15歳でU18の日本代表に カヌーで世界の頂点めざす高校生 花岡ゆらら選手【佐賀県】 (24/07/16 18:19)

We're continuing our series on Kachi Sports. This time, we're looking at canoeing, known as the "F1 of the water." At just 15 years old, a high school student from Kanzaki City was selected to represent Japan under 18. She once experienced such setbacks that she almost gave up on the sport, but now, with the support of those around her, she's made great strides. She simply keeps paddling faster and harder, heading toward the goal floating on the water's surface... Her goal is to reach the top of Japan and the world! [Yurara Hanaoka] "I want to become an athlete who excels in the World Cup and the Olympics." The Kanzaki High School Canoe Club is a powerhouse, placing highly in the Inter-High School Championships and the National Sports Festival every year. This spring, the new heroine of Japan's under 18 canoeing team, 15-year-old Yurara Hanaoka, knocked on the door of this prestigious canoeing school. [Hanaoka Yurara] "The older guys looked like they were having fun paddling, and even though I hate water, I thought it looked fun." Hanaoka discovered canoeing at the age of 7 in her hometown of Fukuoka Prefecture. She started out of curiosity because it happened to be held at a nearby pond, but her natural athletic ability led her to rapidly improve and by the time she was in the fourth grade of elementary school, she had reached the top of the national competition. She entered her first national competition in junior high school with absolute confidence. The result was... an unexpected defeat in the preliminaries. Hanaoka Yurara] "I couldn't even make it to the finals, which was a shock, and not being able to win was so painful that I quit." But then she decided, "I can't just quit," and drove over an hour from her home to the Chikugo River, where she spent her days canoeing alone. [Yurara Hanaoka] "I realized how lonely it is to have no one to compete against." Hanaoka, who continued practicing alone even after retiring from competitive sports, was approached by her mentor, Coach Sonoda. [Kanzaki High School Canoe Club Coach Sonoda Satoshi] "She seemed lonely, so I thought, 'Let's practice together as canoeists.'" Hanaoka became a member of Coach Sonoda's junior club. Hanaoka's technical instruction led to dramatic improvement, resulting in a runner-up finish at the national championships the following year. She placed 17th at last year's world championships. And this year, at just 15 years old and still a junior, she was selected to represent Japan under 18. She was on a roll at the Prefectural High School Championships in May, beating out her seniors and winning despite being a first-year student. She earned a spot in the Inter-High School Championships and a spot at the National Sports Festival. [Yurara Hanaoka] "I'm overjoyed to have earned the right to compete in the Inter-High School Championships." Measuring Hanaoka's strength with an ergometer, a machine used for training during the winter off-season, her paddle rotation speed, or "number of rotations," was 135 per 100 meters. [Kanzaki High School Canoe Club Coach Sonoda Satoshi] "Her greatest strength is her fast sprint speed, which gives her a maximum wattage of 314. She's competing with the male athletes." But if a reporter who boasts of her muscles were to try it under the same conditions with all her might... She would be far inferior to Hanaoka in all the numbers and suffer a crushing defeat. Her "ability to grasp water," developed through experience since childhood. Her "number of rotations," acquired by practicing 20 kilometers every day, is her weapon. Q Hori: "Are you confident?" [Hanaoka Yurara] "Yes, I have a lot." [Kanzaki High School Canoe Club Coach Sonoda Satoshi] "Her large outer muscles are amazing, but her core and inner muscles, which control her, are still weak. I think she needs to become an athlete who can represent Japan, so I want her to keep working hard. If she can do that, I think the Olympics will be within her reach." In addition to practical training, she is also focusing on physical transformation, aiming for even greater heights. [Hanaoka Yurara] "It's tough, but I'm working hard because I know it's for my own good." Hanaoka came to Saga to study canoeing abroad. The proprietress of a nearby inn provides her with full support, from daily dinners to school lunches, as food is the most important part of her physical transformation. [Hanaoka Yurara] "Every time I open my lunch box, I feel so grateful. They've really supported me with their meals. They're so kind and watch over me, they're like the mothers of Saga." [Innkeeper] "She's a cheerful young lady, and I don't have to worry about her at all. I hope she becomes number one in Japan and eventually competes in the Olympics. I'm looking forward to it." Hard training and unfamiliar housework... I felt lonely for the first month, and I was on the phone with my mother, Hifumi, every day. [Mother Hifumi] "Mak...