive treatment for her injury, all while maintaining her training regimen. “I get weak if I don’t play. I’m the type who loses muscle quickly. After a week off, I felt weak, but my trainer’s rigorous training has caused muscle pain all over my body,” she added with a smile.
Yoshihide Kiryu, who competed in his third consecutive Olympics, finished fifth in the 4x100m relay with a time of 37.78 seconds. Although he didn’t secure a medal for the first time in two tournaments, Kiryu was proud to have passed the baton to anchor Hiroki Kamiyama, running a section time of 9.16 seconds, the second-fastest in the race. Despite not participating individually, Kiryu was proud to represent Japan. With humor, he acknowledged the busy schedules of Hayata and Krista Deguchi, saying, “I didn’t win a medal, so I had more time,” which elicited laughter from the audience. Kiryu expressed his gratitude to the staff and stated, “Whenever I see the Nippon Life banner, I feel supported. I want to make everyone happy with my running again. It’s not easy, but I’m determined to try again, both in the relay and in the 100 meters.”
Krista Deguchi, representing Canada, won a gold medal in the women’s 57kg judo class. Raised in Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture, by a Canadian father and a Japanese mother, she attended Yamanashi Gakuin University and became a top judoka in Japan. In 2017, she adopted Canadian citizenship and made history as Canada’s first-ever Olympic judo gold medalist. Krista expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for your support. Although the match itself was challenging, I felt your cheers during the tough moments of extra time. The three years since the Tokyo Olympics have been long, but I’m confident I won this medal because of your support. Thank you very much.”
Her sister, Kelly Deguchi, also represented Canada in the women’s 52kg judo class. Although she lost to Abe Uta in the first round, Kelly reflected, “There were more difficult times and more frustrations than joys. But everyone’s support helped me do my best during those tough times. Although I didn’t win a medal, I’ll continue to work hard and enjoy the process.”
