On Saturday, September 9th, UNIQLO will hold the "UNIQLO Next Generation Development Program with Ayumu Hirano 14" with Ayumu Hirano, a professional snowboarder/skateboarder and UNIQLO global brand ambassador, to support the next generation of children.
A completion ceremony was also held for the Murakami Snow Research & Training Center, a Huff Pipe Air reproduction facility that is being specially sponsored by Uniqlo and which began trial operation on the same day.
At the completion ceremony, the facility's representative, Hirano's father, Hidenori, expressed his gratitude to all those who cooperated in the construction of the facility, and shared his thoughts about the facility, saying, "Athletes must be mentally healthy. If there is a training facility nearby, there will be fewer overseas trips and they will be able to practice at their own pace without having to miss school or work. We aim to create an environment that is even better than a snowy half-pipe."
Taking the stage to cut the ribbon, Hirano commented, "Since the end of the Beijing Olympics, I have been preparing this facility, having held numerous meetings with my family and people on site to see if we could find an environment where the athletes could practice without being affected by the weather for the next Olympics.I am really happy that we have reached this day."
Afterwards, at the UNIQLO Next Generation Development Program with Ayumu Hirano 2024, Ayumu Hirano appeared on stage in front of an audience of 30 elementary and junior high school students, who erupted in cheers and applause when Hirano showed off his spectacular skating skills.
The children actually went up onto the transition (runway) and observed Hirano's speedy approach up close. Hirano also showed off tricks that were just like the ones he does in the season, including the "Triple Cork 1440" and "Double Cork 1620," which are considered the most difficult tricks, fascinated the participants.
Hirano, who landed a trick in the newly completed facility, said, "It went well (laughs). I didn't warm up, but I went for it," demonstrating his world-class riding.
A child who watched the techniques up close seemed impressed, saying, "It was on a different level. It was really amazing how they could do it on such a steep slope."
In the special talk session that followed on the theme of "Achieving your own dreams," a participant asked, "I'm aiming to be a triple threat, combining snowboarding, surfing, and taking the junior high school entrance exam. What can I do to do it all when I don't have much time?" To which he replied, "That's fantastic. The difference in the training environments for snowboarding and skateboarding made me feel strongly that the more serious I get, the more I have to give up something. I hope you will cherish the feeling that this is the only time you can take on this challenge, and keep going without giving up."
Regarding realizing his own dream, Hirano said, "It's not just about doing the same practice as others, but it's important to try different things and continue every day."
Finally, he concluded the event by talking about his enthusiasm for his next goal, saying, "I want to go beyond winning the gold medal, which has been my dream. I am currently focused on winning my second consecutive gold medal at the Milan Olympics, which is a year and a half away. However, I want to value the daily process and not get too caught up in the results."
About the UNIQLO Next Generation Development Program
UNIQLO announced this in November 2022 as a collective term for its next-generation development activities to support children around the world in collaboration with world-class athletes, including UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassadors, and various organizations. In order to help children grow into leaders of a sustainable future, the program provides social contribution by holding classes on the theme of sustainability in addition to coaching sports competitions, while also providing hints on how to live positively and powerfully through interactions with top athletes who have mastered the field of sports. This will be Hirano's second time participating in the program, following the event held at Yokone Ski Resort in Yamagata Prefecture in March 11.
