白井健三さん「特徴を理解することが大切」　リオ五輪金メダリストが講演　岩手県花巻市 (26/06/03 20:20)

Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Kenzo Shirai gave a lecture to students at Hanamaki Higashi High School (Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture) on June 3rd. Reflecting on his Olympic experience, Mr. Shirai emphasized the importance of understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses. Hanamaki Higashi High School's sports course regularly holds special lectures featuring athletes and other speakers. Kenzo Shirai: "Ultimately, if you don't know where you want to finish, you won't be able to set goals. So, always keep in mind the ideal you want to reach in the end." Kenzo Shirai, who served as the lecturer, won a gold medal in the men's gymnastics team event at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He retired from competitive gymnastics at the age of 24, and as of June 3rd, 2026, he is coaching the gymnastics club at his alma mater, Nippon Sport Science University. On the 3rd, he lectured to approximately 500 students, reflecting on his Olympic experience and focusing on the theme of "setting goals using concrete numbers." In his lecture, he said, "Effort isn't about getting results, but about getting to know yourself," and conveyed that "by practicing repeatedly, you can come to understand your own strengths, and that leads to results." Kentaro Ohara (2nd year), Hanamaki Higashi Track and Field Club: "I was aiming for the Olympics, and after retiring, I wanted to become a coach like Mr. Shirai, so I was glad to hear such a great talk." After the lecture, he performed a spectacular backflip reminiscent of his competitive days. The students enjoyed this valuable time with the gold medalist and renewed their determination towards their own goals.