Yamada wins 1st national title in ski jumping

Yamada wins 1st national title in ski jumping

HAKUBA, Japan - Hiroki Yamada came from behind to win his first national title when he cruised to victory in the men's field at the ski jumping national championships at Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture on Feb. 15.

Austria earns easy win, Japan 2nd in World Cup team ski jump

Austria earns easy win, Japan 2nd in World Cup team ski jump

SAPPORO, Japan - Japan's ski jumping team -- (From L to R) Hedeharu Miyahira, Hiroki Yamada, Noriaki Kasai and Kazuyoshi Funaki -- smile on a podium Jan. 27 at Okurayama hill in Sapporo after finishing second in a World Cup competition. The Austrian quartet -- Andreas Widhoelzl, Stefan Horngacher, Wolfgang Loitzl and Martin Koch -- won the competition.

Yamada 4th in Four Hills meet

Yamada 4th in Four Hills meet

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Young upstart Hiroki Yamada of Japan finished fourth in the second leg of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on Jan. 1. Competitors move to Innsbruck for the third event on Jan. 4 and finish in Bischofshofen two days later.

Yamada 11th in Four Hills opener

Yamada 11th in Four Hills opener

OBERSTDORF, Germany - Japan's rising star Hiroki Yamada finishes 11th and the highest-placed Japanese at the opening event of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament on Dec. 30 in Oberstdorf, Germany. In his rookie season on the Japanese national team, the 19-year-old Yamada flew over the K-115 mark in both rounds with 115.5 and 116 meters for 232.2 points.

Yamada 11th in Four Hills opener

Yamada 11th in Four Hills opener

OBERSTDORF, Germany - Japan's rising star Hiroki Yamada finishes 11th and the highest-placed Japanese at the opening event of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament on Dec. 30 in Oberstdorf, Germany. In his rookie season on the Japanese national team, the 19-year-old Yamada flew over the K-115 mark in both rounds with 115.5 and 116 meters for 232.2 points.

Yamada 4th in Four Hills meet

Yamada 4th in Four Hills meet

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Young upstart Hiroki Yamada of Japan finished fourth in the second leg of the Four Hills ski jumping tournament in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on Jan. 1. Competitors move to Innsbruck for the third event on Jan. 4 and finish in Bischofshofen two days later.

Austria earns easy win, Japan 2nd in World Cup team ski jump

Austria earns easy win, Japan 2nd in World Cup team ski jump

SAPPORO, Japan - Japan's ski jumping team -- (From L to R) Hedeharu Miyahira, Hiroki Yamada, Noriaki Kasai and Kazuyoshi Funaki -- smile on a podium Jan. 27 at Okurayama hill in Sapporo after finishing second in a World Cup competition. The Austrian quartet -- Andreas Widhoelzl, Stefan Horngacher, Wolfgang Loitzl and Martin Koch -- won the competition.

Nakagawa grand slam, solid Karashima lift Eagles past Hawks

Nakagawa grand slam, solid Karashima lift Eagles past Hawks

Rakuten Eagles' Taishi Nakagawa hits a grand slam off SoftBank Hawks starting pitcher Hiroki Yamada in the first inning of their game in Sendai on Sept. 4, 2016. Rakuten snapped their three-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over the Pacific League-leading SoftBank. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Yamada wins 1st national title in ski jumping

Yamada wins 1st national title in ski jumping

HAKUBA, Japan - Hiroki Yamada came from behind to win his first national title when he cruised to victory in the men's field at the ski jumping national championships at Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture on Feb. 15. (Kyodo)