"Hiroki Yokoyama emphasizes the importance of making skating enjoyable" [Stories of Athletes]

In the world of short track speed skating, Hiroko Yokoyama is a name to reckon with. A promising athlete who has made a significant impact in the sport, Yokoyama currently works in Toyota Motor Corporation's Material Engineering Division No. 1.

Yokoyama's skating journey began as a child, dabbling in various sports such as gymnastics, long-distance running, tennis, swimming, and ice hockey. However, it was a teacher at a skating school who guided him towards short track speed skating.

In his high school days, Yokoyama was designated as an alternate on Japan's national team for the World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships. His breakthrough came during his university years, when he won the overall title at a national meet as a second-year student.

However, Yokoyama's journey has not been without setbacks. He was disqualified from the All Japan Short Track Speed Skating Championships due to interference. A bruise to his ribs during the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Shanghai led him into a slump. Yet, he persevered, joining a local club where he could skate freely, eventually improving at short track.

In his third year of junior high, Yokoyama experienced a growth spurt, which propelled him to the point where he could even win in national meets. This success continued, with Yokoyama joining Japan's national team and being selected to represent Japan in the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup and the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships.

Yokoyama's first Olympic Games experience left him with an unpleasant aftertaste after being eliminated in the 1,500-meter preliminaries at PyeongChang 2018. Despite this, he continued to race aggressively, even when faced with challenges such as a more formalized training routine that left him feeling worn out.

Something clicked during the Winter Universiade, when Yokoyama was in his second year in university. He finished fourth in both the 500 meters and the 1,500 meters, and improved his personal best by about one full second in the 500 meters. This performance demonstrated that although Yokoyama could make it through the preliminaries without much trouble, he still had a long way to go when going up against the world's best in the finals.

Yokoyama's dedication to the sport did not go unnoticed. In 2020, he based his training in the Netherlands, participating in training for the Dutch national team. This move aimed to incorporate what is learned in the Netherlands and add a unique character to Japan's overall competitive ability, as Head Coach Satoru Terao of the Toyota Sports & Corporate Citizenship Department strives to do.

Despite his busy schedule, Yokoyama continues to excel in his profession at Toyota Motor Corporation's Material Engineering Division No. 1, demonstrating that his passion for both short track speed skating and engineering knows no bounds.

"Hiroki Yokoyama emphasizes the importance of making skating enjoyable" [Stories of Athletes]