The Los Angeles Dodgers are about to head to spring training to spearhead their efforts to complete a three-peat in Major League Baseball, but they’re already helping someone across the world win their own championship.
Kira Kimura, 21, of Japan, landed in Milan, Italy, for the Winter Olympic Games, hoping to stand on the podium in the big air snowboarding event by the end of it. Although he had a chance at possibly grabbing the bronze medal, the reigning Olympic champion, Su Yiming from China, and fellow countryman Ryoma Kimata were considered the heavy favorites to win it all.
It was an uphill battle for a Japanese snowboarder who won bronze at the most recent X Games Aspen event, finishing behind another Japanese star, Hiroto Ogiwara, who took home the gold.
But there’s one big thing you need to know about Kimura: he is a superfan of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Even in his professional headshot for the X Games, he is wearing an “LA” Dodgers cap that he is often pictured in.
And just like the Dodgers in the 2025 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, his back was against the wall, but he wasn’t out until the final attempt. During the qualifiers, he finished third again, with Ogiwara holding first place, going into the ultimate round, with Yiming lurking right behind Kimura.
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In that finale, Ogiwara had three nightmare runs, finishing at the bottom of the standings, while Kimata had two fantastic two tries before not improving on his third.
It was Kimura, though, in the most important moment of his life, where he had his best run. He scored a 90.50, the highest of any snowboarder during the final, to usurp the world champion Kimata to win the gold medal.
Kimura was open about how much Shohei Ohtani, the four-time MLB MVP, has inspired him in his journey to become a champion in his own right. After learning that Ohtani gets 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night, Kimura changed his nighttime habits and committed to getting enough rest, like his idol.
He also admitted that he cut his hair close for the first time in his life because he wanted to resemble L.A.’s superstar shortstop Mookie Betts. The same Betts who ended last year’s World Series with a double play as Japan’s own Yoshinobu Yamaoto celebrated on the mound.
After winning a gold medal in Italy by learning from Ohtani and mimicking Betts, there is only one thing left for Kimura to accomplish: Throw an opening pitch at Dodger Stadium in 2026.
