Gold-medal favourite Kobayashi Ryoyu promises "big jump"
Japan's ski jumping star was feeling confident after his first official training session at Beijing 2022.
Kobayashi Ryoyu is ready for his big Olympic moment, and he's not afraid to let the world know.
Looking to become Japan's first ski jumper to win gold since Kazuyoshi Funaki, who famously did so on home snow at Nagano 1998, 'Air Nippon' is hoping to bounce back after a disappointing showing - by his lofty standards - at PyeongChang 2018.
MORE: How to watch ski jumping at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022
Speaking with NHK after completing his first official training run at Beijing 2022, he said: "It's a difficult jumping platform where the wind isn't constant, so it's a difficult jumping platform, but I think it's interesting.
"I'm looking forward to what the competition will be like and what kind of performance I can show. I think it would be nice if I could show a big jump without hesitation, because I have a chance."
Kobayashi has been dominant ever since PyeongChang 2018 and he currently leads the World Cup standings.
But Kobayashi is well aware that, in order to become a global sports superstar, he has to make his mark at the Winter Olympics.
"The reality is nobody pays attention to you if you don’t win at the Olympics," he told Sportiva recently. "My first Olympics that I can remember is Vancouver 2010 where Simon Ammann dominated. I didn’t even know about the World Cup back then and I’m sure there are kids out there who are like that.
"Even the kids into ski jumping, they know the Olympics is a massive event but they don’t remember what happened.
"If a Japanese wins a medal, that will surely change. The future of ski jumping hands on a medal, which is why I want to win one - and I'm in a position where I can.
"It feels great to win at the World Cup but it must be even better to medal at the Games. I want to produce an incredible performance, an incredible jump and have a blast doing it."
Ryosuke KOBAYASHI
When to watch Kobayashi Ryoyu compete at Beijing 2022
The ski jumping programme begins on 5 February with the men's normal hill and ends on 14 February with the men's team competiton.
The men's normal hill individual qualification round on 5 February starts at 14:20 Beijing time. On Sunday 6 February the men's normal hill individual round 1 starts at 19:00 and the final medal round will begin at 20:00.
The men's large hill individual qualification round will take place on 11 February at 19:00, with the first round taking place the next day on 12 February at 19:00. The final medal round will start at 20:00.
Finally the men's team competition is on 14 February, with the first trail round starting at 18:00. The final medal round will start at 20:06.
Keep up with all the action in our Live Blog updates throughout Beijing 2022, here.