- Title: JAPAN: Trampoline duo bounce for glory
- Date: 8th August 2008
- Summary: (S3) TOKYO, JAPAN (RECENT) (REUTERS) JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRAMPOLINIST YASUHIRO UEYAMA AND TETSUYA SOTOMURA PREPARE FOR TRAINING UEYAMA PRAYING BEFORE PRACTICE UEYAMA GETTING ON A TRAMPOLINE UEYAMA JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE MORE OF UEYAMA PERFORMING FLAG OF JAPAN AND THE OLYMPICS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) YASUHIRO UEYAMA, JAPANESE OLYMPIC TRAMPOLINIST SAYING: "I hope my preciseness stands out since my jump isn't as high as other foreign competitors. I need to maintain a stable height and rhythm as much as possible." UEYAMA AND SOTOMURA WITH MEDIA
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA2LXXC6R5LABTW8T7K1S7N48LQ
- Story Text: Meet one of Japan's most promising Olympic duos.
Female fans idolise them while others have high hopes the pair will collect a haul of medals in Beijing.
Yasuhiro Ueyama and Tetsuya Sotomura are in final preparations for their event which starts on Saturday (Aug 16).
"I hope my preciseness stands out since my jump isn't as high as other foreign competitors," Ueyama, who currently ranks No. 1 in international men's trampoline told reporters at a recent training session.
"I need to maintain stable height and rhythm as much as possible," he added.
Raised by his former trampolinist father, Ueyama started trampolining at the age of three in the city of Osaka in Western Japan.
Ueyama won his first world title during the 2005-2006 World Cup series by beating his international rivals as well as his practice partner Sotomura, who also showed his readiness for the Olympic games.
"People say I have beautiful posture so I hope to emphasize that and achieve solid results at the Olympics in order to really show my skills," Sotomura told reporters.
Though the two must compete with one another at the Olympics, they must jump, twist and perform multiple somersaults in perfect sync when they pair up for the synchronized trampolining competitions, which they have been working on since 2003.
The duo hope to raise the profile of their sport, which was only introduced to Olympics in 2000.
"I'm sure a lot of people are wondering what trampolining is, so I hope people will watch the Olympics and get to know certain rules such as there are 10 trials and we must flip continuously. If they know the rules, they will want to see it again."
explained Sotomura.
He learned trampolining from his father, who won bronze medal in gymnastics at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Likewise, Ueyama hopes to gain more audience and make trampolining available to a much younger generation.
"I want little children to watch the Olympics, be interested in and try trampolining if possible," said Ueyama. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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