Spotlight on Nikkei Olympic athletes

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Collin Morikawa. photo by J.Lindeberg

Collin Morikawa
Sport: Golf
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 160 lbs
DOB: 2/6/1997
Birthplace: Los Angeles Hometown: La Canada, Calif.
College: University of California, Berkeley
Ethnicity: Of Japanese and Chinese descent
Fun Facts: He received a business administration degree from Cal.

Sakura Kokumai. photo courtesy of Team USA

Sakura Kokumai
Position: Female Elite Kata
Sport: Karate
DOB: 10/2/1992
Birthplace: Honolulu
Hometown: Stevenson Ranch, Calif.
College: Waseda University (Master’s degree)
Ethnicity: Japanese American
Fun Facts: She loves watching figure skating, knows how to sail and her go-to pre-competition food is rice.

Nyjah Huston. photo courtesy of @teamusa

Nyjah Huston
Sport: Skateboarding
Event(s): Men’s Skateboard Street
Height: 5’10”
DOB: 11/30/1994
Birthplace: Davis, Calif.
Hometown: Davis, Calif.
Team/Club: Nike SB team
Ethnicity: Part-Japanese
Fun Facts: He has never broken a bone in his life. He devotes time to a charity, Let it Flow, which helps provide communities in need with fresh water.

Erik Shoji. photo by Michael Gomez Photography

Erik Shoji
Position: Libero
Sport: Volleyball
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 160
DOB: 8/24/1989
Birthplace: Honolulu
Hometown: Honolulu
High School: Punahou School (Honolulu) ‘08
College: Stanford University ‘12, Human biology
Ethnicity: Part-Japanese
Fun Facts: His favorite book is “To Kill a Mockingbird” and his favorite food is sushi.

Johnny Hooper. photo courtesy of USA Water Polo and Peter Poby

Johnny Hooper
Position: Attacker
Sport: Water polo
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 195
DOB: 6/24/1997
Birthplace: Los Angeles
Hometown: Los Angeles
High School: Harvard-Westlake High School (Los Angeles, Calif.) ‘15
College: University of California, Berkeley ‘19, Business
Team/Club: Palaio Faliro/The Olympic Club
Ethnicity: Part-Japanese
Fun Facts: Some of his hobbies include music management, photography and surfing. He is also fluent in Japanese and is a Japanese citizen.

Megumi Field. photo courtesy of USA Artistic Swimming-2.jpg

Megumi Field
Sport: Artistic Swimming
Height: 5’6”
Age: 18
Hometown: Wilmington, Del.
High School: Laurel Springs High School
Team/Club: La Mirada Aquabelles
Ethnicity: Part-Japanese

Jack Yonezuka. photo courtesy of International Judo Federation

Jack Yonezuka
Weight Class: 73 kg
Sport: Judo
DOB: 5/20/2003
Hometown: West Long Branch, NJ
Team/Club: NYAC/Cranford JKC
Ethnicity: Part-Japanese

 

 

Hugh Watanabe
Sport: Basketball
Team: Japan
DOB: 12/23/1998
Born: Waimanalo, Hawai‘i
Team/Club: Shinshu Brave Warriors
Ethnicity: Japanese American

Team Japan athletes include
Keisei Tominaga
Sport: Basketball
Team: Japan
DOB: 2/1/2001
Team/Club: Indiana Pacers
Ethnicity: Japanese

Rui Hachimura
Sport: Basketball
Team: Japan
DOB: 2/8/1998
Team/Club: Los Angeles Lakers
Ethnicity: Japanese

Yuta Watanabe
Sport: Basketball
Team: Japan
DOB: 10/13/1994
Team/Club: Chiba Jets
Ethnicity: Japanese

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