Get to know: Sana Azegami (JPN)

18-year-old Sana Azegami is part of a Nordic Combined family: her twin brother Shogo Azegami is also Nordic Combined athletes and together, the siblings started at their very first FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Oberwiesenthal this winter. While Shogo finished 22nd in the men’s rankings, Sana was sixth in the women’s event. Get to know the Japanese breakout athlete here.

How did you start with skiing / Nordic Combined?

When I was 10 years old, my father suggested to me to participate in a ski jump experience session and that’s what I did.  It was a very small hill only, but it was so much fun that I never stopped after that.

Why did you pick Nordic Combined as your sport, what fascinates you most about it?

Ski jumping and Cross-Country Skiing by themselves have a lot of appeal to me already, but in Nordic Combined, you can do both. That was even more attractive.

What do you have to work harder on, the ski jumping or the cross-country skiing?

With a lot of training, I’ve come to be able to produce satisfying jumps in jumping, but in cross-country I am still far from my ideal. So currently, I want to focus more on cross-country.

Do you have a sports idol/role model (inside or outside of Nordic Combined)?

My role model is Akito Watabe. I admire him not only for his performances in competition aspect but also I also aspire to have the same type of personality.

What was your greatest/best/most exciting moment in Nordic Combined so far?

Oh, I have to say the Junior World Championships in Oberwiesenthal! They were my first title event and only my third international start. It was a really exciting competition to be a part of!

What are your goals for the next season?

I absolutely want to participate in the first-ever women’s World Cup and World Championships events and win medals!

Follow Sana on Instagram: @sn_azgm