Tomoka Takeuchi
Tomoka Takeuchi fell in love with snowboarding when it was first introduced as an official event at the Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics. Before long, she revealed her talent in the sport and made it to Salt Lake City 2002. This was the start of her Olympic journey. Tomoka scored her first victory in the Snowboard World Cup 2012. She went on to place second in the world rankings when she won a silver medal at Sochi in 2014, making her the first Japanese female snowboarder ever to win a medal in the Winter Olympics. After an interval of two and a half years, Tomoka qualified to compete in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics for the sixth time.
At the age of 15, Tomoka completed a test run on the same course as the snowboarders competing in the World Cup in Japan. Discovering that her time was good enough to be in the top eight, she grew in self-confidence, ready to take on the world. After competing in the Torino 2006 Winter Olympics, Tomoka settled in Switzerland so she could further develop her skills in the world’s top-class environment. With her consistent performances, she became one of the leading snowboarders in the world, winning 13th place in Vancouver 2010 and third place in the 2015 World Championships. Despite sustaining a major injury in 2016, she made a comeback in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018, where she placed an admirable fifth. In the competitions that followed, she has consistently produced strong results.
“The unique flat configuration makes the watch light despite its imposing look, so it doesn’t get in the way even if I wear it while exercising. No other watch has so effectively combined stereoscopic cutting-edge design with a natural fit that almost makes you forget that you are wearing it.”
Tomoka strives to contribute to society through sports, and the value of charity is one she shares with the members of the Richard Mille family. Her wish came true in the form of a snowboard event for children affected by the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi Earthquake. Held in her hometown of Higashikawa-cho, Hokkaido, the event offered a fun experience for the children to play in the snow with top athletes from the Richard Mille family, who came from across the world to help Tomoka.
Now retired from competition, Tomoka Takeuchi remains a symbol of resilience and trailblazing spirit—an athlete whose legacy continues to influence Japanese snowboarding and inspire young riders across the world.