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Yoshihiro Nitta (skier)

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Yoshihiro Nitta
Yoshihiro Nitta at the 2010 Winter Paralympics
Personal information
NationalityJapanese
Born (1980-06-08) June 8, 1980 (age 44)
Nishiawakura, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight66 kg (146 lb)
Websitewww.nitta-yoshihiro.com
Sport
Country Japan
SportCross-country skiing and Biathlon
Disability classLW6/8
Coached byHideki Arai
Medal record
Men's cross-country skiing
Representing  Japan
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver 1km sprint classic - standing
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver 10km classic style - standing
Gold medal – first place 2018 Pyeongchang 10km classic - standing
Silver medal – second place 2018 Pyeongchang 1.5km sprint classic - standing
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Salt Lake 5km classic style - LW5-9

Yoshihiro Nitta (新田佳浩, Nitta Yoshihiro, born 8 July 1980) is a Japanese Paralympic cross-country skier and biathlete.[1] He is regarded as one of the most experienced Japanese Paralympic competitors as he went onto represent Japan at the Paralympics in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.[2] Yoshihiro Nitta has clinched 4 medals in his Paralympic career including 2 gold medals at the 2010 Winter Paralympics.[3] He achieved his 4th Paralympic medal in his career and the first medal since the 2010 Winter Paralympics after claiming a silver medal in the men's 1.5km sprint classic standing cross-country skiing event during the 2018 Winter Paralympics.[4][5][6]

Biography

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As a child, his left arm was amputated at the age of 3 below the elbow after it was found evident that his left arm was caught in a combine harvest which was driven by his grandfather. He took the sport of skiing at the age of nine. He took the sport in the third grade of his elementary school. He graduated at the University of Tsukuba.[3]

Career

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Yoshihiro Nitta made his Paralympic debut for Japan during the 1998 Winter Paralympics but went medalless in his first Paralympic event. He clinched his first Paralympic medal which was a bronze medal in the men's 5km classic style event as a part of the 2002 Winter Paralympics. Yoshihiro made his reputation at the 2010 Winter Paralympics claiming 2 gold medals in the 1km sprint classic standing and 10km classic style events.[7][8]

Yoshihiro Nitta represented 2018 Winter Paralympics representing Japan, making it as his 6th consecutive Winter Paralympic event since making his debut in 1998.[9][10] He claimed his first Paralympic gold medal in 8 years by securing gold in the men's cross-country 10km classical skiing event during the 2018 Winter Paralympics taking 24 minutes and 6.8 seconds.[11][12]

He underwent a rehab after spraining his left ankle which he endured during a training session in August 2021. He insisted that he was inspired to train hard and prepare himself for 2022 Winter Paralympics after watching the passion of athletes through television who took part in 2020 Summer Paralympics amid the COVID-19 triggered bogged buildup for the competition.[13] He represented Japan at the 2022 Winter Paralympics which also remarkably marked his 7th consecutive Winter Paralympic event and he achieved it at the age of 41.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "NITTA Yoshihiro - Biographie". data.fis-ski.com. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. ^ "Nitta leads growing Japanese Nordic skiing team". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  3. ^ a b "Yoshihiro Nitta". m.paralympic.org. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  4. ^ "Paralympics: Nitta takes silver in standing cross-country sprint". Mainichi Daily News. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  5. ^ NEWS, KYODO. "Paralympics: Muraoka wins Japan's 1st gold, Nitta cross-country silver". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  6. ^ "Cross-Country Skiing | Results Men's 1.5km Sprint Classic Final, Standing - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  7. ^ "Yoshihiro Nitta - Cross-Country Skiing Athletes : Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympics". 2010-04-09. Archived from the original on 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  8. ^ "Nitta leads growing Japanese Nordic skiing team". www.paralympic.org. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  9. ^ "【Paralympics】 Official Uniforms for PyeongChang Revealed! One Design for Olympics and Paralympics…". www.parasapo.tokyo. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  10. ^ "Cross-Country Skiing | Athlete Profile: Yoshihiro NITTA - Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games". www.pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  11. ^ "Yoshihiro Nitta wins cross-country 10-km classical gold medal". The Japan Times. 2018-03-17. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  12. ^ "Yoshihiro Nitta Wins First Gold in Eight Years in Cross-Country Skiing / PyeongChang Paralympics…". www.parasapo.tokyo. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  13. ^ "Tackling Change Fearlessly: Cross-Country Skier Yoshihiro Nitta Heads to Seventh Paralympic Games…". www.parasapo.tokyo. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  14. ^ "Paralympics: Yoshihiro Nitta gunning for epic cross-country finish in 7th Games". Mainichi Daily News. 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
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