PYEONGCHANG -- Ryoyu Kobayashi finished in a tie for 10th in the men's large hill jump at the Pyeongchang Olympics on Saturday, the highest standing among four Japanese jumpers.
Taku Takeuchi finished 22nd and Kobayashi's older brother, Junshiro, was 24th at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Center.
Noriaki Kasai, who won the silver medal in the large hill jump at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, was not able to proceed beyond the first jump. His 121-meter leap placed him 33rd, and only the top 30 participants earn a final jump.
Kasai had the support of his relatives, including his wife and child, in Pyeongchang. It was the first time he had brought them to the Games in the eight Olympics he has participated in, but he was not able to show them his best performance.
"Jumpers don't know whether they'll catch a favorable wind. If you don't catch the wind at the right time, you end up in this kind of position. I have to accept the result," Kasai said afterward.
Following a seventh place finish in the normal hill jump on Feb. 10, Kobayashi broke into the top 10 after jumps of 135.5 and 128 meters. "I think I was able to develop [as a jumper]," he said.
"I was able to be in peak condition during the Olympics," the 21-year-old said. "But I feel a bit frustrated. I'll try to improve my standing next time."
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