Noriaki Kasai finishes 13th at Japan ski jumping championships

Noriaki Kasai placed 13th at Japan’s ski jumping championships on the large hill in Hakuba, despite being 54.

He was fourth after the first round, with a 130-metre jump, but fell back after his second jump measured 98 metres.

Ren Nikaido won and defended his national title, finishing well ahead of the field.

Kasai had finished 25th on the normal hill two days earlier, so his large-hill performance was a marked improvement.

Kasai is still competing decades after his World Cup debut in 1988, and holds records as the oldest ski jumper to win, reach a World Cup podium and score World Cup points.

He has said he wants to keep jumping until he turns 60 and hopes to compete at another Olympics.

Japan’s championships will help determine remaining World Cup places, and a place for Kasai at the coming Sapporo World Cup is considered possible.