Source:Oriental Image/Jiang Xu
[Saba Sports News] Nozomi Okuhara, who won the women’s singles bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, recently appeared on the TV program Ueda and Women’s Late-Night Deep Talk, where she opened up about her inner struggles. The episode’s theme was a “quarter-life crisis,” referring to the vague anxieties people often face from their late twenties into their thirties because of marriage, childbirth, career development, and similar factors. Okuhara said that at age 20 her results went smoothly and she received a great deal of support, for which she was grateful. But she admitted that after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics she was suddenly treated like a veteran with declining results, which caused her to experience deep confusion about her values and the meaning of her existence. When comedian and host Ueda Shinya asked, “Do you worry about what’s happening around you? For example, younger players rising up?” Okuhara said that within the athlete community being around 30 is often the time for retirement, and she does feel anxious about how to plan the rest of her life.
The editor believes Okuhara’s career has always been accompanied by immense pressure. As a core member of Japan’s national badminton team she carries the nation’s expectations, and fans want to see her perform at her best. Under such heavy pressure, the editor says, every decision Okuhara makes can feel like walking on a knife’s edge—one misstep could spark controversy.