Japanese ski-jumper Sara Takanashi vowed Thursday to retain her overall World Cup title, compensating for her failure to win a medal at the Winter Olympics despite being the red-hot favourite.
“As I ended up with a disappointing result at the Sochi Olympics, I want to go for the overall World Cup title and get it,” the 17-year-old schoolgirl said before leaving for Romania, where the World Cup series resumes this weekend at Rasnov after the Olympic break.
Takanashi has won 10 out of 13 World Cup events contested this season, but finished only fourth in the inaugural women’s Olympic ski-jumping contest.
Germany’s Carina Vogt lifted the historic gold medal, with Austrian favourite and 2011 world champion Daniela Iraschko-Stolz second. France’s Coline Mattel took the bronze.
“After the Olympics, I have received kind words from so many people. I thought this gives me a reason to work hard,” Takanashi told reporters at Tokyo’s Narita airport.
“I will have to toughen my mental aspect, let alone my technical aspect, more and more toward the (2018) Pyeongchang Olympics.”
Takanashi is way ahead in the 2013-2014 World Cup series with 1,220 points and six events left in the season.
Vogt trails 459 points behind on 761 and Iraschko-Stolz is in third spot with 682 points.
If Takanashi’s lead extends to more than 500 points, she is assured of the season’s title. The winner of each event is awarded 100 points with lower finishers getting fewer.
Iraschko-Stolz, 30, underwent surgery after injuring her left knee in training on Monday. She is seen as unlikely to compete in the remaining World Cup events.
In both her jumps in Sochi, Takanashi was dogged by tail winds while her landings were mediocre, costing her points for style.