Kenji Ogiwara

Kenji Ogiwara is Japan’s most successful nordic combined competitor. He became World Champion four times, individually in 1993 and 1997, and with the Japanese team in 1993 and 1995. He also won two Olympic titles in the team competition, but failed to medal individually, placing fourth in both 1994 and, before his home crowd, in 1998. From 1993 to 1995, he won the Nordic Combined World Cup, winning a total of 19 events in his career. Ogiwara’s twin brother Tsugiharu also competed in the sport, and the two were on the 1995 Japanese team that won the world title. That same year, Kenji also won the Holmenkollen medal, the first Japanese to receive this honour. Retiring after the Salt Lake Games, Ogiwara turned to politics, being elected into the Japanese Upper House in 2004 for the Liberal Democratic Party. In 2007 and 2008, he briefly served as parliamentary secretary for economy. Ogiwara is also active as a sports administrator, being involved with the Japanese Olympic Committee, Biathlon & Modern Pentathlon Association, Skiing Association and Court for Sports Arbitration.