Hirano Ayumu: I want to accomplish more than Shaun White

Hirano Ayumu is alone in so many ways.

For starters, the versatile Japanese snowboarder and skateboarder is the only athlete that competed in all three of the consecutive Olympic Games in East Asia between 2018 and 2022.

On the snow, he landed the first triple cork in halfpipe competition history in 2021.

At Beijing 2022, the 23-year-old became the first Japanese athlete in history to win snowboard Olympic gold, and also the first athlete of his nation to win medals at three straight Winter Games.

While all of these successes were accompanied with fame and adulation, his path to the top was a lonely one.

Hirano is prone to overthinking and over training, such is his dedication to perfection.

In a candid interview with Olympics.com, the three-time Olympic medallist reveals how he develops his unique style of snowboarding tricks, the mindset he employs to stay ahead of competition, and why he never compares himself to Shaun White.

READ: Hirano Ayumu: Skateboard technique was secret "weapon" on journey to halfpipe gold

Olympic Channel: How did it feel to win your first Olympic gold medal at Beijing 2022?

Hirano Ayumu: I competed in skateboarding at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, so I only had six months to get the points and qualify for the (Beijing 2022) Olympics, and to prepare for the snowboard event. I kept pushing myself to the limits. It was a difficult time that I had never experienced before.

After the disappointment of the two silver medals (at Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2019), I am now satisfied and have achieved what I wanted to do. I feel differently (from the past) and still haven't got used to it. It's a bit weird. The gold medal has always been my goal, and I have fulfilled my childhood dream.

OC: Could you explain more about the dream?

HA: I held on to the dream for a long time. I think some people’s dreams may change as they grow older, realising that their childhood dreams are not achievable. However in my case, I didn’t want to give up on my childhood dream. I've never forgotten these feelings as a child and wanted to fulfil my dreams. It was challenging, but finally I was able to fulfil my dream.

OC: What techniques do you use to stay composed and focused during competition?

HA: In daily life, I don't read books and rarely watch clips of other people (to get inspired). I want to execute things without looking at other people. I want to concentrate on my own style - something that only I have. To do that, I do body stretching, body care and training. For example, I look for different body stretches that everyone isn't doing, and sometimes I do four of five hours, when 30 minutes would have been enough. My style applies to everything, and probably this affects practices and competitions.

I tried not to think about things too much. If I start thinking, I will overthink, and pressure and nervousness could develop. So, I listened to music to relax.

OC: You once said  'To prepare for the Olympics, there are times when you need to be alone, and you need to face things you don't want to do'. Please share with us what you thought when you were alone and what things you didn't want to do?

The whole practice of being in an elite snowboarder is a solitary process. We are in a world where we put ourselves in danger, and only one person can be at the top, not two. The level of tricks is getting higher and higher, and tricks like the triple cork, which people used to say could be fatal (if you make a mistake), are now possible.

The people who started out (attempting high level tricks) were really risking their lives and fighting their fears. Now the level has reached near the limit (of our ability), it's hard to have fun when you're facing that. When I practise and I feel fear, I think to myself 'I don't really want to do that' - and then all sorts of emotions come out. But I know it has to be done, or I won’t achieve my goal of being the best at what I do.

 (To stay at the top) You have to accept loneliness. I think probably the individuals with that sort of mindset become winners.

OC: How much responsibility do you feel to be the new ambassador of the sport after Shaun White's retirement?

HA: I don't feel (the responsibility). I know a lot of people think so, but I try not to be influenced by that. People expect me to be, but I want to be myself. I want to accomplish more than Shaun.

If I don’t have my own goals and my own style then I'll be compared to Shaun and keep competing against him in some way  – I don’t like that. While I respect him the way he challenges himself, I want to be different from him.

OC: Will you compete in skateboarding at Paris 2024?

HA: Skateboarding has a larger population than snowboard, and it's one of the sports that are going to emerge more and more. Because it's just started, everyone is practising tremendously now for the Olympics, both kids and adults. While I've been aiming for the Olympics in snowboard for the last six months, everyone has moved forward and the level in skateboarding has gone up.

It's not an easy decision and in fact it's not an easy thing to do, so I'm considering a lot. I want to continue to challenge myself in various things. I might do it if I suddenly feel motivated to do it (laughs). Or I might not do it, I don't know yet.